This Best New Luxury Car Brand is Taking on BMW and Mercedes – and it’s Winning
When looking at the current scape of luxury cars, one brand keeps popping up that may come as a surprise. Genesis is not only one of the best new luxury car brands, but it is taking on BMW and Mercedes – and it’s winning.
How Genesis Got its Start
The automotive historians among you may remember the early days of Genesis. Rather than its own brand, Genesis was simply a model name under the Hyundai banner. As it turns out, that wasn’t supposed to be the case.
The 2008 recession initially delayed the Genesis spinoff. But Hyundai had already designed the Genesis sports car and luxury car that were set to be the brand’s debut models. Rather than let that effort (and money) go to waste, they simply sold the cars under the established Hyundai moniker.
A decade later and the world finally seemed ready to take a chance on another upstart luxury brand. Like Lexus and Acura before it, Genesis had a mountain of a task ahead of it. Taking on generations of heritage and becoming one of the best luxury car brands right from the start.
Genesis is easily the best new luxury car brand
With EV automakers joining the fray, more new luxury car brands exist now than ever. Rivian, Tesla, Polestar, and Lucid all make great cars, but Genesis has an X-factor that none of those brands can manage.
Mass appeal.
Sure, EV adoption is rising and Tesla in particular is making big strides. But with an aging four-model lineup, there isn’t much left to grab attention these days.
On the other hand, Genesis cars have the kind of head-turning design that makes them impossible to ignore. A little bit Mercedes-Benz, a little bit Bentley, and a little bit BMW (more on that later), the new Genesis lineup is truly taking the world by storm.
Even the pricing structure has a wide appeal. The G70 starts at a modest $40,000, beating the Mercedes C-Class by nearly five grand. Meanwhile, the G90 competes in S-Class territory, starting at just under $90k.
Don’t just take our word for it, either. Genesis brand luxury cars rank in the top 5 of luxury car lists from Kelley Blue Book, Motor Trend, Road and Track, and Top Gear. From the sporty G70 to the opulent Genesis G80 and G90, Genesis sedans are among the most loved across the board.
Even the sales numbers agree. Genesis grew by nearly 25 percent in 2022. Meanwhile, Mercedes, BMW, and the like all saw their numbers decline.
Why are Genesis cars so loved?
At first, it’s easy to think that the Genesis love comes from a place of modern novelty. A sort of tech-driven ADHD that has everyone chasing the next big thing. But with Genesis, the appeal is genuine. It is truly one of the best luxury car brands around today, legacy or not.
The cars look great, even if the split-LED lights and gaping “Crest” grille design isn’t exactly subtle. Inside, they’re covered in premium materials and packed with an excellent blend of tech and classic luxury. In the case of the G70, they’re engaging to drive. And with models like the Electrified G80 and new G90 sedan, its luxury credentials are off the charts.
With engineers and executives from BMW, Bentley, and Lamborghini, Genesis has assembled an Avengers cast of characters to take on their European luxury competition. This expertise and a focus on genuine excellence has allowed the Korean luxury car brand to take on the likes of BMW and Mercedes, and win.
