Driven: 2023 Genesis G90 3.5T e-Supercharger AWD – Old School No More

Enter the 2023 Genesis G90 3.5T, a car that leaves the old school in the dust. No longer offered with a V8 variant and a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive, it’s now powered by a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine sending output via an 8-speed automatic transmission to all four corners.

Two states of tune are offered, a base 375-horsepower unit with 375 lb-ft of torque or the mild hybrid e-Supercharger variant with a 48-volt assist. That drivetrain delivers 409 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid version puts its emphasis on performance and as a result carries an EPA fuel economy rating 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway for a combined 20 mpg. The base model is good for one mpg more in the city, two mpg extra on the highway for a combined rating of 21 mpg.

In signaling its break from the past, the exterior styling of the new G90 is striking. The massive shield-shaped grille is flanked by twin strips of LED lights that wrap around the corners and serve as headlamps, daytime running lights and turn signals. The twin strip theme is repeated aft of the front wheels as well as in the wraparound rear LED taillamps.

Riding on a 125.2-inch wheelbase, the G90 measures 207.7 inches in overall length. The body has a slight Coke-bottle shape near the rear haunches and there’s a distinct upturn in the greenhouse at the C-pillar as if Genesis is trying to create its own signature cue along the lines of BMW’s famous Hofmeister kink.

At the rear, a steeply raked rear window blends into a decklid that has a downward cant, giving the rear a more softly rounded contour that contrasts sharply with the much more aggressive look of the nose. These disparate elements combine to give the Genesis a look that is distinctly its own.

Perhaps the biggest change, however, is the interior. Gone are the analog gauges and in their place is a 12.3-inch digital instrument display in front of the driver and a similarly sized touchscreen in the center of the dash. However, that’s not to say in the interior design is stark. There’s still plenty of soft-touch and upholstered surfaces, redundant switches in satin finish aluminum and wood veneers to underscore the car’s flagship status.

Settle down into the Nappa leather seats and there’s plenty of options available to customize your cabin experience. There’s a large rotary dial that allows you to page through your options, or you can use the touchscreen interface to create various moods from Vitality to Comfort. These modes include pre-set soundtracks, screen graphics, seat massage functions, ambient lighting schemes and even scents to enhance the interior environment.

These modes are merely icing on the cake that is G90’s sublime performance. It’s a quiet, yet powerful machine that has a solid road feel, precise steering, and a supple ride. Athleticism is not its strong suit; this is a car that’s meant to transport its passengers quickly and confidently with high levels of comfort. The top model’s velvety ride is courtesy of an advanced air suspension system.

The active noise-cancelling system mutes outside noises, and you feel almost as if you’re along for the ride, thanks to a full array of driver assists that include stop-and-go adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assists.

That doesn’t mean the G90 lacks maneuverability. The 3.5T e-Supercharger models, in addition to getting 21-inch wheels (an inch bigger than the base model), it also comes with rear-wheel steering that lops three feet off the base model’s 40.1-foot turning radius.

To that end, particular attention has been paid to rear-seat comfort. This large passenger area on our test car comes with reclining heated/ventilated seats that boast a massage function. Both the rear doors and back window feature privacy screens. The car also has soft close doors, but they are so highly damped that they feel heavy and require some extra effort just to engage the latch for the soft-close function to work.

As befitting a flagship, the G90 in its two trim levels comes with just about every conceivable feature as standard equipment. The G90 3.5T is priced from $88,400, while the e-Supercharger model goes for just over $10k more at $98,700. For that extra amount you benefit from the greater drivetrain output, air suspension system, larger wheels and tires, rear-seat upgrades, more speakers on the Bang & Olufsen sound system and the rear-wheel steer system. With $1,095 delivery and the $575 Capri Blue exterior paint scheme, our test car cost $100,370.

While the old-school attributes of the previous G90 held its own charm, this more modern interpretation of the Genesis flagship is a welcome change. Genesis has done a masterful job of integrating new technology without sacrificing the upscale touches that more tradition-bound buyers can appreciate.