IMG_9514

For over half a decade, Dan Heyman has written professionally about cars and car culture, specializing in luxury/performance vehicles, 4 x 4s and pickup trucks, with a micro city car or two thrown in for good measure. If he's not striking a spacebar, he's likely out photographing cars on the twists and turns of the Coast Mountain roads outside his hometown of Vancouver, BC, or cutting a line on a racetrack.

The 2023 Genesis G90 is the latest evolution of the brand’s flagship and the latest take on the original Hyundai Genesis sedan, a car that serves as the literal genesis of Hyundai’s luxury brand.

Put simply, it’s an absolute stunner. It has a presence that many try to achieve, but few do and just looking at it is a testament to how far the car – and the brand – has come. I mean, when a dyed-in-the-wool car guy (and movie lover) like myself can’t identify your car throughout the massive chase in the DiCaprio/Nolan film Inception, you may have a bit of an identity problem.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175932" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9512.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis G90" width="2000" height="1333" />

Well, the ’23 Genesis G90 has the tools to dispel that notion. The spidery 21-inch rims, the dual headlights, and matching side grilles, the massive front grille and the almost Kamm-back tail are all perfectly proportioned. Not to mention that at over 17 feet long and stretching six feet wide, the footprint alone is enough to stop you in your tracks. I was surprised, however, that upon closer inspection it appeared the taillight lens didn’t fully align with the light bar on the trunk lid. A strange oversight for an otherwise very well-designed car.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175940" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9541.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis G90" width="2000" height="1334" />

Stepping inside reveals that quality is far more than skin deep; the materials used are absolutely exquisite. The metallicized buttons on the dash, on the trim around the gear select dial (which gets a real glass insert) and the leather gracing most every surface you can imagine make for a first-class cabin. The interior lighting did well to match the bright lights of Ocean Drive during the car’s launch in Miami, FL last year and the dual digital displays for your gauges and infotainment are hi-def sharp.

Speaking of “hi-def” sharp; the G90 comes in only one trim in Canada – Prestige – and there aren’t any upgrade packages. Heck, there aren’t even any accessories to add past rear seat coat hangars, a special air filter for the cabin and a few other bits and bobs. That means all the good stuff comes as standard: spectacular 23-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio that didn’t suffer from the volume issues I often encounter when driving Hyundais and Kias; heads-up display; 8” armrest rear touch display; massaging front seats; rear/side window sunshades; every electronic driver aid you can imagine and a heck of a lot more.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175927" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_1664.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis G90" width="2000" height="1333" />

The rear seat reclines and has a footrest and there’s a chauffeur drive mode to prevent the driver – or should we say “your driver” – from being overly generous with throttle. Forget imagining a first-class cabin; this puts many of those to shame. Chauffeur mode also adjusts steering inputs and reduces the effects of the rear-wheel steering, which rear seat passengers can find a little off-putting—proof positive that Genesis understands that you can drape all the fine cowhide you want throughout a cabin, but it’s all for naught if you don’t back it up with the dynamics and ride quality to match. Oh, and said rear passengers can open the massive doors – remember; this car is seventeen feet long – with the press of a button. Which is nice. There are no massaging seats in the back, however, which is somewhat disappointing.

The front doors open the same way, and they won’t go all the way if they sense there’s something blocking their path. They do take some getting used to, however, especially when it comes to closing them on your way out. You can press the button to do so, but make sure you jump quickly out of the way before the door clips you with the pointy corner of its window. You can of course close them the traditional way by, you know, pushing the door closed, but since they’ve been engineered to “help” you along during the arduous task of using your muscles, those motors override your ability to simply thrust them shut as you depart. In the end, I preferred the “new” way of just hitting that button and performing an Elaine Benes dance move to get out of the way.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175928" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9499.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis G90" width="2000" height="1333" />

The last bugaboos I have with the G90’s interior surround the tech; there is no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (even though wireless charging comes as standard), nor is there a digital rear-view mirror. Of course, while wireless smartphone mirroring apps are becoming more and more mainstream today – making their absence here that much more surprising – digital rear-view mirrors still occupy some pretty rare air. Having said that: this seems the perfect application for this car, especially if chauffeur driven because it provides a better view out and more privacy. For the majority that aren’t going to have a chauffeur, it’s just nice to be able to look back there and have nothing obstruct your vision, a de-stressor that fits well with the rest of the G90 motif.

