Genesis G90 gets comprehensive updates for 2020

Genesis confirmed Wednesday at the L.A. Auto Show that the redesigned G90 unveiled in 2018 in South Korea will make its way to America. The comprehensively updated flagship will arrive in time for the 2020 model year.

We've grown accustomed to seeing automakers make small, frivolous mid-cycle updates to their cars. Genesis proudly bucked this trend by giving the G90 a ground-up redesign that ushers in the next evolution of its styling language. Its front end is dominated by a huge, shield-shaped grille that likely looks a lot less stately when partially masked by a license plate bracket, and angular headlights divided by an LED strip. The rear end receives horizontal lights connected by a light bar. Genesis pointed out it changed every single body panel except for the roof and the four doors.

Most of the changes found inside are technology-related. The G90 is the first Genesis model equipped with an over-the-air software updating system, though smaller models like the entry-level G70 will certainly get this feature sooner or later, and it receives a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. The materials used include real chrome, leather, and open-pore wood.

The 2020 G90 lineup will consist of two trim levels named 3.3T Premium and 5.0 Ultimate, respectively. It doesn't take a seasoned analyst to decipher what each number stands for. The Premium model offers a turbocharged, 3.3-liter V6 engine that makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Downsizing be damned, the Ultimate gets a 5.0-liter V8 rated at 420 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive come standard regardless of cylinder count, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost.

Buyers who select the six-cylinder can expect to achieve 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The trade-off for adding a pair of cylinders is surprisingly small; the V8's fuel economy checks in at 16 and 24, respectively. 

Genesis will publish pricing information for the 2020 G90 in the coming weeks, and the model is scheduled to go on sale across America in December 2019. To add context, the outgoing 2019 model starts at $70,340 including a $995 destination charge when ordered with the V6.

By Ronan Glon