If only you could drive the Genesis G90 from the back seat

Is Genesis punking Mercedes-Benz? For years, Mercedes gave us this finely crafted roller knob for the radio volume. It sat in the upper-right corner of the center console.

This little knob had a milled finish and rolled through its range with finely delivered clicks. I loved turning it. Slayer get louder, Slayer get softer.

And now? Mercedes-Benz only gives us a tiny little touchpad for volume. It’s like replacing a Rolex with an Apple Watch.

And sitting in the upper-right corner of the console of the Genesis G90? A little roller knob for radio volume. Feel the precise clicks as you make things louder or quieter.

Coincidence or a flex?

The rest of the G90’s playbook comes from Germany: comfort and convenience on every level. Door ajar while you press the start button? No worries, the car will quietly, automatically close that door for you.

But let’s talk about the back seat, because cars like this are all about those being ferried about. It’s sublime.

The headrests don’t just hold your head. They caress your noggin with the care of an angel. Your head will float weightlessly while all of the cares in the world evaporate–at least for the duration of the trip.

The rear seats recline–effortlessly, quietly. It has more room than my first apartment. I’m assuming this is what heaven feels like. My one annoyance: You can’t drive the car from back there.

And that’s really this car’s one glaring flaw: It doesn’t come with a driver. That driver would be happy, of course. The front seats are equally roomy and comfortable.

The switches–and there are a lot of them–make sense. Props to Genesis for making things intuitive. You want something warmer or cooler? No mysteries, no need to dive into the owner’s manual.

Those switches are mostly machined aluminum surrounded by soft leather and some black ash wood.

The G90 is quick but not crazy fast. The window sticker says 409 horsepower courtesy of the twin-turbo, 3.5-liter V6 paired with an e-supercharger. Despite there being a lot going on, operation feels seamless with linear power delivery.

Ride is, as expected, soft. Credit the air suspension.

Price for our top-of-the-line G90, out the door, was $107,895. An S-Class Benz starts at $119,500.

The big question that goes beyond the knobs and buttons: Even with involvement in Hypercar and PCA, does Genesis have the prestige to contend in this class? The product, at least after a week with it, certainly feels up there.

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