Introduced in 2008 to replace the Omega line, the Tau features two displacements and two injection technologies in series-production cars. The latest and the greatest V8 offered by Hyundai is the 5.0-liter GDi, currently found in the G90 full-size sedan from Genesis.

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Named on Ward’s 10 Best Engines list thrice, the good ol’ Tau will be discontinued in a matter of months. A representative told Daum that a 3.5-liter turbo V6 powerplant would serve as the indirect replacement of the free-breathing V8 in the all-new G90, expected to launch by year's end.

Daum further mentions an electric option for the G90, which isn’t all that surprising if you look at the Electrified G80. The zero-emissions version comes as standard with dual-motor AWD, 800-volt fast charging, 87.2 kWh for the lithium-ion battery, and roughly 365 horsepower on tap.

As for the six-cylinder mill that will succeed the Tau engine family, the Smartstream G3.5 FR T-GDi is a twin-turbocharged affair that’s exclusive to Genesis. In the G80, GV80, and GV70, this lump develops 375 horsepower at 5,800 revs and 391 pound-feet (530 Nm) at just 1,300 revs.

The second generation of the G90 won't differ too much from the second-generation G80 either because the M3 rear- and all-wheel-drive vehicle architecture of the G80 will be utilized for this application. In other words, you can also expect an eight-speed automatic transmission developed in-house by Hyundai for smoothness instead of lightning shifts.

As ever, the G90 will have to compete against established full-sized luxobarges from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and the four-ringed automaker from Ingolstadt. This particular segment, however, is dominated by the S-Class because the temptation of the three-pointed star is very hard to resist.

Genesis currently sells roughly four times fewer G90s in the U.S. than Mercedes-Benz sells S-Class vehicles, and the reason prospective customers even consider the G90 boils down to the starting price. An S 500 4Matic Luxury Line can be yours from $109,800 excluding options and destination charge, which is a whopping $36,850 more than the South Korean rival.

Expected to premiere next year for the 2023 model year, the all-new G90 is the flagship of the Hyundai-owned Genesis brand. The latest spy photos reveal how much of a difference there is between the current luxobarge's interior and the newcomer, starting with the digital instrument cluster.

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Lots of buttons on the steering wheel are noticeable as well, along with a generously sized touchscreen infotainment system, carbon fiber-inspired trim for the central air vent, and a dedicated panel for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. As opposed to the Mercedes Sonderklasse, the G90 keeps it practical with physical buttons instead of digital controls.

Captured while driving at 20 kilometers per hour (12.2 miles per hour) toward an intersection, the G90 also shows paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel rather than the steering column and a digital representation of the car’s rear end on the instrument cluster. The latter most likely indicates adaptive cruise control with automatic stop-and-go function across the speed range, which is expected of a luxurious sedan nowadays.

On closer inspection, you can also tell that Genesis improved the quality of the interior materials as well as the fit and finish of the interior trim. Still covered in camouflage from roofline to the rocker panels, the G90 features pop-out door handles with chrome strips at the top. Chrome is also used extensively for the side windows although the pillars and grille are black.

Pictured with an intricate wheel design, G-matrix quad headlamps, and pentagonal tips for the exhaust system, the prototype that Genesis currently tests at the Nurburgring is rocking a half cage and Recaro competition seats up front. Obviously enough, the series-production version won’t flaunt such equipment because it’s not a track-focused sedan in any conceivable way.

The clamshell-style hood keeps prying eyes from seeing the force-fed V6 that replaces the current engine crop, including the 5.0-liter V8. The Smartstream G3.5 T-GDi develops 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet (530 Nm) in the GV80 crossover. For the sake of reference, the Mercedes-Benz S 500 4Matic for the 2021 model year is flaunting a straight-six engine with 429 ponies and 384 pound-feet (520 Nm) of torque thanks to mild-hybrid assistance.

The Genesis G90 flagship sedan underwent a pretty major refresh only a few years ago, and now it's getting what seems to be a completely new generation. For now, Genesis is only showing the outside, but it looks very promising, especially in the context of the brand's other impressive offerings.

On the whole, the car looks much lower and wider than the somewhat tall and stately current model. The nose looks longer, too. And speaking of the nose, it actually has a smaller (at least proportionally) main grille, which has two layers of mesh patterns. The headlights are truly split units and line up with the fender-mounted turn signals. Also noteworthy is the fact that the hood is a clamshell that stretches all the way to the grille, lights and wheels, minimizing cut lines.

Down the sides, there's a significant amount of tumblehome, which further emphasizes the car's width, as do the pronounced wheel arches. The panels are very clean with subtle trim and lines that stretch from stem to stern. This look is complemented by the flush-fitting door handles. The tail has split taillights with large sections for additional lighting needs, and they meet up nicely with the cut lines for the fender.

We sadly don't get to see inside the G90 yet, but it should be gorgeous based on other recent Genesis models. It will likely continue to use a twin-turbo V6 like the current one. It's possible the 5.0-liter V8 could still be offered, but that seems unlikely. Rear- and all-wheel drive should be on offer along with an eight-speed automatic transmission. More information on specs and interior design will come later.

