Genesis surpasses Infiniti in Jan.-Sept. auto sales in U.S.

Genesis GV80 COUPE [Courtesy of Genesis]

Genesis, a luxury car brand of South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor Group, is rapidly gaining ground in the competitive U.S. automotive market, outpacing Infiniti, Nissan’s premium brand, in sales.

According to data compiled by GoodCarBadCar, which tracks sales in the automotive industry, Genesis has witnessed an almost tenfold increase in U.S. sales, up from 6,948 units in 2016 to 61,995 units during the first 11 months of this year.

With an average monthly sale of around 5,600 units, projections indicate an annual sales figure of about 67,600 units, showcasing a consistent annual growth rate of about 60 percent from 16,384 units in 2020 over the past three years.

In 2020, Genesis overtook Infiniti, selling 56,198 units versus 46,616 units. As Infiniti reports its U.S. sales figures quarterly, the sales for October-November are yet to be disclosed.

The next brand that Genesis is targeted to overtake is Honda’s Acura. While Acura outsold Genesis by 23 times in the U.S. in 2016, this gap has drastically reduced to 8.4 times in 2020 and further to 2.1 times this year.

The sales gap between Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, and Genesis has also narrowed from 48 times in 2016 to 17 times in 2020 and currently stands at 4.6 times.

Of the world’s major automakers, only four have launched a luxury brand after starting as an entry-level brand: Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, and Genesis.

Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche are different from these four brands in that they started out as popular cars and then moved into the luxury market.

Japanese automotive companies targeted the North American market in the 1980s with the launch of luxury car brands. Infiniti debuted in 1986, followed by Acura and Lexus in 1989.

The prominence these three brands now hold in the U.S. luxury car market is a result of decades of consistent efforts.

Since its inception as an independent brand 8 years ago, Genesis has been steadily making strides. While the first-generation model was released in Korea in January 2008, it remained part of Hyundai Motor’s lineup until it transitioned to an independent premium brand in November 2015.

With the introduction of the G80, Genesis entered the U.S. market in August 2016, marking 7 years and 4 months since the brand’s first introduction to American customers.

Genesis targets younger consumers in the U.S. by showcasing advanced specifications, a distinct contrast to the Japanese brands that predominantly attract middle-aged consumers. In August, Genesis claimed the top spot in J.D. Power’s New Vehicle Technology Satisfaction Study, surpassing Lexus, BMW, and others.

Beyond specifications, Genesis is praised in the U.S. for its exceptional design.

While Lexus is acknowledged for embodying a traditional luxury brand image, Genesis is acclaimed for its sleek and modern design.

In the U.S. luxury car market, Genesis is now being compared to German luxury car brands. Last year, the U.S. automotive magazine MotorTrend named the Genesis G90 as the 2023 Car of the Year.