Genesis is out to make a difference. The new upscale brand from Hyundai knows it has to do something special in order to be noticed, as it goes up against some of the most respected companies in the business.
Accordingly, Genesis is setting out to redefine the way consumers shop for, buy and maintain a vehicle. In the process it is turning the whole "dealership" experience on its ear.
Genesis is selling cars directly to the customer. They can select a vehicle from a national inventory and have the car delivered directly to them.
"The entire process can be conducted online, including configuration, accessories, finance, insurance, credit approval, deposit and delivery," says Michael Ricciuto, brand director, Genesis Motors Canada.
Ricciuto said here, during the unveiling of the brand?s newest product, the G70 sports sedan, that Genesis aims to be distinguished by the purchase experience.
"We took what people do not like about buying a vehicle and married it with what they like, from purchase through five years of cost-free maintenance," says Ricciuto.
Instead of wholesaling to dealers, Genesis controls the inventory and sells directly to the customer at a fixed, transparent price that includes delivery, preparation and a full tank of premium fuel.
When it comes time for the complimentary scheduled maintenance, the car will be picked up, and a "loaner" provided - for five years.
"This omni-channel approach represents the future of the automotive industry," Ricciuto says.
The Genesis brand was launched in late 2016 with the G80 model. It was joined last year by the luxurious G90 and now the sporty G70 sedan joins the family as the entry-level model.
Genesis vehicles are based on unique platforms, not shared with other Hyundai products. The company plans on six vehicles by 2021 with two utility vehicles and a sport coupe joining the current lineup.
"We know that 70 per cent of luxury sales are SUVs so that is important - and next," Ricciuto said.
The 2019 G70 is a rear or all-wheel-drive four-door sedan that can be equipped with turbocharged four or six cylinder engines.
The four can be paired with a six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive and a mechanical limited slip differential for those seeking a well-balanced performance car.
The remainder of the lineup comes with an eight-speed automatic and full-time all-wheel drive.
Genesis plans on having 31 distributors across the country by 2022, which should cover territory for 90 per cent of all luxury vehicle sales. The Halifax distributor opened two weeks ago.
Patrick Danielson, manager of product strategy and public relations for Genesis Motors says the primary competitive set for the G70 includes the BMW 3-Series, Lexus IS and Mercedes C-Class. A secondary set has the Audi A4, Cadillac CTS and Infiniti Q50.
To ensure it can compete with these established players, the G70 has a chassis developed on the Nurburgring, standard all-wheel-drive, class-leading interiors, a full slate of technologies including a telematics platform, heads-up display, and the latest active and passive safety features.
The lineup consists of six core vehicles ranging in price from $42,000-$57,500.
Throughout the range the G70?s interior stands out. The quality of materials and precision with which they are applied is outstanding.
Genesis has also gone out of its way to make a wide variety of unique interior colours and finishes available - much more than any of the competitors.
This is one of the advantages of the new online approach. Instead of a dealer having one or two vehicles to choose from, Genesis controls the inventory at locations across the country.
The customer selects a combination of colours, trim and features from the vast inventory and the vehicle can be delivered within 10 day, sooner if the vehicle is in inventory closer to the buyer.
There has been special emphasis on vehicles for the enthusiast. They can choose from the aforementioned manual transmission/rear-drive model with a 255-horsepower turbocharged four at $45,500 or the or 3.3T Sport with AWD and a 365-horse twin-turbo V6 at $57,500.
Both come with Brembo brakes, 19-inch dark alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin performance tires, unique trim inside and out and five drive modes.
Genesis is so secure in the capability of the G70 it turned us loose on one of the finest and most challenging race tracks in North America - Circuit Mt. Tremblant.
After many laps of the famous track at unrestricted speeds, I can attest to the balance, responsiveness, power and braking ability of the G70.
During several hundred kilometres of Quebec roads I can also verify the engineering team did an excellent job of providing a good balance between ride comfort and handling.
The G70 is a new "entry" luxury car that stands up to any valid comparison. The way in which you can shop for and buy it is unique and might well redefine the industry.
The specs
- Model: 2019 Genesis G70
- Engine: turbocharged, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, 255 horsepower, 260 lb.-ft. of torque; twin turbo 3.3-litre V6, 365-horsepower, 376-lb.ft. of torque, premium fuel recommended.
- Transmission: six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic
- NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): N/A
- Length: 4,685 mm
- Width: 1,850 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,835 mm
- Weight: 1,323 kg
- Price: $42,000-$57,750 including freight
- Standard equipment: all-wheel-drive, electronic parking brake, 18-in alloy wheels, power sunroof, dual zone automatic climate control, heated steering wheel, 12-way power driver?s seat, power windows locks and mirrors, heated front seats, 20-cm touch screen, 17-cm multi-function instrument cluster, rear-view camera, Genesis Connect Service, forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
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