If anyone ruled Genesis out of the luxury car game, they might want to rethink things. Of course, we'll admit that we weren't optimistic, either. The South Korean premium Hyundai spinoff wasn't fairing well due to their lack of an SUV, as well as due to designs that weren't especially noticeable against the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, or Lexus. But the tide is in the process of turning for the brand, and their recent sales figures are impressive.
Sales have more than doubled over the past two years. The brand sold 1,605 vehicles in April of 2019 and 806 in April of 2020 to 3,294 vehicles in April of 2021. That's phenomenal growth that no other brand can claim. While those volumes are far from the other luxury brands, no one else can claim 210% year-over-year growth the way Genesis has.
Granted 2020 was a mess because of COVID-19, and just about every automaker suffered, but the timing has been ideal for Genesis to come out swinging. Rather than selling Hyundai carryovers (the last-generation G80 sedan was the last model to come from Hyundai), and every model that will go on sale from this point forward is brand new for Genesis. The new G80 sedan (photo above) might just be the best luxury sedan you can get for your money. It looks like nothing else on the road and does an excellent job at communicating the design language that's now consistent across the model line.
But the real star of the show is the GV80 SUV, which sold more in Q1 of 2021 than all three Genesis sedans combined, which is a reflection of how hot the luxury SUV segment is, as well as proves how good the GV80 truly is. Everyone who has driven it seems to love it for its Bentley Bentayga-like design, as well as for its driving dynamics, an excellent set of standard features, and its top-notch safety ratings (which Tiger Woods is also thankful for).
So, what's over the horizon for the brand? More than you can imagine. The upcoming 2022 G70 sports sedan should prove to be better-looking, better-driving, and better-valued than most (if not all) of the competition. Then, the GV70 crossover (photo above) is coming with its edgier looks and myriad interior and exterior colors. It's the right move for the brand since the GV80 has proven itself to be an overnight success, and the world will certainly respond well to the smaller, sportier GV70 even if it's half as good as its big brother.
And then, the big news on the electrified front is an exotic car based on the stunning Genesis X Concept (photo above) that bowed recently. All of the automotive world is waiting to see what will emerge from that beautiful concept and how close the production version could possibly be to the original. All we know is that it easily qualifies as the most beautiful car we've seen lately, this side of a Ferrari Roma.
Genesis is doing just about everything right, shy of bringing an electric crossover to the market (which every brand should do, really, especially since the Tesla Model Y has been selling like hotcakes). We're excited to see Genesis awaken from the doldrums, and we can't wait to drive the rest of their new lineup.
