Genesis G90 Sales Show American Buyers Are Catching On
With a growing reputation and a lineup of quality vehicles, Genesis has been on the upswing since 2019. However, the Genesis G90 has lagged behind a bit. Capturing the highest echelon of automotive buyers was always going to be a challenge, but new sales figures show that the Genesis G90 is starting to show its strength.
July was a banner month for Genesis G90 sales
With the latest sales figures, the Genesis G90 continues a strong 2023 performance with a banner July. Selling 108 models, the G90 nearly quadrupled its July 2022 sales figures. That brings the flagship Genesis luxury car to 811 total units for 2023, a 34.7 percent increase for the year overall. That uptick comes in the face of a difficult automotive landscape, where more buyers than ever are being denied financing, and many are balking at both price and interest rate increases involved with buying a brand-new car.
2023 is a good year for the G90, but not the best
So far, 2023 is showing a positive trend for the G90. But the greater context includes several down years after a peak in 2017. A new, more upmarket model arrived in 2020, which marginally slowed sales compared to 2018 and 2019. Things slowed down even more in 2021, when the G90 sold just 1,821 models. A year later, the top Genesis sedan sold fewer than 1,200 models. So while the G90 is making a modest comeback so far in 2023, it’s still far off of the models top performances.
Is the Genesis G90 a luxury car contender?
Despite the uptick in 2023 sales, the Genesis G90 is still a fairly low-volume luxury car, even for the price. Selling just 100 models per month puts it well below even the similarly-priced (and obectively ugly) BMW 7 Series, which is selling 800 models per month, on average. And while the Audi A8 has struggled for two years, it’s still outranking the G90 so far in 2023. Then, of course, there is the preeminent contender, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s lost a beat so far in 2023, but it still moves over 1,000 models per month, per GoodCarBadCar.
There is a lot to love in the G90
From its gimmicky fragrance feature to the genuine opulence inside, the Genesis G90 is a luxury car in every sense. That it’s struggling to sell is owed more to reputation and pedigree over substance. The last detailed customer satisfaction data comes from J.D. Power in 2021, where 82% of buyers reported a satisfying driving experience.
Genesis dealerships have long been a pain point. Hyundai dealers don’t have the same upscale attitude of Mercedes or BMW. For buyers that expect the best, the lackluster Genesis dealership experience is a problem, with just 65% reporting positively. To that end, the Korean conglomerate is splitting Genesis from its Hyundai dealerships in an effort to further establish a more upscale brand.
Time will tell if that strategy will work to propel the Korean luxury brand to new heights.
