G80 Sport Package (Image provided by Genesis)
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury brand, is rapidly reshaping the U.S. premium car market, overtaking established rivals and narrowing the gap with long-dominant players after a decade of steady expansion.
According to Automotive News, Genesis sold 82,331 vehicles in the United States last year, surpassing Infiniti, which recorded sales of 52,846 units. The milestone marks a dramatic reversal from 2020, when Genesis sold just over 16,000 vehicles—about one-fifth of Infiniti’s volume at the time.
Since entering the U.S. market in 2016 with fewer than 7,000 sales, Genesis has increased its annual volume nearly twelvefold, emerging as one of the fastest-growing luxury brands globally. Its rise is beginning to alter a market long dominated by Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus, followed by a second tier led by Acura and Lincoln.
Genesis has ranked sixth in U.S. luxury sales since 2022, pushing Nissan’s premium marque out of the upper tier. The gap with Lincoln, currently the fifth-largest seller, has narrowed to roughly 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles, fueling industry speculation that Genesis could overtake the American brand as early as this year.
This file photo, provided by Hyundai Motor Group, shows its independent luxury auto brand Genesis’ electrified G80 model. (Yonhap)
Analysts attribute Genesis’s momentum to a combination of brand positioning and product strategy. The company’s “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy, coupled with a strong focus on sport utility vehicles, has driven growth, with SUVs accounting for more than 80 percent of its U.S. sales. The GV70 and GV80 have been central to that expansion.
Electrification is also playing an increasing role. Models such as the GV60 and electrified GV70 have gained traction, and Genesis plans to broaden its lineup with hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles, beginning with a hybrid version of the GV80 later this year.
Genesis’s ascent has broader implications for its parent company, Hyundai Motor. The luxury brand now accounts for 5.3 percent of Hyundai’s global vehicle sales, a share achieved far more quickly than Lexus, which took more than three decades to reach a similar milestone within Toyota’s portfolio.
As Genesis continues to close in on long-established competitors, its rapid rise underscores a shifting balance in the global luxury auto market, where newer brands are increasingly challenging legacy dominance through design, technology and electrification.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
