Genesis G90 Launched at 2016 Detroit Motor Show: A Detailed Review

Kuala Lumpur/Detroit: The South Korean carmaker has come out of the closet into a whole new luxury division Genesis, to spoil the party earlier enjoyed by European carmakers. Hyundai has officially raised the curtains over its Genesis G90 at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. This G90 is not a poorly executed copy of a European model like Hyundai has done it in past, it is indeed an all-new definition of an exquisite saloon with its own class and luxury that will straightly go against the likes of German connoisseur Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

So far the G90 has remained a dubious model because it is dubbed as EQ900 in Korea, which is also a replacement to Hyundai Equus and based on the Vision G concept of the company. However, Hyundai has now cleared off the dubiety and confirmed that the G90 is going to be Genesis’ flagship model and will directly sit upon the earlier released G80. We can't predict the arrival of Genesis G90 in Malaysia, but the luxury sub-division of Hyundai has already launched G80 in Malaysia last year by the name of Hyundai Genesis. Therefore, we can strongly anticipate the G90 here in the near future.

The flagship title can only be justified by the power one car holds, and G90 is every bit true to the promises claimed by Hyundai. The car will be made available in two engine options namely: a 3.3-litre twin turbo V6 and a 5.0-litre direct-injected V8, the former produces a 365 hp at 6000 rpm and 510 Nm of torque from 1300 to 4500 rpm. While the latter direct-injected V8 engine pushes out a 420 hp at 6000 rpm and 520 Nm of torque at 5000 rpm. Both the engines feature Hyundai's electric thermostats and mid-position-lock Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) to deliver enhanced responses and great fuel efficiency.

This massive power is delivered to the front wheel of the car through an eight-speed transmission that comes as a standard for both engines, although being a flagship the brand cannot compromise with driving pleasure. Therefore, G90 is also being offered with an optional H-TRAC AWD system. It is a smart power distribution system that can send up to 40 percent of available torque to the front axle to enhance the traction in slippery or snowy conditions. In the normal calibration, the car delivers a 90 percent of torque to rear wheels while in the Economy mode, 100 percent of the torque is distributed over the rear wheels for maximum fuel efficiency.

When you are talking about a flagship sedan competing against Mercedes Benz S Class, it should possess some jaw-dropping interior ailments as well and Genesis has sustained each of them to beat the German legacy.

The car features a giant infotainment screen spans across the center console. This 12.3-inch high-definition widescreen can be used to operate the audio-visual system of the car that also includes one-megapixel digital parking camera along with a high-resolution 360-degree Multi-view monitor.

Genesis has duly taken care of the rear seat passengers too, the car is loaded with rear-seat dual-monitors with 9.2-inch high-definition screens that can be controlled using the rear seat that are standard only on the V-8 model. The 5.0-litre model features heated and cooled seats at the back which are electronically adjustable in 12 ways on the left seat while 14 ways on the right.

The G90 is tailored for long drives and lays a calm and quiet cabin owing to its laminated acoustic glass with three-layer weatherstrip on the doors. Just like the other affluent sedans, G90 also features ambient lighting with mood lamps that comes in seven selectable colors. To impress the audiophiles, the G90 can also turn into a rock concert by its Lexicon surround-sound with 17 speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer.

Genesis has kept the car abreast in every term. It features the next gen safety technologies including the lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, dynamic bending headlamps, driver attention alert and a lot more to count.

The 2017 Genesis G90 is all primed to go for sale across North America this year and the company is planning to line-up five additional Genesis models in the coming five years. As for the G90, we can say that the car looks quite promising and can save huge bucks compared to the other European flagships. Also, gone are the days when Hyundai created cheap knockdowns of west. The company has recently appointed Ex-Lamborghini executive to bolster their brand and design. Thus Genesis is Hyundai's luxury marque with huge potential to change its global image.

Also, check out the “Award Winning Advertisement” of Hyundai Genesis G90 – 'A Message to Space'.