Genesis Officially Enters The Full-Size SUV Arena With The Shocking GV90 EV
If you’d never heard of a Korean moon jar before reading about Genesis’ newly debuted GV90 flagship SUV, well, join the club. Though the brand explained the cultural artifact (essentially a very beautiful round jar with a milky white glaze that kind of looks like a full moon) when its Neolun Concept debuted in 2024, I must have been focused elsewhere.
But no matter your feelings on the inspirational pottery, it’s hard to argue that the net effect on this new GV90 isn’t stunning. An expertly sculpted, massive, and elegant take on a full-size SUV, the new Genesis has all the style… even before you open its incredible Arch Gate doors.
In fact, with a tantalizing combination of innovative design, high performance, and abject luxury, the big utility vehicle seems ready to take it to the very best of the electrified competitors from Germany and America.
The GV90 Turns A Moon Jar Into An SUV
The moon jar idea feels conceptual until you look closely at the shape of this production-ready SUV, and note just how similar it is to the concept that came before it. Genesis’ trademark two-piece lighting elements slash through the bodywork, front and rear, but the surfacing of the sheet metal shows incredible restraint and grace.
The GV90 manages to be imposing and lithe at the same time, with monstrously cool 24-inch monoblock-style wheels and flat surfaces contrasted by soft, rounded volumes at each corner and a flowing front fascia.
I’ve been more critical than many car reviewers of Genesis exterior styling over the years, despite loving the interior design and driving character of most products, but this GV90 just hits different. It stands out as unique on the stage, and it should look beautifully alien when it starts appearing on the street.
Turning Ingress Into The Main Event
As I mentioned at the top, this GV90 recaptures the Neolun Concept design with remarkable fidelity. The concept’s sleek, powerful exterior visage was memorable, and its pillarless, rear-hinged door aperture into the cabin is easily overlooked, if only because similar doors have appeared on concept cars from time immemorial.
With the GV90, at least the GV90 Neolun, the trick doors have made it into production as the Neolun Arch Gate. I’m typically pretty jaded where invented brand terms are concerned, but even I have to admit that it sounds pretty cool.
Claiming another moment of invention, Genesis calls the Arch Gate “…the world’s first independently opening and closing hidden B-pillar coach doors.” There’s some thinly sliced legal terminology there to sidestep overlap with previous rear-hinged doors, I’m sure, but the result is nevertheless awesome.
Of course, the Arch Gate will make it easy for fancy folks to get into and out of the rear of the vehicle, but the real advantage is the drama that’ll unfold when that happens. Expect to see Genesis put the GV90 Neolun on as many red carpet events as possible. Naturally, most GV90 models will come equipped with conventionally hinged doors.
Private Lounge With A Cinematic Touch
Once one has crossed the threshold, arched or otherwise, the Genesis SUV promises a lavish interior experience. Truthfully, the brand has been turning out some of the most interesting interior design for years now, so a first glimpse at this posh cabin is hardly surprising.
At least in the top trim, the second-row seats offer occupants a deeply reclined experience with quilted leather, footrests, and a sense of rarefied luxury throughout. Materials include wool, cashmere, stone, and wood, and “ambient glow” lighting effects enhance the atmosphere. An interesting contrast, actually, between the razor-sharp exterior and sumptuous cabin.
As you’d expect, the sound system fitted seems epic. A Bang & Olufsen Premier 3D system with 25 speakers is highly customizable for personal preference, and can also, apparently, make it seem like you’re listening to a concert at Wembley Stadium.
Of course, as is the case with so many luxury vehicles in 2026, screen real estate dominates the visual from nearly every interior angle. The OLED Cinematic Display spends most of its time nestled into the instrument panel and center stack. But when the GV90 is parked, the screen deploys upward by about three and a half inches (90mm), to create a maximum screen size of 24.6 inches (which would be at home in a small bedroom, to say nothing of a car).
From here, occupants can enjoy “a wide variety of multimedia content.” My kids are going to love it.
In front of the driver, there’s even something Genesis is calling its Motion Column Shifter; essentially a column shift lever that moves from a 12 o’clock position to 2 o’clock after the door has been closed. Somehow this hasn’t been labeled as “world’s first,” so I’m off on a deep Google rabbit hole after I finish writing this.
Quick Off The Line And At The Charging Station
Perhaps even more important than the gear lever is how the GV90 will deploy its considerable reserves of electric power, and how it’ll restock them for the drive ahead. True to form for a Korean EV, the nerdiest numbers around the new SUV look great.
Let’s start with the battery pack: The 123.5-kilowatt-hour pack is the largest ever used in a Hyundai Group application, and internal estimates peg the max range at around 310 miles. That’s for the three-row, seven-seat variant. The high-voltage pack is said to charge from 10%-80% in just 22 minutes on a 350-kW fast charger, too, which should make battery top-ups away from home fairly painless.
The performance from the two-motor powertrain should be rapid, as well. Total system output is pegged at 657 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful vehicle among Hyundai Group EVs. The automaker hasn’t supplied curb weight data for the GV90 yet, but it’s reasonable to expect a 0-60 time in the low four-second range or better. Expect it to be very fast.
Engineers have fitted electronic limited-slip differentials to both the front and rear motors, too, allowing for torque delivery to any wheel based on driving conditions. A handy thing, obviously, for both pulling hard out of a corner and maintaining control on an icy road, especially with 657 hp under your right foot.
Ride Like A Flagship
Mostly though, Genesis seems laser-focused on making the GV90 ride and drive like a true flagship. The ample power is handy there, of course. But an adjustable, multi-chamber air suspension system should keep the SUV unruffled in most circumstances, and at home among luxury competitors. Rear steering of up to five degrees is great for low-speed maneuverability and parking comfort.
On the NVH front, there is some exceptionally thick (5mm) acoustic glass used for every window, and extensive soundproofing materials have been used throughout the body structure, hood, and tailgate. Between this and the exceptional stereo, the GV90 might give me the best option yet for listening to In Rainbows and thinking about how Thom Yorke’s brain works.
A Moonshot For Genesis? Not Quite
Genesis has seen explosive sales growth over its short history, in large part because of a unique vision of what luxury means in the automotive context. While launching a new EV in 2026 isn’t the very best way to ensure high unit sales, it does feel as though Genesis is meaningfully expanding its luxury street credit with this GV90, which is like little else in the marketplace today.
It’ll take more time and firsthand driving experience, to say nothing of pricing details, before it’s safe to speculate about how the GV90 stacks up against the competition from Cadillac, BMW, or Audi. But the paper case is there.
A decade ago, a Korean luxury brand competing on an equal footing with the Germans might have sounded like a moonshot. Today, with the GV90, it looks more like a moon jar.
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