Long Live the Sedan

Genesis and Honda provide awesome alternatives to the ubiquitous SUV.

REMEMBER WHEN seeing an SUV on the road was a rare sight? We’ll soon say the same about four-door sedans. Ironically, these increasingly rare rides are reaching a pinnacle of performance, useability, style and luxury at the same time they are disappearing. Herewith, two of the latest and greatest.

2023 GENESIS G90 3.5T E-SUPERCHARGED AWD

In many ways, Genesis is the Lexus of the 21st Century. The luxury brand from the group that also comprises Kia and Hyundai has no legacy of race wins to build upon. Therefore, its vehicles have to be near the top of each segment in which they compete, offer good value and—if at all possible—stand out in some way.

The new G90 flagship checks those boxes, just as the GV60, GV70 and GV80 had done previously. It looks unique, elegant and expensive, with headlights like nothing else and long lines stretched taut from the huge, shield-shaped grill towards a tapered tail. Inside, the G90 feels a step above the Lexus LS500 too, with sumptuous materials, rendered in classy shades, framing a daring design aesthetic. It drips with luxury. Outside of German machines costing 50 percent more, nothing whispers posh quite like it.

Backseat passengers are treated to multi-configurable thrones that recline, massage and pamper like few others, while the seats in front also caress with sumptuous hide and con trols that feel precise and expensive.

EPA RATINGS: 17/24/20mpg

0-60MPH: 5.1sec

PRICE AS TESTED: $101,295

A G90 party-trick is power doors; the driver’s door closes itself as you touch the brake pedal to start the Genesis. Problematically, they only power-open part way—to avoid denting other cars or impacting solid objects. This means one encounters hefty resistance to pull or push them fully open.

The added work notwithstanding, there is little to criticize; some take issue with Apple and Android connectivity being only through USB, but Bluetooth would never sound as good through the su perb, 23-speaker Bang and Olufson sound system. Twin 12.3-inch screens and logical interfaces are easier to use than those in the Lexus, and real buttons make access to systems safer and quicker than the Mercedes.

The G90 doesn’t try to impersonate a sports sedan. It is suitably re fined, the result of a 409hp, turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with EV-like off-theline punch, thanks to its electric supercharger, and supremely muted rapid acceleration. AWD makes it virtually weatherproof, and all-wheel steering promotes wonderful maneuverability. At higher speeds, the air suspension allows smooth, unfussy acceleration, and over the patchwork of downtown Denver streets, the shallow tire sidewalls of the gorgeous 21-inch wheels make for an unyielding ride. In these areas, the Genesis feels very much like the current Mercedes S-Class, which is pretty much the best in the world.

Genesis may lack pedigree, but so did Lexus in 1990, and look where it is now. There is certainly an appeal to owning something of surpassing excellence that few know; those who choose the G90 are making a statement about their confidence and knowledge by selecting it over more established rivals. Sounds like history repeating.

2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport L

Honda has had hybridized versions of the excellent Accord sedan for quite a while, but due to production constraints, they were as rare as hen’s teeth in the real world. No longer. Honda is intent on having gas-electric versions of the 11th-generation model account for almost half of sales. Considering just how good this latest one is, no one would be surprised if that happened.

EPA RATINGS:

46/41/44mpg

0-60MPH: 6.6sec

PRICE AS TESTED: $35,425

The ’23 Accord shares much of its undercarriage with the outgoing model, and that is no bad thing, since it had an excellent blend of ride quality and handling elan, was quiet on the open road (unlike older Hondas) and reliable and durable. The ’23 builds on these core attributes, clothing them in more refined, restrained sheet metal. Like the Genesis and many of the latest four doors, it is a fastback design. Now that SUVs and crossovers are the vast majority of new vehicle sales, this is a smart decision, setting apart those who choose to ride low.

Inside, the quality of the materials appears higher than in the last Accord, and the look is cleaner and more elegant. Little things, like the way the hard and soft dash materials align in color, texture and grain, show Honda is again sweating the details. The prominently placed 12.3-inch touchscreen has attractive graph ics and is fast and intuitive to use, along with having wireless con nect for smartphones.

The Accord is very roomy too, with lots of lounging space in front and back, yet it still knows how to party. The driver feels part of things thanks to the accurate steering and the way the hybrid system’s power deploys its 204 ponies and 247lb-ft through what is essentially a direct-drive system. Instead of all the slipping and nonlinearity of the 192hp gasoline version, the hybrid punches away from the lights and feels like it’s accelerating harder and harder, almost like a jet on takeoff. While a mid-6 run to 60 isn’t that fast these days, the Accord Hybrid feels swifter than that. And getting 35-40mpg in town, basically no matter how you push it, is intoxicating in its own right.

Making the case even harder to refute, the Accord Hybrid is very reasonably priced. Yes, a heated steering wheel and some other sybaritic niceties are absent, but its value quotient is unassailable, and its guilt-free fun priceless.