2017 Genesis G90 RWD 5.0 Ultimate Review
Overview:
This is the 2017 Genesis G90 RWD 5.0 Ultimate. Well you’ll notice they are now referring to the Hyundai Genesis and simply Genesis and there are currently only two models, the G80 and G90. It replaces the Equus top of the line model for Hyundai.
Most recently you may recall that Chrysler spun off the Ram from Dodge to a separate entity named Ram and the truck is simply Ram.
It is curious why such a distinction from the link to Hyundai that has such a good name in the minds of the industry and the consumer.
Right after receiving the car for review I had the occasion to go from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara for a memorial for a friend. Not only is the coast route 101 a fabulously beautiful drive the car made the journey stress free. I can’t ‘stress’ too much how comfortable a long ride can be with two features I especially appreciate. Smart Cruise (that includes Crash Avoidance) and Lane Assist when they are well engineered are fabulous. When you can drive 100 miles without stopping and never putting your foot on the gas or brake pedals it’s a good day. One day, of course, these two features will be standard equipment on all cars. Another feature that adds to these two is the Smart Blind Spot Detection and warning.
Only one complaint I found very quickly is the difficulty in setting up a new destination on the Navigation system. My phone works much better. I literally, in frustration, gave up trying to enter an address, city and state. I had to use a POI (point of interest) approach to put in a recognized place and that was relatively easy. Had it not been in the system the address entry was horrible… to me. I figure in the hundreds of reviewed Nav systems over the years that I’ve used I know when one is good and not so good.
General Information:
It is assembled in – Ulsan, Korea; Parts – US/Canadian 2%, Korea 89%, Engine and Transmission – Korea; Classification is Large Cars. Cars from Genesis: G80 and G90.
Handling & Performance:
Outstanding handling with that special feel of quality. Fuel economy is much the same across the board with the Genesis coming in a couple of mpg less than the rest of the field noted below.
The performance is wonderfully fast and smooth. Really nice.
Styling:
The first thing I found people asked, “is it a Bentley”. No, of course it isn’t but it has that appearance of a car of distinction. You will observe a lot of looks partially because it is a newcomer to the field of luxury cars.
Fit and Finish:
Excellent job of assembly that I have found in Hyundai and Kia products.
Cost:
On the lower end of price in this class and competitors.
Conveniences and comfort:
Outstanding level of features that make the driving experience very special. The list will knock your socks off – it did me. I’m impressed.
Consumer Recommendations:
If you’re looking for a luxury sedan you must include this in your search. You’ll be glad you did, and to boot, the warranty is the best of the bunch noted here with a 10 year, 100,000-mile powertrain coverage.
Recognized Competition:
Genesis G90 $71,000, Audi A7 $72,000, Audi A8 $83.000, Lincoln Continental $64,000, BMW 6 Series $81,000, BMW 7 Series $82,000.
Good News:
Well priced, great value for luxury car buyers, fantastic ride, powerful and a pure delight to drive.
Bad News:
Nav system ticked me off because if it isn’t super easy I’m not a happy camper.
Standard Equipment:
5.0 liter GDI DOHC Turbo V8 420 hp engine, 8-speed automatic transmission with shiftronic paddle shifters, adaptive control suspension with electronic damping control, intelligent drive mode with smart shift, 19” Alloy Wheels, Smart cruise control with stop / start feature, heads up display, stability and traction control and brake assist, 9-airbags including driver’s knee airbag, emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, driver attention alert, multi view camera with front and rear parking sensors, leather wrapped dash, door trim and genuine wood interior trim, full LED headlights with dynamic bending light, high beam assist and LED daytime running lights, Nappa Leather seating surfaces and microfiber suede headliner, 22-way power driver seat and 16-way front passenger power seat, 14-way power right rear seat and 12-way power left rear seat, heated and ventilated seats, ?Electroluminescent cluster with 7” Color HD LCD multi-informational display, Lexicon 17-speaker 7.1 surround sound audio, Quantum Logic Surround and Clari-Fi music Restoration technology, AM/FM/HD radio, MP3 audio,Sirius XM radio with 90 day trial, front seat wireless device charger, 3-zone climate control and CO2 sensor, power tilt and slide sunroof and acoustic laminated windows, power rear side window sunshades and power rear sunshade, power door closure and hands free smart power trunk with auto open.
Gas Stats:
$2.69/ Gal avg. January 15, 2017
www.fueleconomy.gov
for more information.
16 City and 24 Highway MPG
Pricing:
MSRP $69,700.