The 2023 Genesis G90 will be available in the United States with a mild-hybrid-assisted twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with an electric supercharger. According to the model's original announcement, this powerplant was only going to be for the long-wheelbase version of the sedan, which Genesis wasn't bringing to the US.

A Genesis spokesperson initially confirmed this info to Car and Driver. Motor1.com reached out to the automaker for more details. A PR representative responded:
The official horsepower and torque specs for the mild-hybrid engine aren't yet available from Genesis. The report from Car and Driver claims it makes 420 horsepower (313 kilowatts)The only available gearbox with the mild-hybrid engine is an eight-speed automatic. The Environmental Protection Agency lists the drivetrain as being all-wheel drive.

In comparison, the other engine available for the standard-wheelbase G90 is a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 375 hp (280 kW) and 391 lb-ft (530 Nm). It also comes with an eight-speed automatic and is available with rear- or all-wheel drive.

The EPA already lists the fuel economy for the 2023 G90 with both engines. The mild-hybrid powerplant gets 17 miles per gallon city, 24 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. The purely combustion-powered version returns 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined.

The 2023 G90 arrives in the US later this year as the brand's flagship sedan. It features a luxurious cabin with high-end materials for the upholstery and trim. The tech includes a 12.3-inch infotainment system and a separate control panel for the climate controls. Buyers can get a stereo with as many as 23 speakers. One of the weirder features is a UV-powered phone disinfector in the center rear armrest.

Pricing for the new G90 isn't yet available. Estimates put the starting cost at around $80,000.
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Reviewing the Genesis G90 in the past has always been a game of qualifiers. It drives really well (for the money). The interior is a massive step in the right direction (for a Genesis). That tech sure is snazzy (but not as good as the German stuff). And so on. In a way, these are all backhanded compliments. Ask someone to put their money on a single flagship luxury sedan, and even though the G90 is really good, most buyers in this class are still plunking down the big bucks for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series.

The 2023 Genesis G90 faces this uphill battle against German prestige once more, but as a fully revamped model that is far better equipped to take on the best in the world. To see if it’s strong enough to land any punches against the best, a road trip and plentiful seat time is in order. There’s nothing a big, long sedan excels at better than scarfing up highway miles, but is the new G90 the one you want for this task?

If catching eyes and attention on the road is a desired outcome, then the G90 aces this test. There isn’t a subtle angle to the G90, from the impossibly thin “Micro Lens Array” headlights up front to the width-stretching LED taillights out back. Its proportions and general design need no highlighting — the car is a stunner. But the details deserve to be highlighted. Elements like the elongated lights that stretch into the front fenders, the bronze-painted brake calipers and the trapezoidal exhaust tips are all examples of Genesis letting its designers loose to make something genuinely unique.

The powertrain under the G90’s clamshell hood — it combines the hood and fenders to provide a panel gap-less look — keeps up with the Joneses if you spec the upgraded model dubbed “E-Supercharger.” In this as-tested spec, the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 is supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that brings an electrically-driven supercharger into the fold to both smooth accelerative responses and provide a boost in power. Total system output is 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, which is 34 hp and 14 lb-ft of torque more than the base G90 without the mild-hybrid system. Even if you skip the E-Supercharger, the base G90’s engine is an upgrade over the smaller 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 it made do with before — there is no more V8 for 2023.



This engine, while not as mighty as the boosted V8 options you’ll find in a Mercedes-Benz S 580 or BMW 760i, is an ideal unit for a sedan such as this one. The start/stop system allows for seamless coasting to a halt and natural initial acceleration. Plus, the supercharged boost from the get-go negates any lag from the engine before the turbos spin up, ultimately providing that oh-so-desired effortless glide from light-to-light. The melt-into-the-background eight-speed transmission does fine work of not getting in the way of this engine’s smoothness, too. When you do call upon all 409 ponies, the G90 leaps to action with a firm shove into the seat — 0-60 mph feels like it arrives in just over 5 seconds. The muted rush of the V6 is amplified in the G90’s Sport driving mode, but it’s never intrusive or unrefined, maintaining a quiet sense of luxury at all times.

Fuel economy may not be a buyer’s concern at the price point of full-size executive sedans (and if it was, they’d probably go all-electric), but over a long highway road trip, we handily bested the G90’s 24 mpg highway rating, coming in with a final average of 29 mpg. The electric supercharger doesn’t improve EPA fuel economy ratings — it’s 1 mpg down in the city and 2 mpg down on the highway versus the gas-only model — but the G90 proved shockingly efficient in real-world driving.

In addition to the “E” boost, the mild-hybrid G90 is treated to other niceties that improve how it drives over the standard G90. The big one is the multi-chamber air suspension combined with the “Preview-Electronic Control Suspension” (PECS) we’ve seen previously in various Genesis models. The PECS system functions how we’re accustomed to seeing it work in other Genesis models, as it uses cameras and sensors to detect what’s coming up in the road ahead, then optimizes the electronically-controlled dampers to offer the best-possible ride over the obstruction. Adding the air suspension element, however, is new for the G90 to enhance the ride even further.