Of course, in addition to all those interior niceties, you need the power and handling, too. While the older model’s V8 is gone, the twin-turbo V6 that now sits underhood makes a hearty 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque and gets an added boost with an electric supercharger for a better launch as well as less of a power interruption when shifting gears. The eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters, meanwhile jives well with the motor which has it feeling even faster than the numbers suggest, but with the smoothness required to match the chassis dynamics.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175936" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9524.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis G90" width="2000" height="1333" />

Ahh, the chassis dynamics. These are number one with a bullet in my book when it comes to the G90’s drive experience. It starts with the ride, which is perfectly enhanced and balanced by the standard fitment of a four-corner multi-chambered air suspension. Bumps both small and big, singular or repetitive are swallowed up by the Genesis G90, with only the XL rolling stock causing a few jitters here and there. Otherwise, it’s just a serene, comfortable, predictable drive – that, in no false terms, rides on air. It’s right up there with the best in the full-size luxury sedan and SUV segments.

Then, when it comes time to start threading the corners, the G90 feels a little like it shrinks around you thanks to a direct steering rack and of course, the aforementioned rear-wheel steering. What that does is rotate the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts as you slither slowly through town and into parking spots and then in the same direction as the fronts when changing lanes at highway speeds. That last aspect is fine, but it’s more the low-speed benefits it provides because this is a car that will spend 95 per cent of its time in the city.

And it feels absolutely, 100 per cent luxuriously tailor-made to do just that.
<h3>2023 Genesis G90</h3>
BODY STYLE: four-door full-size sedan

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, all-wheel drive
ENGINE: 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 with electric supercharger, 409 hp, 405 lb-ft of torque

FUEL ECONOMY CITY/HIGHWAY/COMBINED: 13.6/9.6/11.8 L/100 KM
TRANSMISSION: Eight-speed automatic

CARGO CAPACITY: 445 L

TOWING CAPACITY: 454 kg (1,000 lbs.)

Base MSRP: $115,000

WEBSITE:  <a href="https://www.genesis.com/ca/en/models/luxury-sedan-genesis/g90/highlights.html">Genesis G90</a>

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2023 Genesis G90 Review

New York, NY - Well, they couldn’t hold off that long, right? After unveiling the Genesis X Speedium Coupe Concept in New York last year around this time, following that up with the X Convertible across the country in Santa Monica a few months later, Hyundai’s luxury brand is at it again with this: the GV80 Coupe Concept, a steeply-raked version of the popular<a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/first-drive-2021-genesis-gv80"> GV80 SUV</a> that Genesis says is inspired by the Speedium Coupe.

According to Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis Group Chief Creative Officer, the GV80 Coupe represents a confluence of the performance luxury sedans that helped launch the brand, and the crossovers and SUVs that have since brought it to the mainstream.

“At its inception, the Genesis brand began creating luxury sedans,” he said at the unveiling of the GV80 Coupe at Genesis House in New York City’s Meatpacking district. “We have (since) added more lifestyle-oriented models to the portfolio. Now we are pushing the envelope with more emotional cars that elevate Genesis’ performance and dynamic attributes,”

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175468" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/7_GV80-Coupe-Concept_Photo-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept" width="2560" height="1583" />

“Emotional” is definitely the word that comes to mind when you take in not just the aggressively-raked carbon fibre rear deck of the GV80 Coupe, but the detailing as well. The quad headlight lenses that represent an evolution of Genesis’ multi-lens array tech are a good start, but the blacking out of the trademark Genesis G Matrix grille and the massive gunmetal five-spoke wheels take the cake in terms of hard-hitting visual fidelity. Those details are complemented by the contrast-colour wing mirrors and lower front fascia.

‘Round back, meanwhile, we see a slightly enlarged take on the Spedium’s ducktail spoiler and kamm-back profile as well as a dual-tier full-length light bar that shines brightly even against the bright Magma exterior paint. That’s a colour that Donckerwolke says “represents the self-confident and passionate attitude of Korea.”

