2020 Genesis G90: South Korea’s Premier Sedan Gets a Glitzy Grille and ’90s Wheels
The automotive version of throwback Thursday.
The full-size Genesis G90 sedan may have only been around since 2017, but that didn't stop Hyundai’s premier luxury brand from giving it a complete refresh and design makeover for 2020. Already available in the automaker's home market in South Korea, the updated 2020 Hyundai G90 finally made its way to North America to take a bow at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The new 2020 Genesis G90 adopts the company’s latest design theme, dubbed “Athletic Elegance and Horizontal Architecture,” spearheaded by former Bentley chief designer and now head of design at Hyundai Motor Group, Luc Donkerwolke.
“G90 is the ultimate expression of the Genesis brand,” Donckerwolke said. “Before the first sketch was even drawn, my team of designers thought carefully about how to evolve its styling and create something even more elegant and harmonic.”
The new G90 sits on the same platform as the unit from 2016, but with completely revised looks, incorporating a new signature front upside-down pentagonal mesh-style grille, which the company coins the “Crest Grille.” It’s then complemented with thinly-shaped “Quad Lamp” headlights. Updates also change out the rear’s design for an LED taillight bar that spans across the entire rear trunk line, while new “G-Matrix” 19-inch wheels replace the outgoing multi-spoke design. The latter looks very fancy and elegant, and we can't imagine them being very easy to clean.
Overall, however, the G90 remains mechanically unchanged, featuring Hyundai’s ubiquitous 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine good for 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque as the base motor. Hyundai’s famous “Tau” naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 is still an option under the top-spec Ultimate model, with 420 hp and 383 lb-ft on tap. Both channel power to the rear or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Pricing will be announced closer to the G90’s sales launch date.
