Hyundai’s Genus: Genius or Guano?
Styling, such as that applied to the Genus, could work toward increasing Hyundai’s status amongst new car shoppers, mind you, and then factoring the improvements made to the brand’s interiors, the new Azera leading the way, it could be well on its way to targeting entry-level premium buyers.
Those who might take the bait in North America probably wouldn’t want the Genus concept’s drivetrain, mind you, at least not as the sole choice. U.S. buyers tend to vote for gasoline or hybrid electric powered SUVs and crossovers, not oil burners, and their Canadian counterparts, while more diesel-centric, would probably want similar more often than not. Some, however, would want Hyundai to bring its 2.2-litre Common-Rail Diesel engine (CRDi) to Canada. These would like its fat torque curve and thriftier fuel economy combination, and thanks to Hyundai’s smooth five-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive capability, appreciate its easy acceleration and top-level refinement.
While Hyundai doesn’t say which chassis architecture the Genus is riding on, if indeed it is the Sonata under these graceful five-door lines, it wouldn’t sacrifice handling competence for a smooth ride, or vice versa. Of course, the 20-inch aluminum rims might give it a slightly more rigid feel than the optional 17s fixed to a top-line Sonata, but these should improve reaction to a driver’s input beyond the sedan’s deft capability.
And with that, will Hyundai build the Genus? The fact that it fills a nice between the Sonata and the Santa Fe is both a boon and a bane for the stylish prototype. While it could present the perfect balance of each, it might also find few buyers with the majority opting for convention over innovation. Mercedes-Benz’s R-Class is struggling to find buyers, despite its roomy interior and sleek although unorthodox lines, while its E-Class models, at one end, and ML on the other, are selling well. Of course, Mercedes-Benz buyers are different than Hyundai buyers, or at least their incomes, more often than not, are. But when it comes to changing the way buyers purchase, or more correctly, the way buyers think, something entirely new can often be a tough sell.
And unlike Mercedes, which can get away with a low-volume product due to high profits on a per unit basis, Hyundai can’t. A production Genus would have to be a high volume seller in order for its builder to consider it a success. This said, Hyundai can afford to take a chance or two, being one of the fastest growing and most successful automakers in the world. Maybe the Genus should be the first completely new direction the company takes. After all, it’s shown a number of impressively forward thinking concepts over the years, but as far as production models go it has followed a rather conservatively conventional process, kind of like how the Japanese brands started out. Build a better sedan, SUV or coupe for less than rival brands, it’s a formula that works. But why not stretch now that it’s so successful, and do something altogether different? Yes, maybe it’s time Hyundai.