The S-Class and 7 Series feature air suspensions that can be raised or lowered as necessary at the touch of a button, but neither go so far as to automatically do so on slopes/steep drop-offs like the G90 does. Of course, an S-Class can be had with Mercedes’ innovative E-Active Body Control suspension that has exclusive tricks of its own, so two can play at that game.

The last big drive-related bonus for the mild-hybrid G90 is the addition of rear-wheel steering, allowing for four-degrees of opposite lock at low speeds and 2 degrees of turn in the same direction as the front wheels. It’s not as impressive as the S-Class’ maximum of 10 degrees, but the feature still greatly enhances this big sedan’s maneuverability in every situation.

Stability and ride comfort both get the highest marks possible. You can’t do any better than this lest you buy something as expensive as a Mercedes-Maybach or Bentley. The big, intricate 21-inch wheels don’t seem to hurt the G90’s composure. No matter the road quality over a 500-plus-mile road trip, the serenity of comfort and silence could not be broken.



There isn’t much to complain about inside the G90, either. You’d need to try very hard to come up with reasons to prefer this cabin over that of an S-Class, and frankly, there’s a good argument to be made for the G90 over the S-Class here. Where Mercedes went all-in on steering wheel touch controls and one massive central touchscreen to control everything, Genesis essentially adopted a strategy similar to the previous-gen S-Class. That means it’s loaded with beautifully-crafted metal toggles, buttons and knobs to control the car’s vitals. Plus, even where Genesis opts to use a touch-control screen for some climate functions, that screen provides haptic feedback that makes it feel like you’re pressing a real button when interacting with it. You won’t need to dig through menus in a screen to turn on the full-body massaging seats or swap back to Apple CarPlay. A single press of a well-crafted, physical button does the trick, and that right there is luxury.

If you think you’re missing out on futuristic tech features by going with a G90 instead of the alternatives, think again. Every trick in the book from auto-closing doors (press a button or the brake pedal) to extravagant ambient lighting and a superb 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system are onboard. For those planning to be chauffeured around in a G90, the rear seat is really only lacking a fridge filled with champagne flutes. Padded headrests, a full-recline seat (it automatically shoves the front passenger seat forward), a rear touchscreen monitor and a massive center console with any feature you may desire — even a wireless phone charger — are all present. There’s even a speaker in the driver’s headrest to bark out warnings/commands to the driver to ensure those in the rear seat aren’t disturbed by trivial matters like navigation directions or a turn signal click-clacking away.



Assuming you’re the driver, though, the G90’s suite of driver assistance systems is top-notch and only plays second-fiddle to GM’s Super Cruise. The G90 uses a new Genesis steering wheel with touch detection to ensure the driver is paying attention, and it works perfectly. Instead of needing to apply a little tug or torque every few seconds, you can just lay a hand or two on the wheel, and the car knows you’re at the helm. We went hundreds of miles without a buzz or warning from the system, which is an improvement upon the otherwise exceptional Highway Driving Assist II system found throughout the Genesis/Hyundai/Kia empire.

The one area in which the G90 still lags behind pricier rivals is when you start to hustle it around a twisty road. Both an S-Class and 7 Series are happy to be pushed, but the G90 is far less willing and capable. For the type of driving these luxury barges will be subjected to, such abilities are of little consequence. But, if you’re the sort who wants to enjoy a mountain pass on a road trip in an executive sedan, the G90’s keys aren’t the ones to grab.

Everywhere else, the new G90 is stupendous. Noise insulation, laminated glass and a slippery shape all contribute to blocking out intrusive outside noises. Add some moderate volume to the audio system, and you won’t even hear a firetruck’s sirens as it whizzes by — ask us how we know. The seats remain comfy for hours on end, and even if you’re not making use of the top-notch massage function, the auto “Ergo-Seat” function helps relieve stress and tension in muscles after spending long stints in the saddle.



As for the price, the G90 is genuinely priced to sell, and if it doesn’t, that’s a shame. Go for the E-Supercharger trim at $99,795, and it comes with everything. The only boxes you can check are for premium paint options — if you’re a matte paint fan, the $1,500 matte options are worth it. A base G90 without the mild-hybrid system is only $89,495, but we’d highly recommend forking out the extra $10,000 for all the added benefits.

Its price versus that of an S-Class or 7 Series is astronomically lower. Spec out a car with similar equipment, and the fully-loaded G90 is at least $10,000 cheaper versus the German flagships. Of course, the gap can only widen from there. A more apt price comparison is between the G90 and a Lexus LS (also power by a turbo V6), but even with similar prices and equipment, we’d rather park a G90 in the driveway. It’s been a long time coming, but the G90 can finally run confidently with the best and ditch those pesky qualifiers.