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175467" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/6_GV80-Coupe-Concept_Rendering-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept" width="2560" height="1440" />

If the exterior impresses then the interior, believe it or not, takes things a step further. With four – count’em, four – carbon fibre-backed sports seats with five-point harness holes and trunk-mounted rear strut brace, the GV80 Coupe actually recalls track-ready sports cars like the Porsche GT3 RS or BMW M4 CSL or performance SUVs such as the Aston Martin DBX more so than it does a people-moving luxury SUV. Add the exterior colour-matched seat stitching, three-spoke steering wheel and Nappa suede leather draped throughout the cabin and you have a crossover-coupe that does justice to the name.

For now, the GV80 Coupe Concept remains precisely that – a concept – so Genesis has yet to announce any form of propulsion though they are saying that the brand’s rear-wheel-drive platform has helped determine the long hood, cab rearward profile. If the other Speediums are anything to go by, however, chances are that if and when it does make production, there will be a strong electric component to the powertrain. Only time will tell but until then, we are waiting with bated breath.

Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept brings emotion to the SUV space

EGV70 water front beauty closer 9

With over two decades as a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), Michael Bettencourt has been writing about cars and automotive topics for over 25 years. A journalism graduate of Ryerson University, he has won multiple awards for automotive photography, vehicle testing, plus EV and green topics, and has owned various EVs since 2011.

Atlanta, GA – There’s no doubt that the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 will be a popular EV for the relatively new Korean luxury brand, even though it just unveiled another all-electric compact SUV last year <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-genesis-gv60-first-drive-review">in the GV60</a>. That GV60 is slightly shorter, but basically the same size inside, offers the same power (in its Performance trim) and charging speeds, and doesn’t have a <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-genesis-gv70-2-5t-awd-review">non-electrified twin</a> sitting next to it in the showroom like this E-GV70 does.

But with the striking good looks of the gas GV70, that very similar exterior design could be a plus for this battery-electric version that’s slated to arrive in early spring to Genesis dealers across the country.

The Electrified GV70 is expected to eventually become the brand’s best-selling model, especially as it ramps up its U.S. production in Montgomery, Alabama, although Canadian units will come from South Korea at launch. Genesis and its parent company Hyundai have already proven that consumers are willing to pay a premium for more powerful and much smoother full-electric versions of gas vehicles, in both the luxury and subcompact SUV ends of the market, with the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-genesis-electrified-g80-first-drive">Electrified G80 sedan</a> and Hyundai Kona EV, respectively.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175154" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-side-beauty-5.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

The key question now is whether the Electrified GV70’s lower range and higher price compared to other luxury SUVs like the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/first-drives/2023-cadillac-lyriq-first-drive-review">Cadillac Lyriq</a>, and Tesla Model Y will be offset by its front-of-the-pack DC quick charging, unique technologies, and that come-hither but familiar styling.

It may be helpful here to clarify that GV in Genesis-speak denotes a crossover/SUV model and not an EV. Unlike the hot-selling <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/first-drive-2022-hyundai-ioniq-5">Hyundai Ioniq 5</a> and <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-kia-ev6-gt-first-drive-review">Kia EV6</a>, the Electrified GV70 doesn’t use the E-GMP architecture, but was designed to accommodate both gas and EV versions early on in GV70 development, and that’s where the “Electrified” nomenclature comes from. By 2030, Genesis says it plans to offer only all-electric models.

Telling the two GV70s apart will be tricky, but not impossible from most angles. The most obvious difference is from the rear, where the lack of tailpipes is a dead giveaway, but there’s also more body colour sheet metal under the bumper, given that the E-GV70 has lost the rear cladding that also wrapped around those prominent twin exhausts. From the side, the body and wheels are largely the same (but darker here), so the tell is the white calipers. Which even on our brand-new testers were already getting dirty by the mid-way point of our sunny day-long drive in and around Atlanta.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175147" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-rear-3q-2.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

Its front end looks like the gas car’s grille but with closed openings. There’s also a very subtle ‘G’ where the charge port opens once you push on it. Aim for the top right corner and you’ll find it. This heated and elegantly hidden charge port location will be helpful to folks that like to nose into their charging spot, either at home or at public chargers.

