When it comes to possessing outright luxury, but without spending the sort of money that would net you some form of Bentley or Rolls-Royce, you won't go far wrong by opting for something with a Mercedes-Benz badge adorning it.While not exactly affordable, high-end vehicles produced by the German manufacturer are more financially accessible than ultra-luxury cars, but still provide an amazing turn of plushness and comfort at around the $100,000 mark. Rivals such as BMW and Land Rover have done a good job of stacking up against the giant over the years, but now there's a new challenger in town.Kia-Hyundai-owned Genesis is now looking to join the high-end luxury SUV party with its upcoming GV90. The thing is, the marque has its sights set not only on getting the better of the luxury automakers, but also to compete with the likes of Bentley's Bentayga and Rolls' Cullinan. But at a fraction of the price. This is one hell of a statement, but from what we know so far, the GV90 has the potential to become the bargain of the century. The GV90 First Showed Up In 2024 GenesisGenesis has been working hard over the last several years to join the upper echelon of the luxury car market with offerings such as its G90 sedan and GV80 SUV. It has done well so far, with its overall US sales climbing considerably against its rivals, but now it's looking to turn up the wick even further. It wanted to produce a machine that could be mentioned in the same conversation as the likes of the Bentayga and Cullinan, but at a fraction of the price. This approach first came to fruition at the 2024 New York Motor Show, when Genesis unveiled a slick-looking concept called the Neolun.It didn't leave much to the imagination, with the SUV being the largest vehicle that Genesis had ever built. Aside from just being large, it made an impression due to its striking design that included a high-end-looking two-tone paint scheme, as well as huge wheels that were visibly influenced by the five-hole wheel design used by Maybach, Mercedes' ultra-luxury brand. This hinted at the car's aim, to offer the kind of details you'd find on a $300k SUV, but at the same sort of price as a BMW or Mercedes-Benz product. Genesis' Large SUV Was A Plush Family Bus GenesisThe car is set to feature three full rows of seating to make it at least a seven-seater, allowing it to match the Bentayga in this regard. This would make it more practical than the Cullinan, which only has five seats within its confines. This was just the start though, as the Neolun concept featured a sumptuous interior finished in beautiful Purple Silk leather of the highest quality, which was accented with real wood trim.Notable cabin features included a radical heating system called Ondol, which could radiate heat through areas such as the dash, center console, and door trims to bring the cabin temperature up faster and less aggressively than a standard climate control system. Plus, it helps give the battery less of a hard time, allowing other vehicle systems to begin working faster. Genesis' Range-Topping Offering Will Likely Feature An Electric Powertrain KiaSince the Neolun Concept unveiling in early 2024, Genesis has kept tight-lipped on details regarding the machine, which we expect will be called the GV90. We reckon the Neolun name could end up being retained, but that it'll signify the range-topping version of the car, making it the counterpart of Maybach or Magma, sister brand Hyundai's sporting colleague. It's also expected that the GV90 will be equipped with an electric powertrain, with the unit found in the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 being the most likely culprit. The dual-motor versions of these cars produce between 303 and 422 hp, so they would likely prove to be capable options.Plus, being a dual-motor setup, it would provide the GV90 with traction-boosting all-wheel drive. As far as the potential range-topping Neolun version, Genesis could utilize the upgraded dual-motor setup found on the EV9 GT, which kicks out a thrilling 501 hp. This ensures the machine can hit 60 mph in a rapid 4.6 seconds, though the GV90 would likely be slower given all that luxury gear dotted throughout the cabin. The GV90 Will Have The Best Of The Best GenesisBased on the Maybach and Rolls-Royce-rivaling interior, we can be fairly sure Genesis will be leaving no stone unturned when it comes to packing the GV90 with as much luxury-boosting tech as it can get away with. As a result, we