The Genesis G90 proves its past time to take this new luxury brand seriously

Jonathan Gitlin

The days of the flagship luxury sedan may well be numbered. Sales are tanking as consumers opt for plush SUVs, but the segment still serves a role for car makers playing in the upper end of the market. Think of the gizmo-laden four-door as an automotive calling card; a way for a luxury brand to tell the world "this is us at our best." That's particularly important for new entrants—build a car that can rival a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the respect will follow. It's a strategy that Lexus used to great effect at the end of the last century, so it's not surprising that Genesis—which was spun out from Hyundai in 2015—is trying the same.

After spending a week with a G90, I came away convinced that the Korean brand ought to be taken seriously. It might not have the same snob appeal as one of the established German players, but the 2017 G90 3.3t is no less luxurious. And at $70,000 fully loaded, it's an awful lot cheaper than those Germanic rivals. Other luxury sedans are available for similar money—from Volvo, Cadillac, or Tesla—but they're all a class size smaller.

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