Inside, while the E-GV70 doesn’t have the crowd-pleasing rotating crystal ball shifter of the GV60, there’s an overall feeling of quality that’s a slight notch above its e-stablemate, and largely identical to the gas GV70. The circular shifter just below the same-size circular controller can sometimes be confused for one another, but the controller and the plethora of actual hard buttons clearly caters to traditional luxury vehicle buyers.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175142" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-int-16.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175137" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-cargo-area-12.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

Passenger space is generous in front and in back, and identical with the gas GV70, with plenty of headroom and legroom in either row, even with the standard opening panoramic roof. Perhaps not surprisingly, the E-GV70’s extra length and more traditional shape netted it 813 litres of cargo space, which is a big advantage over the GV60, and only down a couple litres to the gas GV70. And in terms of overall interior room, the E-GV70 is right up there with the top-selling Tesla Model Y (although there’s no third row option), and the larger and much heavier Cadillac Lyriq.

Heavily refined is a good way to describe its overall driving feel, as its 429 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque move it along silently and swiftly at all road speeds – you don’t have to be in its unique Boost mode to throw your head back, but you’ll want to be. That’s because Boost mode, governed by a button at the bottom of the steering wheel, temporarily pumps up the power to 483 hp and a lofty 516 lb-ft of torque, allowing fans of ‘80s car shows like Knight Rider to instantly hit fast forward mode.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175135" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-Boost-button-14.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

A 10-second countdown appears with each button push, and there’s no limit to how many times you can summon Boost mode, until you hit roughly 20-30% of a charge, said Genesis officials. It would be fascinating to actually give this luxury SUV this thermal torture test at a race track.

None of the Genesis folks at the event wanted to discuss acceleration times, although Genesis Europe’s site lists the E-GV70 as providing a 4.2 0-97 km/h time when using Boost mode, its standard all-wheel drive helping it achieve a super quick time for a family hauler. Just not nearly as quick as the 3.7 second 0-100 km/h time of a Tesla Model Y Performance, which after the major price cuts earlier this year, starts at about $78k.

But there are various options that will easily take that price over the Electrified GV70’s all-in $84,000 price – which includes all freight and dealer fees. This is a major advantage of the “agency model” that Genesis uses in Canada, the first brand in North America to do so, which works as a hybrid of the direct-to-consumer sales model employed by Tesla and the traditional dealership model most other automakers use. Genesis owns all the vehicles, and therefore does direct sales to consumers, and it’s why Genesis calls its dealers “distributors”.

“It’s a very transparent approach, so there’s no need for haggling,” said Eric Marshall, the director of Genesis Motors Canada. “Every purchase has to come through our system, and there is no capability to discount or add fees at the distributor (dealer) level.”

Genesis dealer folks are paid a commission per sale Marshall later admitted, but the amount is based on customer satisfaction metrics, not price paid for anything else.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175141" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EGV70-front-charge-door-4.jpg" alt="Genesis Electrified GV70" width="1280" height="851" />

As with any EV, range is one of the main questions. And this is perhaps the biggest drawback to the E-GV70: its 380 km is not the worst in class, but it’s certainly closer to the bottom than the top. On the other hand, it’s one of the quickest to DC fast charge, with the capability to add 100 km of range in five minutes, at a maximum DC charge speed of 240 kW provided you’re hooked up to a 350 kW charger. This is the same as the E-GMP vehicles, and is near the front of the industry.

Speaking of DC quick charging, the E-GV70 has another potential bonus over its GV60 sibling: its front charge port could make like much easier at a Tesla Supercharger equipped with its new MagicDock.

Granted, there still haven’t been any MagicDock-equipped Tesla Superchargers installed in Canada as I write this, but there are some within an hour or two of the Buffalo border, and more all the time.

On the other hand, some buyers may regularly use municipal Level 2 street charging, where the GV60’s right rear taillight charger door may work better than the E-GV70’s front end.

This all may sound trivial to ICE vehicle drivers, but charger door placement can be key. And given the relatively minimal difference between the $84,000 all-in price of the E-GV70, and the $79,000 MSRP of the Genesis GV60 Performance with the exact same powerful drivetrain, the choice between the two may come down to styling, and then a number of personal preferences.

The value equation overall is there for the Electrified GV70 to be a fine choice in this market, based on your own priorities.
<h3>2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 Prestige</h3>
BODY STYLE: Compact luxury all-electric SUV

DRIVE METHOD/BATTERY: Dual-motor, permanent all-wheel-drive, one-speed automatic; 77.4 kWh

POWERTRAIN: 160 kW motors front and rear (429 hp, 446 lb-ft); in Boost mode: 483 hp, 516 lb-ft (for up to 10 seconds);

FUEL ECONOMY/RANGE: TBD/380 km (236 miles)

CARGO VOLUME: 813 litres (28.7 cu ft); Rear seats down: 1,601 litres (56.5 cu ft)

TOW RATING: 3,500 lb.

