2020 Genesis G90 Makes North American Debut At Montreal Auto Show

Following its global premiere in Korea in November last year, the facelifted 2020 Genesis G90 made its North American debut not in the U.S., as one might have expected, but rather the Montreal Auto Show in Canada.

The Genesis G90 that will go on sale in the United States and Canada this summer looks identical to the Korean-spec vehicle, bar the North American-specific side marker lights.

The Korean brand’s flagship does feature some changes for North America, though, and they are mainly related to the engine lineup. In the United States, the standard choice is a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged petrol V6 rated at 365 hp (370 PS) and 376 lb-ft (509 Nm) of torque. However, in Canada, this engine will only be available via special order.

Besides the V6, the 2020 G90 can be ordered with a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 rated at 420 hp (426 PS) and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) of torque. The eight-cylinder engine will be the standard choice for the Canadian market.

The facelifted Genesis G90 comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD for the V8 model. The system features an electronically controlled transfer case that can vary the front-to-rear torque split on demand or according to driving conditions.

According to Genesis, the 2020 G90 offers “the smoothest possible ride comfort while retaining engaging dynamics” thanks to the multi-link suspension design and the Adaptive Control Suspension system with electronic damping control sourced from Sachs/ZF.

The Korean luxury brand also claims NVH levels have been improved compared to the previous G90 thanks to the introduction of special sound-absorbing materials throughout the cabin and sub-structure of the car, the use of laminated glass on all windows and the new standard Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system.

The area where engineers made the most enhancements is technology. The G90 gets a re-engineered 12.3-inch central touch screen that incorporates a new Graphic User Interface (GUI) and is compatible with both Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Furthermore, a wide range of safety assistance systems is now offered as standard, including Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Highway Driving Assist (HDA), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance-Assist (RCCA-A), Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist (FCA-A), and Safe Exit Assist (SEA), while a passenger’s knee airbag has been added as well.

As for the new equipment, Genesis mentions a 22-way power driver’s seat approved by the German campaign for healthier backs (AGR), a 16-way front passenger’s seat (both heated and ventilated), as well as 12-way rear outboard passenger seats (14-way for the right seat position on the V8 model). The rear seats are heated as standard and ventilated on V8 models.

Quality-wise, the cabin features quilted Nappa leather, new contrast piping for the leather-wrapped dashboard, higher-quality switchgear, and Natura wood trim with an exposed grain texture. Pricing will be announced closer to the 2020 G90’s market debut this summer.