Out with 2008 LS600hL, in with 2017 Genesis G90
07-31-17, 12:52 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Out with 2008 LS600hL, in with 2017 Genesis G90
Well, after much analysis, soul-searching, and test drives, I've officially traded my 2008 LS600hL in on a brand new 2017 Genesis G90. I have really enjoyed owning the LS600 for the past 3 years, but the time just feels right to make a move to a more modern luxury car, and the lease deals on the new G90s have gotten extremely favorable lately.
I was able to get a 36 month, 15K miles/year, zero-down lease on a fully loaded (the only way they come) AWD G90 Premium for $631 + tax. The MSRP was around $71k. The car has the Twin Turbo V6, and drives extremely well (very Lexus-like). The TT V6 really surprised me with the power and torque -- I think the new LS will go over just fine with the TT V6 (and it'll surely be better than the Genesis version).
So why did I switch? Why not just upgrade to a newer LS? I am generally not that happy with the direction Lexus has taken over the past few years. I don't much care for the spindle grill look, and the interior on the current LS460 just feels so dated compared to the G90. Hyundai/Genesis has made up lots of ground in a short amount of time, and are now consistently showing up at the top of the Initial Quality Surveys. Their 10-year powertrain warranty is amazing for a luxury car, and I expect the reliability of this car to be outstanding. The G90 includes virtually every conceivable safety/luxury amenity, including a Heads-up Display, Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Pedestrian Detection, Radar Cruise, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist, etc. It is a long wheelbase and is AWD. It has laminated glass all around and a ton of sound deadening materials, making it drive every bit as quiet as the LS. It has an enormous, razor sharp, bright, split-screen display with a very intuitive mouse interface. The car includes 3 years of free maintenance with Valet service (a G90 loaner car will be delivered to my house or office anytime service needs to be done on my G90).
I know there are lots of things I'll miss about my LS600, but I'm pretty happy with my decision at the moment. I know this is an LS forum, so I won't bog it down with too much talk of how much I love my new G90, but if anyone has any specific questions about the G90 and how it compares to the LS, I'll be happy to answer.
I was able to get a 36 month, 15K miles/year, zero-down lease on a fully loaded (the only way they come) AWD G90 Premium for $631 + tax. The MSRP was around $71k. The car has the Twin Turbo V6, and drives extremely well (very Lexus-like). The TT V6 really surprised me with the power and torque -- I think the new LS will go over just fine with the TT V6 (and it'll surely be better than the Genesis version).
So why did I switch? Why not just upgrade to a newer LS? I am generally not that happy with the direction Lexus has taken over the past few years. I don't much care for the spindle grill look, and the interior on the current LS460 just feels so dated compared to the G90. Hyundai/Genesis has made up lots of ground in a short amount of time, and are now consistently showing up at the top of the Initial Quality Surveys. Their 10-year powertrain warranty is amazing for a luxury car, and I expect the reliability of this car to be outstanding. The G90 includes virtually every conceivable safety/luxury amenity, including a Heads-up Display, Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Pedestrian Detection, Radar Cruise, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist, etc. It is a long wheelbase and is AWD. It has laminated glass all around and a ton of sound deadening materials, making it drive every bit as quiet as the LS. It has an enormous, razor sharp, bright, split-screen display with a very intuitive mouse interface. The car includes 3 years of free maintenance with Valet service (a G90 loaner car will be delivered to my house or office anytime service needs to be done on my G90).
I know there are lots of things I'll miss about my LS600, but I'm pretty happy with my decision at the moment. I know this is an LS forum, so I won't bog it down with too much talk of how much I love my new G90, but if anyone has any specific questions about the G90 and how it compares to the LS, I'll be happy to answer.
The following 2 users liked this post by riknchar:
Chaos236 (03-17-18),
dlbuckls10 (07-31-17)
07-31-17, 01:14 PM
#2
Congrats. Please keep this forum updated on how you like the G90. I will be following to see if you are just as happy in 6 months or longer - I hope you are. You should have no issues as you only leased for 3 years. Hyundai has made great progress, while it seems Lexus has gone complacent. Certainly the current LS is behind the times and is very dated. Good luck!!
07-31-17, 01:23 PM
#3
Congrats on the purchase!. Hope you stay around this forum. Never know with 2018 model, you may change your mind 
If I understand correctly based on what you said, G90 is as quite as LS where you are comparing against LS600?. If so, that is darn big step forward for Genesis as I assume your G90 is not hybrid.
How is the interior?. Do you mind sharing some photos?. Does it equipped with night vision as well windshield display?.
If I understand correctly based on what you said, G90 is as quite as LS where you are comparing against LS600?. If so, that is darn big step forward for Genesis as I assume your G90 is not hybrid.
How is the interior?. Do you mind sharing some photos?. Does it equipped with night vision as well windshield display?.
07-31-17, 01:42 PM
#4
Instructor
Thread Starter
Congrats. Please keep this forum updated on how you like the G90. I will be following to see if you are just as happy in 6 months or longer - I hope you are. You should have no issues as you only leased for 3 years. Hyundai has made great progress, while it seems Lexus has gone complacent. Certainly the current LS is behind the times and is very dated. Good luck!!
