Genesis GV90 Swaps the Start Button for Swivel Seats and a Heated Wood Floor
Genesis is pulling back the curtain on what it is actually like to ride in its new flagship. In the first installment of a deep-dive series, the brand detailed the Genesis GV90 cabin experience, from pillarless coach doors and a startup sequence with no start button to front seats that swivel 180 degrees and a real wood floor that heats the second row.
When the GV90 debuted in August, we called it the flagship that puts Mercedes on notice. This time, the focus is less on horsepower and more on hospitality. Genesis says every feature is built around “Son-nim,” a Korean hospitality idea that treats each passenger as an honored guest. Here is what that looks like in practice.
The Neolun Arch Gate Makes a Grand Entrance
The show starts before anyone sits down. The GV90 Neolun drops traditional B-pillars for what Genesis calls the Neolun Arch Gate, a pair of coach doors that swing open in opposite directions. Instead, a hidden B-pillar is built into the doorframe, and a new dual-motion hinge lets the rear door slide slightly outward before it rotates open. As a result, the front and rear doors never get in each other’s way.
Occupants can also open and close the doors from inside with the press of a button. Just as important for families, Genesis says its internal testing shows the GV90 Neolun delivers crash safety and side-impact protection equivalent to vehicles with standard pillars. Picture buckling a car seat through a wide-open portal with no pillar in the way, and you can see the appeal beyond the wow factor.
No Start Button Required
Once you are inside, there is no button to push. Pulling the door handle to close the door powers up the GV90, and the door then closes automatically. Next, the cabin wakes up with a little choreography: the Motion Column Shifter moves from the 12 o’clock position to 2 o’clock, the Crystal Sphere Controller rotates to reveal its controls, and the tweeter covers on the dashboard part to the sides.
From there, you simply press the brake pedal to engage Drive. Genesis says cutting those extra steps frees up dashboard space and reduces visual clutter. Fair warning: it is the kind of theater our car-crazy son would make us repeat in every parking lot.
Swivel Seats Turn the Cabin Into a Lounge
Park the GV90, and the cabin becomes a first-class lounge. The front seats can swivel 180 degrees to face the rear passengers, creating a face-to-face setup for conversation, a business meeting, or simply hanging out during a charging stop.
Each seat also gets a deep-recline function, power-deployable leg rests, and a massage system with 15 individual air cells. Additionally, the second row includes foldaway tables, and illuminated vanity mirrors sit in the front passenger visor and in the backs of the front-row headrests for rear passengers.
Heated Floors, a Fridge, and a Private Suite
Perhaps the most unusual detail is underfoot. The second row has a real wood veneer floor inspired by ondol, the underfloor heating method used in traditional Korean homes, and it provides radiant heat. Genesis extends that warmth to the first- and second-row console armrests, side panels, and door trims, so passengers stay cozy without dry air blasting from the vents.
There is also a built-in refrigerator for cold drinks and heated cupholders for warm ones. Meanwhile, the GV90 Neolun Executive Suite adds a Comfort Partition between the second row and the cargo area to block noise from the trunk. Combined with motorized rear roll blinds, it creates a private room on wheels. Overhead, the Smart Vision Roof uses polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) technology to let occupants control transparency across six separate zones.
A Pop-Up Cinema Screen With Gleo AI
Up front, the OLED Cinematic Display changes shape depending on whether you are driving or parked. On the road, the 23.6-inch screen combines the instrument cluster, navigation, and media controls. When the GV90 is parked or charging, a press of the display extension button on the center fascia raises the screen by 90 millimeters, turning it into a 24.6-inch display for movies and other entertainment.
The system runs Pleos Connect, a platform based on the Android Automotive operating system, and it includes Gleo AI, an assistant powered by a large language model. As a result, you can adjust climate, entertainment, and personal settings simply by talking to it, and Genesis says it learns occupant preferences over time.
Bang & Olufsen Brings 25 Speakers
Naturally, a rolling home theater needs a sound system to match. The GV90 gets a Bang & Olufsen Premier 3D sound system with 25 speakers arranged in a 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos configuration. Acoustic Lens Technology tweeters sit at both ends of the dashboard and work with four headliner speakers, midrange speakers, and subwoofers placed around the cabin.
On top of that, Virtual Venue technology recreates the acoustics of famous spaces such as Boston Symphony Hall and Wembley Stadium. Plus, Beosonic lets passengers personalize the sound to their own taste.
Genesis has not shared U.S. pricing or full trim details alongside this deep dive. In the meantime, you can explore the rest of the lineup on the Genesis USA website.
Our Take on the Genesis GV90
I have said it before: Genesis is done playing in the background. After spending time in the Genesis GV80 Coupe, I know how well this brand does luxury, but the GV90 feels like a different level entirely. Swivel seats, a heated wood floor, and a fridge are not things most families need. Still, they show just how far Genesis is willing to go to take on the best from Germany.
What I like most is that the big ideas come with practical thinking. Genesis says the pillarless doors match the side-impact protection of a standard design in its internal testing, and the buttonless startup removes steps instead of adding gimmicks. However, I want to see how the pop-up screen and Gleo AI hold up in the real world. Pricing will decide a lot here, too. Once Genesis shares those details, we will let you know, and I am hoping to get a GV90 into the GT: Garage Talk® garage for a full test here in East Texas.
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