Making it as a luxury car brand is immensely tough, especially if you haven’t had the time to grow a long-standing heritage in the mould of Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, or Rolls-Royce. During the 1980s, Japanese marques Honda, Nissan, and Toyota wanted to try and capture a large slice of the American luxury market, though they knew that their reputation for offering affordable and reliable cars wouldn’t translate well to becoming an aspirational luxury automaker.
All three thus founded new brands that would focus purely on the luxury sector. Lexus has been by far the most successful of the resulting entities, and now Korean brand Genesis has been trying to break into the exclusive club. It’s been doing a great job at it, too, and it’s largely down to Lexus that this has been the case.
The Latest Piece Of Hyundai-Kia’s Plan To Dominate The Motoring World
2021 Genesis GV80 Front 3/4 ViewGenesis
The Hyundai Motor Company has enjoyed a huge rise to prominence over the last 20 years, the brand going from being the punchline of the joke to the one making them. It has done this by offering good quality and affordable machines that are appealing to drive and own. It has done a good job of developing a unique brand identity from a styling standpoint for its cars, while also offering plenty of equipment at a very reasonable price.
Hyundai took care of the more sensible, family-oriented buyers, while the Kia sister marque focused more on drivers looking for an edgier and sportier machine.
Having made good ground at the lower end of the market, Hyundai felt it was time to up the stakes. It founded Genesis in 2015, with the manufacturer built to take on the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus, and even the great Mercedes-Benz in the luxury sector.
Genesis Has Looked To Cover All Bases
Knowing it needed to make an impact, Genesis focused on covering all aspects of the luxury market. From spritely mid-size sedans like the G70 to full-size sedans like the G90, and from its GV70 compact luxury crossover to its GV80 mid-size crossover, Genesis wants a slice of every pie. It has bigger plans beyond these too, but more on that later.
Genesis’ 2026 Lineup Overview
Model
Base Price
Segment
G70
$43,450
Midsize Luxury Sedan
G80
$58,450
Midsize Luxury Sedan
G90
$92,700
Full-Size Luxury Sedan
GV60
$52,525
Compact Luxury Electric SUV
GV70
$48,985
Compact Luxury SUV
Electrified GV70
$64,380
Compact Luxury Electric SUV
GV80 (GV80 Coupe)
$57,700 ($81,850)
Midsize Luxury SUV
The Genesis lineup features a diverse spread of models that includes gas and fully-electric models. Most models feature turbocharged gas-only powertrains, while the GV60 and Electrified GV70 are both EVs. Only the top trim levels of the G90 full-size sedan are equipped with a 48-volt e-supercharger that boosts power from its standard 375 horsepower to an impressive 409 hp. Every model is directed to rival other luxury automakers. For example, the G70 faces off with the BMW 3 Series, and the G90 rivals the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Going Aggressive In An Attempt To Conquer The US
2021 Genesis GV80 Front ViewGenesis
Of course, with so many dedicated luxury manufacturers currently active in the US, it’s difficult to stand out against the rest. Genesis knew it had to get its claws out to break out of the background, and its playbook is strikingly similar to the one Lexus used to gather attention in the late 1980s. The Toyota-owned operation took a no-expense-spared approach with its first model, the LS, as it knew it had to beat the likes of BMW and Mercedes at their own game. Following a $1 billion+ development program, the LS arrived and immediately showed what was possible with limitless imagination.
How Genesis Has Emulated Lexus’ Successful Approach To Make Ground In The US
- Developed all its models as bespoke entities separate from those of Hyundai/Kia to make them feel more special
- Introduced innovative new technology that sets its cars apart from rivals
- Produces cars that are good value, but without skimping on the important stuff
- In the process of establishing a performance arm that gives the brand an edge that gets potential buyers excited
- Introducing wild concepts that attract attention from the motoring world
Lexus had somehow beaten the venerable S-Class when it came to refinement, a feat that didn’t go unnoticed. The LS is one of the reasons why it has become by far the most successful Eastern luxury marque, and even outsells Mercedes in the US to this day. Genesis took that approach and ran with it, and has developed all its offerings on completely bespoke platforms from its Hyundai and Kia siblings.
