Set to be priced above $200,000 when it launches in Australia in early 2027, the Genesis GV90 promises Bentley-level luxury on a Benz budget.
That’s the promise of the super-opulent GV90, which Genesis revealed this week in San Francisco. The US is the Korean luxury marque’s most important export market, though growing sales volume in Australia is also a key goal.
So, what’s a Genesis GV90?
This’ll be the first time Genesis launches one of its top-tier ’90-series’ models in our market. Overseas, it the brand sells a super-luxe G90 sedan.
Australian customers are set to be offered the GV90 first in ultra-opulent Neolun trim, which uses outrageously over-engineered electric coach doors that eliminate the need for a traditional B-pillar.
Inside, customers who pony-up for the $250K GV90 Neolun will find a mix of
materials including real stone, cashmere, soft semi-aniline massaging leather and even a radiant-heating wood veneer floor that references Korean ‘ondol’ architecture.
Later, a slightly more affordable seven-seat model with conventional ‘swing’ doors is expected to be added to the Australian lineup, offering Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 customers a more rarified and bespoke alternative.
There’s an EV…but what about a V8?
If there’s a catch, it’s that the GV90 is electric-only just as luxury SUV customers are demanding a broader choice of powertrains, but the all-new platform sitting beneath the GV90 might support hybrid range-extenders down the track.
The GV90’s EV setup combines a standard-fit, powerful 490kW/800Nm dual-motor AWD system with a 123kWh battery that should be good for 500km of real-world range according to the brand.
BMW and Range Rover are both working on full-size electric SUVs but a cohort of buyers for this type of car continue to demand visceral V8 grunt and noise. Genesis doesn’t have an answer to that…yet.
While the flourish-free and minimal exterior styling is refreshing compared to some over-styled alternatives, the GV90 is still a seriously imposing beast in the metal, measuring over 5.2 metres long and two metres wide.
It’s also a seriously heavy thing, with the huge battery and long list of standard
content tipping the kerb weight well into three tonne territory.
Just how luxurious is this thing?
Available specification includes a 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo with Dolby Atmos and 7.1 surround sound, rotating front seats for conference-room action, and a 23-inch central screen that can be raised by 90mm for streaming videos while charging.
As well as warming their toes on the wood-veneer underfloor heating, back-seat
passengers score solid tray tables, a fridge and their own OLED entertainment
screen. They’re also protected from noise by a partition between the second row and boot.
Outside, 16 colours can be specified (including three matte hues) over multiple two- tone interior combinations. The headlight and taillight housings are laser-cut into the bodywork for a completely flush look.
Can a three-tonne electric SUV be fun to drive?
Possibly, and there’s been a lot of trickery in the chassis to make the GV90 feel
engaging. Genesis says GV90 buyers will be split between those who like to drive
themselves and those who like to be driven.
The former group should notice the dual-axle limited slip differentials, which minimise slip and help all 490kW get to the road, while the latter are catered to via a ‘Chauffeur Mode’ which smooths off acceleration and braking for a jerk-free ride.
But we just don’t know until we’re unleashed behind the wheel, which should happen later this year.
Whether the chrome-lashed GV90 will be tempting enough to prize Aussie buyers out of Range Rover & Bentley dealerships remains to be seen. The flagship Genesis model is also a play to pick up some buyers in the ambassadorial space.
But even at a pricetag well into the $200,000 zone, the GV90 is set to be something of a ‘value-buy’ in the large luxury SUV segment, with equivalent-spec Bentayga’s asking more than double that figure.