07-31-17, 01:59 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
Congrats on the purchase!. Hope you stay around this forum. Never know with 2018 model, you may change your mind
If I understand correctly based on what you said, G90 is as quite as LS where you are comparing against LS600?. If so, that is darn big step forward for Genesis as I assume your G90 is not hybrid.
How is the interior?. Do you mind sharing some photos?. Does it equipped with night vision as well windshield display?.
If I understand correctly based on what you said, G90 is as quite as LS where you are comparing against LS600?. If so, that is darn big step forward for Genesis as I assume your G90 is not hybrid.
How is the interior?. Do you mind sharing some photos?. Does it equipped with night vision as well windshield display?.
The interior is truly amazing! The Napa leather Genesis is using feels at least as good (if not better) as the semi-analine leather in my LS600. Only time will tell if it will wear as well. I'm pretty careful with the leather, and clean/condition it often. My LS600 leather still looked brand new with 83K miles... The overall layout of the G90 interior (to me) looks very modern, tasteful, and well-executed. I love the huge central monitoring screen, and the ambient lighting looks pretty sweet (although I haven't driven it at night, so I can't fully appreciate that aspect just yet).
The Heads-Up Display is pretty useful (maybe it's just a cool novelty right now, though). There is no "night vision" that I know of, but the headlights are adaptive and swivel with the road. I enjoy the Lane Keep Assist function, but if you leave your hands off the wheel for 13 seconds, a warning chime advises you to put them back (how does it know?). There's supposedly a Driver Attention Monitoring system in the car to detect if you are falling asleep, but I don't think it's similar to the camera-based system in the LS. Not sure how well it works, it might just turn out to be annoying.
I haven't taken any photos yet, but will try to get some nice ones to share soon.
07-31-17, 02:13 PM
#6
Intermediate
Congrats on the new purchase. I had test drove an equus before purchasing my Ls460L. To me, it felt like something was missing. Maybe they have improved since going to the G90. Hope you enjoy the vehicle.
07-31-17, 05:09 PM
#7
How do you like the driver's seat and the driving position? Thank you for any impressions or comparisons in this area to the LS. (There was some discussion about this vs. the Equus over on the Genesis forums.)
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07-31-17, 10:16 PM
#8
I agree with you on the direction Lexus is going ..or has been going for quite some time
Very mediocre designs and lackluster powertrains has left them looking more like they are competing with Honda and not the real big players.
Looks like they are finally waking up with the LC-F and some other interesting stuff on the horizon but they are nearly a decade too late in my opinion.
From the amount of BMW , Audi and Mercedes i see every day it looks like lexus has lost many customers to other brands and it may be hard to get them back.
Very mediocre designs and lackluster powertrains has left them looking more like they are competing with Honda and not the real big players.
Looks like they are finally waking up with the LC-F and some other interesting stuff on the horizon but they are nearly a decade too late in my opinion.
From the amount of BMW , Audi and Mercedes i see every day it looks like lexus has lost many customers to other brands and it may be hard to get them back.
08-01-17, 05:58 AM
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
I actually had been targeting the purchase of a used 2014 Equus before I discovered the amazing lease deals on the new G90s. I did a long test drive with the Equus and did enjoy it quite a bit. However, I can definitely say the G90 has made some significant improvements over the Equus in my opinion. The G90 just feels like a bigger, more planted car for some reason. The interior fit and finish, switchgear quality, and Nappa leather feels significantly better than that of the 2014 Equus I drove. If you thought the Equus was a 'near-miss" than you should definitely give the G90 a drive.
08-01-17, 06:12 AM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
I agree with you on the direction Lexus is going ..or has been going for quite some time
Very mediocre designs and lackluster powertrains has left them looking more like they are competing with Honda and not the real big players.
Looks like they are finally waking up with the LC-F and some other interesting stuff on the horizon but they are nearly a decade too late in my opinion.
From the amount of BMW , Audi and Mercedes i see every day it looks like lexus has lost many customers to other brands and it may be hard to get them back.
Very mediocre designs and lackluster powertrains has left them looking more like they are competing with Honda and not the real big players.
Looks like they are finally waking up with the LC-F and some other interesting stuff on the horizon but they are nearly a decade too late in my opinion.
From the amount of BMW , Audi and Mercedes i see every day it looks like lexus has lost many customers to other brands and it may be hard to get them back.
08-01-17, 07:22 AM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Wow, this was a surprise to me. I am however excited to hear your opinions on the G90 not only now, but in a few months and years down the road. It will benefit a lot of us who are on the fence. Now, lets see some pictures...
08-01-17, 07:41 AM
#12
Instructor
Thread Starter
The seats have way more adjustments than my old LS600's seats.
