Genesis reveals a living room with 657 HP - the GV90 is ditching premium for true aristocracy

Nobody could have predicted ten years ago that one day, Hyundai's fledgling luxury spin-off would celebrate its tenth anniversary by taking aim at Crewe and Goodwood. Very short ten years after the stately G90 limousine first cleared its throat, Genesis has revealed the GV90 - a huge electric leviathan with rear coach doors, front seats that pirouette like a fairground waltzer, a hidden roll cage, and enough electric muscle to embarrass mid-2000s supercars.

Visually, the GV90 refuses to play the usual aggressive aero-cliché games. Instead of jagged splitters and fake diffusers, chief designer SangYup Lee - who previously helped pen the Bentley Bentayga during his tenure in Crewe - leaned into the smooth geometry of traditional Korean moon jars.

The front end is dominated by a seamless clamshell bonnet and crystal, jewel-like two-line headlight strips that wrap cleanly around the fenders. Riding on massive 24-inch alloy wheels, with flush-mounted taillights and a complete absence of vulgar rear wings, it delivers a monolithic, almost architectural presence on the road.

You have to appreciate the scale of this machine - it stretches 208.1 inches in overall length, sits 79.9 inches wide, and rests on a monumental 127.8 inches wheelbase. Hyundai’s own Ioniq 9 stops at 199.2 inches, and the Kia EV9 measures 197.2 inches on a 122 inches wheelbase.

Step outside the family into traditional high-society territory, and the Korean flagship almost matches the standard Rolls-Royce Cullinan (210.3 inches long, 129.7 inches wheelbase) and even dwarfs a standard Bentley Bentayga (201.8 inches length, 117.9 inches wheelbase), slotting neatly alongside the stretched Bentayga EWB (208.9 inches length, 125 inches wheelbase).

The party piece of the flagship Neolun specification is obviously the door arrangement. Unlike earlier suicide-door curiosities like the BMW i3 or Mazda RX-8 - where rear passengers were held hostage until the front door swung open - Genesis over-engineered an intricate dual-motion sliding hinge. When unlatched, the rear door glides slightly outward before swinging wide on its own.

Deleting the B-pillar entirely creates an expansive, theatre-like entrance into the cabin. Of course, satisfying global crash regulators without a central pillar on a multi-tonne luxury barge has been a nightmare. Genesis managed to solve it by secretly baking a structural roll cage into the body shell, using high-strength steel tubing and structural foam to yield a frame 1.5 times thicker than standard chassis architecture.

Step over the threshold - onto genuine hardwood flooring with integrated radiant underfloor heating - and the atmosphere shifts from automobile to first-class lounge. When parked, the motorized front seats can swivel a full 180 degrees to face the rear VIP chairs, turning the cabin into a private salon.

Every surface is slathered in cashmere wool, fine leather, and raw stone trim. Up front sits a 23.6-inch OLED touchscreen that physically rises by 3.54 inches when the vehicle is stationary, turning itself into a 24.6-inch cinema screen running the group's new Pleos infotainment software. Add a 25-inch head-up display and a 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system capable of digitally synthesizing the acoustics of Boston Symphony Hall or Wembley Stadium, and you have an interior that takes hospitality very seriously indeed.

Under that lavish floorpan, Genesis skipped the familiar E-GMP platform found across Hyundai and Kia models in favor of a dedicated, bespoke architecture dubbed 'eMP' (Electric Mobility Prime). Nestled low in the frame is a colossal 123.5 kWh battery pack - the highest-capacity pack ever fitted to a production car from the group. Thanks to native 800V electrical hardware, hooking up to a 350 kW DC charger will juice the pack from 10% to 80% in 22 minutes. The 311 miles of range promises real-world usability, even for long haul stunts - but we know the GV90 is destined to spend most of its life in the city.

Moving a palace of this stature requires serious muscle. A dual-motor setup on the front and rear axles dials the output to 657 bhp and 590 lb-ft of instant torque - comfortably out-punching the high-voltage GV60 Magma and delivering the same raw horsepower as an analog icon like the Ferrari Enzo.

To rein in all those ponies going wild in the corners, both axles have dedicated electronic limited-slip differentials, supported by standard rear-wheel steering and multi-chamber air suspension with dual-valve adaptive dampers. Acoustic glass exceeding 0.2 inches in thickness ensures wind buffeting and road roar remain where they belong - outside.

The GV90 is so much more than another large electric SUV - it is a calculated shift for Genesis. The brand has always been celebrated as the sensible, high-value alternative to the German executive establishment. But with the GV90, Genesis is leaving the "premium" behind to fight in the ultra-luxury stratosphere. Launching in South Korea next month before arriving in European showrooms in early 2027, prices are expected to open well north of $140,000 - with bespoke Neolun specifications demanding even steeper sums.

Building a six-figure EV in a crowded luxury segment is no easy feat, but Genesis has avoided the trap of creating a generic tech pod on wheels. By backing up wild concept-car styling with heavy-hitting engineering - real coach doors, swiveling lounge chairs, and genuine mechanical sophistication - the GV90 feels like an authentic statement of intent. Genesis is ready to step up its game, but are people ready to accept that challenge?

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