This goes for much of the interior furnishings, too, as well as the engine and powertrain. Even Genesis’ elegant but sporty styling language is vastly different from its sister brands, ensuring they stand out on their own, which is more than can be said about its geographical competitors.
Vehicles from the likes of Acura and Infiniti, the luxury arms of Honda and Nissan, respectively, look like slightly posher versions of the cheaper brands’ machines, and the vast majority of Lexus cars also suffer from this problem. This robs them of any feeling of uniqueness, which is crucial when asking for upwards of $50,000 for a car.
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Genesis Models Are Also Innovative
2023-2025 Genesis G90 Sedan interior view of the front cabinGenesis
Aside from being completely bespoke from Hyundai and Kia’s vehicles, Genesis has also focused on bringing innovative technology to its creations, much like Lexus did in the 1980s and 1990s. It is currently working on an advanced new windshield defrosting method that uses a metal coating applied to the glass, which helps heat it up much quicker than a conventional heated screen setup. Genesis reckons it’ll clear ice around a third of the time, while also using less power to do so.
Aside from this, it has also developed a UV light sterilizer. The device uses powerful UV light to sterilize items left in the cockpit when activated, ensuring that the car’s occupants can rest assured that their belongings are as clean as can be.
Genesis’ Efforts Are Paying Dividends
2025 Genesis Electrified GV70 side viewGenesis
Lexus’ approach proved extremely effective in establishing a foothold in the US luxury arena, and now Genesis looks to be enjoying the same fruits. Its yearly sales performance has been growing consistently and relentlessly over the last decade, with the brand having recorded just over 82,000 sales in 2025. This puts it around 30,000 up on Infiniti, and also means it is quickly closing on Acura’s 130,000 figure, which is a drop of around 30,000 when compared to a decade ago. Infiniti’s decline is significantly worse, as the brand was consistently shifting around 150,000 vehicles in the mid-2010s.
The sustained upward trend illustrated by Genesis is impossible to ignore, and it shows that its approach is bringing in new buyers every year. Recognizing this, Genesis is far from taking its foot off the gas. Wanting to try and match the Lexus juggernaut one day, the brand having offloaded a mammoth 370,000 units in 2025, it is now borrowing another of Lexus’ methods.
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Some Hotter Genesis Models Are On The Way
Genesis GV60 Magma from the front three-quarter angleJoel Stocksdale / CarBuzz / Valnet
Yep, Genesis is establishing its very own performance arm. Lexus has utilized its F-range for years, with models like the IS 500, RC F, and the LFA supercar all being developed as a result. Range-topping performance helps bring an air of power and technological superiority to a manufacturer, and is an approach long-favored by the likes of BMW, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz, too.
Genesis’ performance arm has been named Magma, and is making sure it stands out by incorporating a bright orange color as its corporate design. Given the brand is named after that hot stuff that flows from volcanoes, it fits perfectly.
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It isn’t messing around with the Magma brand, either. A range of striking concept cars like the X Gran Berlinetta and Racer models show what it’s all about, while its first production road car is set to be the GV60 Magma. It’s a 640-hp electric crossover meant to take on the Porsche Macan, and is set to be released for the 2027 model year.
In the future, it’s looking to introduce a V8-powered halo supercar, as teased by its GT Concept. Magma even has an international racing program for 2026, with Genesis entering the World Endurance Championship hypercar class with a Magma-branded prototype. Hell, it even recently launched an extremely limited edition off-road supercar called the X Skorpio, which was developed largely just to generate extra headlines.
Genesis Has The Ingredient For Success As Long As It Sticks To Its Aggressive Approach
Genesis Magma GT Concept Debut Wide ShotGenesis
Genesis is leaving no stone unturned as it looks to become a luxury giant not just in the US, but around the world. Where the likes of Acura and Infiniti have cheaped out on their luxury approaches – which has led to the sales figures of the brands falling away in recent years – Genesis’ brand identity is only getting stronger. Sales are continuing to gather in momentum, and the introduction of the Magma performance brand should help bring yet more interest.
It’s doing everything right so far, and could well be the next big success story by becoming a big fish in the luxury battlefield, nearly 40 years after Lexus achieved the same feat.
Sources: Genesis.
