Genesis Claims It Is On Track, But You Might Not Know That By The Sales

As we explained earlier this year, the fledgling Genesis brand is going through puberty. The brand’s constantly evolving dealer strategy is now set in stone, or what passes for it in the world of Genesis, but the process of separating the brand from its Hyundai parent won’t take place overnight. There’s dealers to whittle down, licenses to gain, standalone stores to build, and inventory to stock.

It’s a work in progress, but the 2019 models — which now total three — are beginning to find their way to more buyers, Genesis claims. Be patient.

Because Genesis chose to roll out its growing (yet shrunken) network of revamped dealers with only 2019 models in stock, the company stopped shipping 2018 models in March, allowing inventory to dry up over the summer. Sales, predictably, fell off a cliff.

Truthy - 12/10/2018 10:34:20 AM

+1 Boost

I don't know which rollout is slower, the G70 or the Supra.
Local dealers here in Chicago still have no G70s. First reviews were back in June.

MDarringer - 12/11/2018 9:19:54 PM

+1 Boost

That's because they decided to launch the G70 and then to delay it and then went oopsie.

countguy - 12/10/2018 10:35:04 AM

+6 Boost

lmao, on track for what exactly.

cidflekken - 12/10/2018 12:03:05 PM

+1 Boost

Maybe the G70 will be a saving grace of sorts for the brand. At a recent auto show when observing the test-driven cars, it appeared the G70 was wildly popular. And on the show floor, the G70 was swamped with folks. But the question really is, can a brand thrive with only one model? The answer is clearly no, until those G70 buyers are ready to step up, assuming they stay with the brand.

mre30 - 12/10/2018 12:41:22 PM

+1 Boost

The only way Genesis works is with Marketing $$$$ support. If Hyundai wants it to succeed, they need to put mucho-bucks behind the brand building. Otherwise its going to fail, if only because no one knew anything about it.

The product is nice, but a brand doesn't get built by having nice vehicles gathering dust in a corner of Hyundai dealerships.

I'll note that a breakaway Hyundai product will be if Hyundai does a luxe, perhaps bigger version of the new Hyundai Palisade large SUV as a Genesis. Perhaps they can ditch the alpha-numeric models and give it a name? I vote for the "Genesis Invisible Touch" SUV.

I wish them well.

TomM - 12/10/2018 5:32:07 PM

+2 Boost

I think the Obvious name for a GEnesis model would be the Genesis REBORN.

PUGPROUD - 12/10/2018 4:07:32 PM

+1 Boost

"Dreaming, I'm always dreaming!"....Johnny Burnett

MDarringer - 12/10/2018 6:55:52 PM

-1 Boost

I wonder if they plan to address the dealer revolt?

Foncool - 12/11/2018 7:29:26 AM

+2 Boost

Shedding dealers with mass-market mentality is a good thing. They have little understanding of the upscale market and its customers.

MDarringer - 12/11/2018 8:08:47 AM

-2 Boost

You have ZERO knowledge of the situation. Absolutely ZERO. The dealers who where to commit to stand alone stores were chosen and THEN they were jerked around.

MBguy - 12/10/2018 9:49:31 PM

+3 Boost

Will someone please clarify - I thought that Hyundai pulled the plug on requiring separate, standalone Genesis dealerships (?)

What's the latest?

MDarringer - 12/10/2018 10:11:05 PM

-2 Boost

The reason some dealers are angry is that Hyundai did a start/stop/start/stop routine. It is my understanding that some dealers actually broke ground and then got told that stand alone was not necessary.

Putting a "Genesis" sign in front of an idle dealership was not OK either.

In short, Hyundai did not develop a coherent plan.

malba2367 - 12/11/2018 7:05:29 PM

+1 Boost

Not having a dedicated dealer base is a huge mistake...Last I read they there taking a pause in dedicated dealerships due to some franchise issues. Did they go back and decide just to sell them in Hyundai dealerships?

In a recent study Genesis had the worst sales satisfaction of ALL brands (mainstream and luxury) below even Kia. They will never succeed trying to sell these cars to luxury buyers with dealers who are trying to screw over unsophisticated buyers with typical dealership games.

MDarringer - 12/11/2018 9:18:47 PM

+1 Boost

Dedicated dealers.
Dealer revolt over how the Genesis dealers were chosen.
Back to non-dedicated dealers to placate the winers.
Uproar from Genesis dealers who were buying land to build on.
Back to dedicated dealers but with a sell down of stock and no new stock so as not to have to discount as much.
#CHAOS