In addition to all of the things my LS600 seat could do, the Genesis seats have:
1. Powered seat extenders (now available on the newer LS's).
2. Power side bolsters (allowing me to custom fit my shoulder width to the side seat bolsters).
3. Power headrest front and back adjustments (my 600 only had power up and down).
4. Adjustable lumbar support (up and down in addition to in and out, to hit just the right spot on my lower back).
5. Three memory positions (vs the 2 in my LS600).
08-01-17, 07:51 AM
#13
Instructor
Thread Starter
A side note to my new G90 acquisition: Leasing this car was way more financially smart than buying it outright (even if I intend to buy the car when the lease is over).
For those who are in the "never-lease" club, here's why leasing the G90 makes more financial sense:
1. The MSRP was around $71K.
2. The total Genesis Lease Rebates/Incentives totaled $12,500.
3. The Genesis purchase Rebates were only $2500.
4. The total of my lease payments is $22,176 (without tax). I can buy the car at the end of the lease for $32,300. Total cost to purchase the car via the 3-year lease = 22,176 + 32,300 = $55,016.
5. The best outright purchase price for the car today (I believe) would be in the neighborhood of $63-65k (even that might be tough, since the rebates are so low for the purchase).
So I can lease for 3 years, making the relatively low payments, and at the end of the 3 years, if the car has held it's value better than expected, I can trade it in and reap positive equity or purchase it for $32,300 and be happy I got a great deal. If the value tanks (as I expect), I can simply give the car back and walk away.
This situation is not all that common, I admit. Genesis is REALLY encouraging leasing for this model. This is why I believe everyone should evaluate the financial benefit of leasing in addition to purchasing when negotiating a new car deal.
For those who are in the "never-lease" club, here's why leasing the G90 makes more financial sense:
1. The MSRP was around $71K.
2. The total Genesis Lease Rebates/Incentives totaled $12,500.
3. The Genesis purchase Rebates were only $2500.
4. The total of my lease payments is $22,176 (without tax). I can buy the car at the end of the lease for $32,300. Total cost to purchase the car via the 3-year lease = 22,176 + 32,300 = $55,016.
5. The best outright purchase price for the car today (I believe) would be in the neighborhood of $63-65k (even that might be tough, since the rebates are so low for the purchase).
So I can lease for 3 years, making the relatively low payments, and at the end of the 3 years, if the car has held it's value better than expected, I can trade it in and reap positive equity or purchase it for $32,300 and be happy I got a great deal. If the value tanks (as I expect), I can simply give the car back and walk away.
This situation is not all that common, I admit. Genesis is REALLY encouraging leasing for this model. This is why I believe everyone should evaluate the financial benefit of leasing in addition to purchasing when negotiating a new car deal.
The following users liked this post:
Chaos236 (03-17-18)
08-01-17, 08:25 AM
#14
A side note to my new G90 acquisition: Leasing this car was way more financially smart than buying it outright (even if I intend to buy the car when the lease is over).
For those who are in the "never-lease" club, here's why leasing the G90 makes more financial sense:
1. The MSRP was around $71K.
2. The total Genesis Lease Rebates/Incentives totaled $12,500.
3. The Genesis purchase Rebates were only $2500.
4. The total of my lease payments is $22,176 (without tax). I can buy the car at the end of the lease for $32,300. Total cost to purchase the car via the 3-year lease = 22,176 + 32,300 = $55,016.
5. The best outright purchase price for the car today (I believe) would be in the neighborhood of $63-65k (even that might be tough, since the rebates are so low for the purchase).
So I can lease for 3 years, making the relatively low payments, and at the end of the 3 years, if the car has held it's value better than expected, I can trade it in and reap positive equity or purchase it for $32,300 and be happy I got a great deal. If the value tanks (as I expect), I can simply give the car back and walk away.
This situation is not all that common, I admit. Genesis is REALLY encouraging leasing for this model. This is why I believe everyone should evaluate the financial benefit of leasing in addition to purchasing when negotiating a new car deal.
For those who are in the "never-lease" club, here's why leasing the G90 makes more financial sense:
1. The MSRP was around $71K.
2. The total Genesis Lease Rebates/Incentives totaled $12,500.
3. The Genesis purchase Rebates were only $2500.
4. The total of my lease payments is $22,176 (without tax). I can buy the car at the end of the lease for $32,300. Total cost to purchase the car via the 3-year lease = 22,176 + 32,300 = $55,016.
5. The best outright purchase price for the car today (I believe) would be in the neighborhood of $63-65k (even that might be tough, since the rebates are so low for the purchase).
So I can lease for 3 years, making the relatively low payments, and at the end of the 3 years, if the car has held it's value better than expected, I can trade it in and reap positive equity or purchase it for $32,300 and be happy I got a great deal. If the value tanks (as I expect), I can simply give the car back and walk away.
This situation is not all that common, I admit. Genesis is REALLY encouraging leasing for this model. This is why I believe everyone should evaluate the financial benefit of leasing in addition to purchasing when negotiating a new car deal.
08-01-17, 08:39 AM
#15
Instructor
Thread Starter
Just read a very complimentary article regarding Genesis. Here's a link for those who are interested: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/auto...gs-bmw-n787161