There’s immense competition being played out among premium brands building the best luxury cars for the demanding masses. In 2022, most luxury car brands enjoyed record sales, meaning potential buyers remain hungry for a more sumptuous ride. While newcomer Genesis looks to provide six-figure comfort for less, they were beaten this year by one of the oldest brands around: Porsche.

Porsche ranked best luxury car brand in 2023

At first glance, many see Porsche as a performance-only brand, not a luxury car brand. Yet, each model, from the 911 to the Cayenne, is bathed in modern German indulgence. A surplus of soft-touch points, metallic finishings, and smartphone-level haptics make any a desirable selection. Moreover, as a brand known for its reliability, there’s less worry of automotive demise with a four-figure monthly car note. U.S. News gave Porsche an 8.63 out of 10, besting second place by just over one-tenth of one percent.

Porsche doesn’t just sell sports cars—the figurehead 911 is just one of their brilliant creations. In fact, it wasn’t even close to being their best-selling vehicle in 2022. Porsche says that last year, while Stuttgart shifted 10,204 911s, they built nearly 45,000 SUVs, setting a record for U.S. sales. The two-row Cayenne and the crossover Macan sold 21,194 and 23,668 units, respectively. The company also produced 4,224 Panamera sedans and 3,484 Cayman, Boxster, and Spyder 718s.

Runner-up luxury car brand Genesis

When Hyundai Motor Group created the luxury car brand in 2017, it took the U.S. by storm. Melding the classiness of Bentley with the conscientiousness of Korean brands, it offers S-Class opulence for a bargain. Its crossovers, sedans, and SUVs sport handsomely-appointed cabins with a bevy of standard high-tech features. Genesis’ vehicles aren’t slow, either. Quick acceleration and well-balanced performance are characteristics across the lineup. The brand received an 8.5 out of 10, making it 2023’s second-best luxury car brand, tying with Land Rover, interestingly.

Genesis also had record-setting sales in the U.S. in 2022, with GoodCarBadCar reporting they produced 56,198 vehicles. Genesis still offers sporty internal combustion engines in five models as it moves toward full electrification. They include the G70, G80, and G90 executive sedans and the GV70 two-row and GV80 three-row SUVs. Otherwise, potential customers can get electric transportation in the GV60 crossover, Electrified GV70 SUV, and Electrified G80 sedan.

How does the 2023 Genesis GV80 stack up against the 2023 Porsche Cayenne?

There aren’t any significant changes for Porsche’s 2023 Cayenne. It still features powerful V6 and V8 powerplants with as little as 335 horsepower, all the way to a herculean 631 horsepower. Although it accelerates like a rocket with all-wheel drive, it has impressive handling for an SUV its size. Starting at $72,200, it features a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functions playing through a 10-speaker audio system. Unfortunately, the Cayenne has the highest starting price in the segment. Furthermore, it won’t win any awards with its poor fuel economy.

For nearly $22,000 less, the 2023 Genesis GV80 offers the same “ruggedly luxurious” performance with robust turbocharged engines, all-wheel drive, and responsive steering. But the GV80 isn’t the performance-based SUV the Cayenne is. Despite its size, body lean is minimalized, and handling is poised both on and off-road. Genesis has Porsche licked on standard infotainment features. Base GV80s feature a 14.5-inch touchscreen with navigation, a 12-speaker stereo system, and a wireless charging pad. Although the optional third-row seats mean the Genesis SUV can carry seven passengers, the furthest seats from the front may only give smaller teenagers comfort. Nevertheless, those seats can be folded to provide 34.9 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the Porsche Cayenne’s 27.2 cubes.