PRICE: $84,000 not including taxes

WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.genesis.ca/">http://www.genesis.ca/</a>

2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 First Drive Review

The 2022 Genesis GV60 comes in an Advanced trim, making an estimated 314 horsepower and packing a 77.4kWh lithium-ion polymer high-voltage battery.

GV60-front

Living in rural Nova Scotia, Matthew Guy has immersed himself in car culture for over 30 years and relishes the thought of a good road trip. A certified gearhead, he enjoys professionally writing about cars and is very pleased to contribute for wheels.ca.

His work has also appeared on Car Throttle, The Truth About Cars, and in CAA Magazine. Find him on Twitter @matthewkguy

Every week, wheels.ca selects a new vehicle and takes a good look at its entry-level trim. If we find it worthy of your consideration, we’ll let you know. If not, we’ll recommend one – of the required options – that earns a passing grade.

Base Camp: 2022 <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/j-d-powers-2020-study-reveals-most-dependable-and-least-dependable-car-brands/">Genesis</a> GV60 and for anyone not familiar, Genesis is an upstart luxury brand backed by well-known and successful companies in South Korea. Drawing on the engineering might and expertise of that country’s home-market automakers, Genesis has been taking established luxury brands to task by offering vehicles with expressive styling and top-shelf build quality.

After setting table stakes with a range of sedans and SUVs, the company is jumping into the EV market with their GV60. With a popular crossover-like shape and tidy dimensions, this vehicle is – like its mates in the showroom – likely to steal some sales from existing marques. There will be a couple of 2022 Genesis GV60 trim choices in Canada.

Starting the party is an Advanced trim, making an estimated 314 horsepower and packing a 77.4kWh lithium-ion polymer high-voltage battery. A heat pump for the cabin plus a battery heating system are features that should give the GV60 a fighting chance of retaining precious driving range when Canadian temperatures fall into the nether regions of this nation’s thermometer. Meanwhile, a Performance model uses the same capacity battery but is rated at 429 horsepower.
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While the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/all-electric-genesis-gv60-has-a-boost-button-drift-mode-2/">Genesis</a> brand is aimed at luxury buyers, they seem to be incorporating the ethos of their parent company which has a rap for providing a wealth of value in terms of feature count. The standard kit on the Advanced includes the likes of quilted Nappa leather seating (heated all around and ventilated up front), a 12.3-inch screen for infotainment plus one more of equal size ahead of the driver for gauges, and a heads-up display. A so-called Vision Roof should permit stargazing while waiting for the car to recharge.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-166787" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GV60-side-2048x1319-1.png" alt="2022 Genesis GV60 Right Side Profile" width="2048" height="1319" />

Other gee-whiz tech includes Face Connect and Fingerprint Reader, both of which sound like terrifying tools from Soylent Green but are tools we use every day on our smart devices applied to the operation of the car. Typical safety kit like forward collision avoidance assists and lane-keeping are present as well. One should note the retina-searing neon yellow paint colour shown in many promotional materials for the GV60 is limited to the Performance trim, though this tasty Hanauma Mint is available on the Advanced.
<h3>The 2022 Genesis GV60 We’d Choose </h3>
It is always difficult for the gearheads at Wheels to argue against more power, especially when the GV60 Performance trim comes with an over-boost function capable of bumping output to over 480 horses. Packed into a machine of these proportions, acceleration should be extremely rapid. While the price spread has not yet been announced for this country, the brand’s home market of Korea shows an eight percent increase when selecting the Performance model.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-166788" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GV60-rear.png" alt="2022 Genesis GV60 Left Rear View" width="1815" height="1240" />

Beyond the hedonistic indulgences of speed, the Performance variant adds goodies like a surround-view monitor and an 18-way driver’s seat plus a 17-speaker B&amp;O-branded sound system. Throw in the brand’s Remote Smart Parking and there’s a strong case to be made one should pop for the top trim when shopping for a 2022 Genesis GV60.

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Tags

2023 Genesis G90 Review

Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept brings emotion to the SUV space

2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 First Drive Review

Base Camp: 2022 Genesis GV60