Genesis accelerates US push with full SUV lineup

The exterior of the Genesis flagship electric SUV GV90 Neolun. San Francisco=Seo Jae-geun

Genesis is rapidly expanding its footprint in the US automotive market through a brand strategy built on a growing SUV lineup. The automaker plans to further cement its position as a luxury brand by completing a full SUV portfolio — from the brand's first flagship electric SUV, the GV90, to the high-performance GV60 Magma.

Genesis entered the US market in earnest in 2016 and has since sold a cumulative total of 454,049 vehicles there through July this year, surpassing the 450,000-unit milestone last month for the first time.

Last year, the brand broke the 80,000-unit annual sales mark for the first time, recording 82,331 vehicles sold — extending its streak of consecutive annual US sales records to five years since 2021. The momentum has carried into this year, with Genesis posting a record 39,088 units in the first half, the highest first-half figure in the brand's history. In July alone, Genesis sold 6,947 vehicles in the US, marking 22 consecutive months of year-on-year sales growth.

The driving force behind this growth has been a competitive SUV lineup. SUV models accounted for 61.5 percent of all Genesis US sales through July — more than half the total. The mid-size GV70, including its electrified variant, and the full-size GV80, including the coupe version, ranked first and second respectively in all-time US sales for the brand, together surpassing 268,724 cumulative units.

The exterior of the Genesis GV70 Graphite Edition. [Provided by Genesis]

The exterior of the Genesis full-size SUV GV80. [Provided by Genesis]

Both models have also earned top marks from prominent US automotive media and safety organizations. The GV70 was named best model in the compact luxury SUV category at Car and Driver's 2026 Editors' Choice Awards in February — for the fifth consecutive year.

The GV80 likewise claimed the top spot in the mid-size luxury SUV category at the same awards, recognized for its refined interior, above-segment product quality and dynamic yet polished driving feel — also for the sixth consecutive year.

Both the GV70 and GV80 have earned the top TSP+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the most authoritative crash-safety evaluation in the United States, for six consecutive years from 2021 through this year.

Genesis plans to build out a full SUV lineup in the US — spanning luxury, high-performance, flagship, electrified and hybrid segments — by launching the GV90 and GV60 Magma and introducing new hybrid models, with the aim of sustaining its growth trajectory.

The GV90, the brand's first flagship electric SUV, made its world premiere Wednesday at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Developed on a flagship-exclusive eMP platform, the model represents the culmination of a decade of Genesis luxury philosophy and technological innovation.

The GV60 Magma, launched domestically in January, is Genesis's first luxury high-performance model. It is powered by front and rear electric motors producing a combined maximum output of 448 kilowatts (609 horsepower) and peak torque of 740 Newton-meters. In Boost Mode, the vehicle delivers 478 kW (650 hp) and 790 Nm of torque for approximately 15 seconds. It accelerates from a standstill to 200 kilometers per hour in just 10.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 264 kph — the strongest powertrain performance among all Genesis electrified models.

Beyond those two models, Genesis also plans to introduce hybrid variants across its existing SUV lineup, offering customers a broader range of choices as it continues its push into the US market.

The exterior of the Genesis high-performance GV60 Magma. [Provided by Genesis]

Genesis is also continuing to expand its network of dedicated brand showrooms across the United States to deepen customer engagement.

As part of that effort, the brand opened its 85th US showroom, Genesis of San Bruno, in San Bruno, California, on Thursday. Located near downtown San Francisco, the airport and Silicon Valley, the new facility is set to serve as a key hub for reaching customers in Northern California.

Genesis also pursues localized marketing across culture, the arts and sports. A prime example is Genesis House New York, a mixed-use cultural space the brand established in Manhattan in 2021.

Genesis has partnered with global artists at Genesis House New York to stage a range of exhibitions over the years. The venue is currently hosting "Manifesting Marilyn," a special exhibition marking the centennial of Marilyn Monroe's birth.

"Since entering the United States in 2016 — our most important market for global brand growth — Genesis has continued to grow without interruption," a Genesis official said. "Going forward, we will expand our new lineup to meet the needs of a broader customer base, grow our dedicated showroom network to raise brand awareness, and further strengthen our position as a luxury brand."

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