2023 Genesis G90 puts a pretty face on BMW

six years. That’s the short span of time Genesis has thoroughly reconsidered the G90 flagship luxury sedan three times. As the saying goes, the third time is the charm.

Exuding elegance and style, the 2023 Genesis G90 slides into the next phase of its young life with fewer cylinders, an optional mild hybrid system, new styling inside and out, and new mechanical tricks, while targeting what appears to be a left-wing segment of the luxury market behind by Lexus.

Electrified but not electric

The smooth 5.0-liter V-8 of yesteryear is gone. REST IN PEACE.

The base 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 developing 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic is found across the Genesis lineup. It’s a gem of a powertrain that makes a decent imitation of a Bavarian-born Turbo-6. But my E-Supercharger rig’s new engine takes that turbocharged V-6 and pairs it with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It adds an electric supercharger to help deliver boost at low rpm (like an electric supercharger) before the turbo kicks in, and Genesis rates the whole thing at 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque.

For those keeping track, it’s 11 hp less but 22 lb-ft of torque over the V-8.

The TL;DR version: I missed the smooth power delivery and build of the outgoing V-8, and that complicated powertrain felt like proof the G90 should have just gone all-electric (which this platform is capable of; see the 2023 Genesis Electrified G80).

The G90 has enough power for quick freeway passes, but it never feels like there’s over 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque on tap. The reason? The G90 weighs between 4,861 and 5,192 pounds. Put two adults in the front seats and it’s almost as heavy as a base Chevrolet Tahoe. Electric assistance is smooth and power transitions are seamless, but hard hits of the accelerator require the transmission to downshift a gear or three, which it does in quick succession.

There is a lack of coordination

Ironically, the biggest downside to the luxury flagship is its handling and lack of control. My tester, the E-Supercharger model, featured a multi-chamber air suspension system paired with adaptive dampers. The ride is floating, uncoordinated, and feels like a boat at times. My wife, who suffers from motion sickness, quickly noticed that the Genesis made her nauseous on the highway in Comfort mode. Sport mode’s firmer suspension tune helped, but seemingly goes a half step too far for true old-school Lexus LS-like ride quality and everyday driving.

The rear-wheel steering system, which is the highlight of the smaller G80 Sport, is one of the G90’s downsides. It can turn the rear wheels up to 4.0 degrees versus the fronts below 60 km/h and up to 2.0 degrees in phase with the fronts above 60 km/h, and while reducing the G90’s footprint around corners it can affect the G90 uncoordinated and sometimes exaggerate feeling.

Eye-catching style

It’s hard not to underestimate the elegance and presence of the latest G90. The overall design is simple in an era of the facelifted BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS flagships. The front end is low, yet apparently meets pedestrian crash test standards. Eat your heart out, BMW.

That low front end gives way to a simple clamshell hood that wouldn’t look out of place on a million-dollar Aston Martin, and the front and rear horizontal LED lighting is distinctive and jewel-like. The high greenhouse refreshes in times of small glass windows and high waistlines.

Germans should take notes, because inside the G90 are knobs, knobs and fixed controls in a digital age where someone told someone the biggest iPad slammed on a dashboard wins. The buttons are finely textured, while every surface is soft and many feature delicate stitching. Genesis doesn’t go for cheap gimmicks or a flashy crystal ball here (hint: check out the smaller GV60 for that). It just all feels and looks like simple but quality pieces that belong in a lounge. Those in search of cheesy carbon fiber or ridiculous amounts of wood will need to head to other showrooms, as this is a soothing interior created for relaxed cruising from point A to point B.

But some of the G90’s internal functions are compromised. The touch-sensitive pad on the two-spoke steering wheel tempted me to accidentally change songs with just a swipe of my finger. The layout of the 12.3-inch digital instrument is amazing in its formats and information displayed, which is limited to the status of the driver assistance system, the on-board computer or a map. It all feels like a waste of digital real estate. And those pillars that border the digital gauge cluster are a design statement, but feature hard controls for dimming the gauge cluster that feel like a poor use of space that could be better utilized for other vehicle controls. The fact that the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system lacks wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, priced at $100,370 as tested, borders on astonishing considering the doors automatically close at the touch of a button.

The 2023 Genesis G90 retails for $89,495 in base form, so it’s not quite the value game it once was. But even at $100,370 on test, the latest iteration of the fledgling luxury automaker’s flagship feels like it’s beating above its class.

It’s not so much that the G90 offers features that rivals lack, it’s that it does so with the kind of class that BMW and even Lexus seem to have forgotten while leaning on both style and substance. Now give it the electric powertrain it deserves and refine that suspension, Genesis.