reckon the SUV being equipped with an air suspension system is pretty much a given. Despite being quite expensive to buy and maintain, they're pretty much unrivaled when it comes to providing a smooth ride and handling. There will also likely be a wide range of options when it comes to speccing the cabin, with likely limitless choices when it comes to choosing leather and trim colors to ensure your GV90 will be completely unique from any other. The GV90 Has Been Delayed For An Interesting Reason CarBuzz/ValnetWhile Genesis has kept quiet on its upcoming machine thus far, the prototype mule of the machine has been spotted out testing on several occasions. The initial expectation was that it would be officially unveiled in early 2026, though it's believed this target has been pushed back while Genesis works out some kinks with the vehicle's door design. Based on an official press release being leaked in 2025, it seems there will be a version of the GV90 with standard doors, but another with Rolls-Royce-like coach doors. These not only look more upmarket, but also provide more access for occupants to climb in and out of the vehicle.These doors are likely going to be an important route to making the range-topping GV90 stand out from its BMW and Mercedes competitors, and closer resemble a much more expensive ultra-luxury rival. Genesis ran into some problems getting the doors working properly, though recent spy photos secured by CarBuzz in April 2026 show a green-colored prototype that suggests a reveal is near.Pre-production cars are usually painted in plainer colors to save time and money, so the latest prototype being graced with colour shows that the brand is zeroing in on the machine's final form. We reckon that Genesis has worked out how to get the doors working properly, so an official launch is anticipated at some point during 2026. A Successful GV90 Could Cement The Arrival Of Genesis To The Big Leagues GenesisThe GV90 represents the point that Genesis has been working so hard to reach over the last decade, with the brand wanting a secure seat at the big table with the largest and most respected auto manufacturers in the world. The Kia-Hyundai Group has done an amazing job thus far in becoming such a heavyweight, especially considering it found itself as the butt of many jokes in the early 2000s, when it sold budget cars that were generally purchased because they had to be, rather than because owners truly wanted them. It has worked diligently to gradually heighten its standards, while also ensuring its offerings have remained great value.It has led Genesis down the same path, with the brand producing vehicles that offer excellent levels of comfort and quality, while also looking more upmarket than their price suggests. Aiming for global automotive megastars Bentley and Rolls-Royce with the GV90 is undoubtedly a ballsy move, but given what we've seen from the prototypes and Genesis' previous creations thus far, it seems the new machine could once again prove to be a spoiler in the matrix. Get it right, and this could be the car that transitions from a brand that makes interesting alternatives to the usual options, to ones that people buy to make a statement.Sources: Genesis.
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![Genesis, Genesis GV90 with coach doors abandoned with no camo [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJlay5jby93cC1j-b250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvc2l0ZXMvMy8y-MDI2LzAzL0dlbmVzaXMtR1Y5MC1UZXNs-YS1TdXBlcmNoYXJnZXItRVYuanBlZw/ae16863f74a65ac5324c2fb0d13ebc60.jpeg)
![Genesis, Genesis GV90 with coach doors abandoned with no camo [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJlay5jby93cC1j-b250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvc2l0ZXMvMy8y-MDI2LzAxL0dlbmVzaXMtR1Y5MC10ZWNo-LmpwZWc/263e6d7dfaeb5901290c3ceee78abf5a.jpeg)
![Genesis, Genesis GV90 with coach doors abandoned with no camo [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNC8wMy9HZW5lc2lz-LU5lb2x1bi1Db25jZXB0LTUuanBlZz9z-dHJpcD1pbmZvJmFtcDt3PTE0MDAmYW1w-O3NzbD0x/7cae7a0702705b3195aca11e4ed0279d.jpeg)
![Genesis, Genesis GV90 with coach doors abandoned with no camo [Images]](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9pMC53cC5jb20vZWxlY3Ry-ZWsuY28vd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRz-L3NpdGVzLzMvMjAyNC8wMy9HZW5lc2lz-LU5lb2x1bi1Db25jZXB0LTQuanBlZz9z-dHJpcD1pbmZvJmFtcDt3PTE0MDAmYW1w-O3NzbD0x/3166c87eb3e6ddc55772c673cc5703fa.jpeg)
