How Genesis Is Taking The Luxury Car Market By Storm

Ramsey Qubein is a freelance travel journalist covering hotels, cruises,…

Genesis is a Korean brand that branched off from its Hyundai in 2015 and has taken the international automotive market by storm. As the only luxury brand born from a Korean company, Genesis is proud of its distinctive heritage and infuses much of its culture into the purchasing experience and customer relationship.

Genesis is experiencing a very rapid pace of sales growth. In July of this year, the company marked its best-ever monthly U.S. sales achievement with 6,300 units vehicles, representing a 22% increase over July of last year. In 2023 alone, the company says it has already hit a sales record in terms of cars sold for the first half of the year.

Among its different models are the G70 sport sedan, G80 executive sedan, the flagship G90 sedan, all-electric GV60 SUV, GV70 SUV and GV80 SUV. The GV60 is its first, fully-dedicated electric vehicle although it offers all-electric models of the G80 and GV70. Here are five reasons why Genesis vehicles are worth exploring if you are looking for a new luxury vehicle.

The design

Genesis had the opportunity to essentially build a new brand from scratch by rethinking what they wanted in a high-performance, luxury market vehicle.

The most popular model in the U.S. is the G70 SUV with its sweptback, coupe-like roof line showing off a level of athletic elegance. An immediately noticeable feature of many Genesis vehicles are the dual-line head and tail lamps that give it an almost sportscar-like look. The crest-style grille makes it instantly recognizable, and this is where the hidden charging point is on the electrified G70, which can reach 429 horsepower in no time (push the “boost” button if you really want to floor it!). The car also comes in a twin V6 engine that can reach 375 horsepower.

Inside, the vehicle relies on a simplistic, yet functional, design. A variety of pairings is available for the leather and dashboard accents, many of which bear color names influenced by global destinations. The inspiration for the look actually comes from athletic leisure wear, underlining the brand’s commitment to being a more casual style of luxury vehicle and appeal to a broader audience.

Air vents are slim, yet powerful, and the heads up display behind the steering wheel (within view) provides an alternative to the GPS capability from the main screen in the center console. Expect heated or cooling leather seats, massage features, Bang & Olufsen stereo systems and detailed finishes throughout the vehicle.

Genesis also has its place in the sedan market showcasing its latest iteration of the G90, considered to be its flagship, which was totally redesigned with new driver systems and two new V6 engines instead of one V8. It comes in both standard and electric models, but the latter adds both horsepower (from 375 to 409) as well as better air suspension to avoid extra bumps on the road.

Pioneering technology

Genesis cars are renowned for their attention to detail, but also the level of sophistication that goes into every aspect of the vehicle. A surround-view mirror uses side-facing radar technology and a blind spot alert system that kicks in when you use the turn signal. It also uses a remote spot park assist system to make parking both safer and easier. All of the safety mechanisms of a Genesis vehicle come standard; there is no need to pay extra for particular features the way other car manufacturers may price vehicles with add-on services.

As part of the Prestige model in the U.S., even the noise level from inside the car was carefully considered. A system carefully measures the noise and sound frequency to create an inverted frequency (some might call it one level above your standard white noise) to make the drive even quieter.

Another unique feature in the all-electric GV60 SUV is the crystal sphere that illuminates when the car is not in driving mode. Inside the sphere is a laser-engraved version of the Genesis G-Matrix design signature.

The car is so quiet, in fact, that it can sometimes be hard to know if it is even on. Once the ignition is pressed and the foot is on the brake pedal, it revolves to reveal drive-mode features. It’s a snazzy addition, for sure.

Front-facing cameras are always looking out for road imperfections, like bumps or potholes, to prepare the vehicle for a smoother ride. Face Connect is another world’s first feature, which allows users to unlock the vehicle using their face (similar to what you may do on a smartphone using biometric data) rather than carrying a key around with you.

For now, it is only available in the all-electric GV60 SUV with innovative biometric technology so that owners can rev up their cars without even using a key. Just by scanning their face, the user’s profile prepares the car for that specific driver including settings for the steering wheel, the driver’s seat and head-up-display positioning.

In the G90 flagship sedan, a “mood curator” design system adjusts the lighting, seat features and massage functions, and fragrance emission at the touch of a button.

The sales process

The company sells cars in its Genesis Studios, a modern take on what others may consider to be a car dealership. But, there’s a major difference in the layout and design focus of the space. These sales spaces put the cars front and center as showpieces on the floor with living room-style areas and even entertainment space in some in the rest of the area. Visitors can peruse the vehicle, ask questions or schedule a test drive. The latest opening is in Edinburgh, Scotland with another new location in the Atlanta area.

More than 50 of them are expected to open within the next year around the United States. They embody the Korean philosophy of “son-nim,” meaning “honored guest,” offering an experience that is quite different from what other automotive brands do in the sales process. According to Genesis, this allows for a more transparent vehicle purchase and avoids the typical, high-pressure (and sometimes uncomfortable) dealership visit.

Genesis can also send people to someone’s home to help them in the decision-making and sales process. When a customer purchases a new Genesis vehicle, they receive access to a 30-minute fast charging service, the Electrify America network, on a complimentary basis for three years. Even after that, Genesis electric vehicles use an 800 volt architecture that allows you to go from 10 to 80% charging in just 18-22 minutes, depending on the model, so it’s not like you need a lot of time to power up a car.

In New York, the brand has its own Korean restaurant, which sits atop the Genesis House showroom. In the basement, additional entertainment space is available for rent. It’s no coincidence that Genesis sees its brand as one that intermingles with lifestyle and fashion. The New York space even has a tea pavilion, library and rooftop terrace.

Eco-friendly commitment

As of 2025, Genesis has committed to becoming all electric with its new cars, and by 2030, it sees its entire production line to be 100% electric. And as part of its power transformation, it is adopting a dual electrification strategy using fuel cells and battery EVs. It is also focused on developing better technology that involves lithium-ion batteries to be used in its vehicles.

This aligns with the general shift of the global economy as more North Americans look to lower their carbon footprint while also taking advantage of tax breaks along the way. Genesis is proud of the fact that it has re-engineered the body structure with more aluminum to make it more lightweight than a gas-fueled car.

Along its own value chain, Genesis wants to be entirely carbon neutral when it comes to how it sources its materials to the way it builds each vehicle from scratch. Hyundai itself has plans to provide hydrogen fuel cell versions for its own commercial vehicles; these will be available by 2028.

Genesis sees itself as more than just a car manufacturer. In fact, its eco-friendly ethos extends beyond vehicles. The brand team can come to a buyer’s home to help them set up onsite charging stations while also installing solar panels for their home. Known as Genesis Home, this helps owners with car charging, but also by saving electricity on a broader scale to continue their “electrification journey” into other parts of their life.

Its Korean distinction

The brand sees itself as a beacon of Korean hospitality across the globe. In Genesis retail venues, the car company has created a signature fragrance and a scent diffuser using soothing notes. North American customers receive a custom scent blend to also use in their home.

It also serves a variety of bespoke tea blends (its headquarters has a team of tea sommeliers that blend them from scratch) in retail venues and gifts them to customers. This brand leans heavily into its Korean heritage, which teaches humility as a core value. For a luxury car brand, the juxtaposition could not be more stark, but when owners rave about the brand itself, it becomes as real as it gets.