When the Genesis G90 first appeared on the scene, it was a spirited contender that helped spearhead the launch of the Genesis sub-brand, and proved to be a big hit at the Car-Revs-Daily offices as well due to its bold styling and its Ripleys Believe It or Not-esque pricing. But maturity hits us all at some point, and the G90 receives a big injection of it for 2020 to help it keep up with many of its rivals including the Mercedes Benz S-Class.
While it’s technically a refresh that Genesis has done, the design changes here will undoubtedly have the appearance of an all out rework. The front fascia features a bigger diamond shaped grille, and the enlarged lower air vents now appear to meet in the middle of the bottom front bumper. The beefier headlights now feature a special LED strip which is infused into the front fenders. This helps give the 2020 model a more distinctive look, and allow it to make more of a splash at night. They’ll need to, since the 19-inch rims of the car pictured are a bit too Maybach for our tastes. The hood meanwhile gains new creases along the middle for a more muscular appearance that also adds some dimension to the once primarily flat one that adorned the old model.
Moving to the rear of the G90 reveals a radically new set of taillights for 2020. The seperate vertical units of the old model have been pitched, and Genesis designers have bestowed the updated G90 with an all new rear lightbar. This style of lighting has become very fashionable these days in the luxury brand, and it is refreshing to see Genesis embrace this trend in earnest. The lights in the upper portion of the band are narrower to accomodate the trunk lid, and new “Genesis” script badging which replaces the old winge emblem.
Rounding out things are new fender mounted turn signals, and new exhaust finishers to help bring more polish and class to the visual presentation. Overall the new look is a nice update, but we will definitley need more time to adjust to some of its more polarizing attributes.
With the exterior being the center of attention this time around, Genesis decided to mainly carry over the interior from the old model with little alterations. Nothing here largely stands out (for better or for worse) in the new G90, which is a shame considering that the otherwise handsome cabin needs more personality and distinction to truly stand out from others in its elite segment.
Eagle eyed observers will notice the slimmer air vents above the analog clock, as well as some new trim and upholstery options. An updated infotainment system and new safety technologies are also expected to be on board too for added levels of security and poise. We hope that the seats still retain there plushness, and that back seat occupants continue to be coddled in impressive levels of comfort.
Look for performance hardware to also adopt the old adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” with no radical changes to either the 3.3 twin turbocharged V6 or the optional 5.0 liter “Tau” V8. A more perfornance focused G90 could add some more sizzle to either engine, but it’s too early to tell whether such a model is even in the pipeline or not. As its presented here, expect overall performance figures to not be too radical of a change from the ones that are already wielded by the current generation G90.
Expect fuel economy as well as final pricing information to be released sometime after it makes its debut in L.A., with Genesis hopefully maintaining the tremendous pricing advantage that the G90 possesses over pricier German rivals. Lastly, with the Cadillac CT6 exiting the marketplace, the G90 has a prime opportunity to lure in disheartened Cadillac loyalists with its distinctive interpretation of luxury.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.