Should The Kia Have Gotten WINGS Instead And Been Released As A Genesis?

Every single person I've encountered that has driven the all-new Kia Telluride has walked away saying the same thing. Typically, the reaction goes something like this:

"That was surprising. Well done, Kia."

While previous high-end Kias have not exactly delivered on the promise — cough, cough, K900 — the Telluride is changing the game. And, it's doing it the same way Lexus did in the early 1990s with the LS.

It's an extremely well packaged sport-utility vehicle that is offered at an aggressive price point. Buyers have taken notice.

We know this because it is virtually impossible to locate an SX V6 model anywhere. The lower trims can be had here and there but the fully kitted out versions are long gone.

This had us wondering: Would Hyundai had an even BIGGER winner on its hands if it released the all-new Telluride as a Genesis? By putting the WINGS on it, would it have had enough juice to make an impression with people seeking to have that Bentley-esque flavor?

NOTE: We're not saying a Kia is even in the same ballpark as a Bentley product, however, people have made some wacky comments to me during my time piloting Genesis vehicles (e.g., "Is that the new Bentley?")

TomM - 6/6/2019 5:39:25 AM

+1 Boost

Like it or not - the market has MOVED from wannabe premium sedans to Suvs - and in order to cover the current market - a brand needs a 6/7 place one.

People here have already denigrated Cadillac for producing its Traverse based 7 passenger - as being too badge engineered - and this one would have done the same for Genesis. It really is hard to try to make a reputation in the premium universe with a product that is not quite to that level - but a Miss at KIA will still sell decently - while a miss at Genesis will DOOM the brand like it did for Infiniti when they were re-badging Lower Nissan Product TOO obviously

A lot of what it takes to be "premium" has to do with perception - Hyundai cannot afford to make that mistake - and so they did the right thing - for a change. Even if they use the same platform - an SUV from Genesis needs to be CLEARLY different from the entry level that KIA and Hyundai are - much more so that this.

dumpsty - 6/10/2019 2:23:53 PM

+1 Boost

Ok the car fanatics "say" they don't like the upcoming XT6, but the average folk will absolutely loose their minds when they see it on the streets. It will be popular.

I'm thinking the Telluride is Hyundai's calculated move to gauge how consumers & media welcome their larger SUV's. About a year ago, I saw maybe a 1/2-dozen Borrego's which was weird...so people are wanting something larger than 3-row Sorrento's. But a larger luxury Genesis SUV is a safer bet than the G80/G90 or Kia K900.

MDarringer - 6/6/2019 8:21:53 AM

+1 Boost

The problem with Hyundai-Kia-Genesis is that they do not have a coherent marketing plan for their brands.

At Genesis, the marketing plan has been all over the map, but product development is similarly strange.

The Stinger should have been a Genesis because it really doesn't fit as a Kia. It's configuration is more RWD premium than what Kia needed more: RWD performance "Mustang".

But Genesis has the G70 that is less captivating than the Stinger, why?

The Telluride is a great product but why is Genesis left out? Dumb product development and dumb marketing again.

MDarringer - 6/6/2019 8:30:28 AM

+1 Boost

Yes Hyundai Palisade, but the question is why wasn't this design envisioned as a Genesis instead?

MDarringer - 6/6/2019 8:52:34 AM

-1 Boost

Does it matter if it's a Porsche or a VW? It's just a VW...

Truthy - 6/6/2019 9:36:59 AM

+2 Boost

I liked this comment and then thought about the Porsche SUVs which are on VW platforms.

Truthy - 6/6/2019 2:26:53 PM

0 Boost

Still same platform.

dumpsty - 6/10/2019 3:12:18 PM

+1 Boost

In the argument of Pallisade vs Telluride....no, it don't matter. They're basically the same.

However, for the Genesis SUV, it does matter. Everything I see & touch should be drastically different from the two mainstream SUV's. They can share a platform which is fine.But the Genesis SUV had better be an obvious "step up" for interior/exterior performance tech etc.

malba2367 - 6/6/2019 8:50:13 AM

-3 Boost

Depends on who they want to compete with. The Telluride, as a Genesis, in its current form could have competed well against the Lexus RX/Acura MDX/Infiniti JX in its current form. If they want to compete with the Germans they need a different (RWD/Longitudinal) platform and a more powerful engine.

MDarringer - 6/6/2019 8:58:45 AM

+1 Boost

At this point, the #1 goal for Genesis is sales. Competing with the Germans is a dumb strategy (Cadillac) but competing against Lexus is brilliant (Lincoln).

TomM - 6/6/2019 12:17:15 PM

+3 Boost

It does not depend in who they "want" to compete with -that is likely NOT their choice - the Market will decide which brands that they possibly could compete with.

Too many brands today are being priced against upmarket competition - when they really do not compete at that higher level (Volvo is a great example)

jtz7 - 6/6/2019 9:06:48 AM

+4 Boost

Hyundai should had called the "Genesis brand" a unheard name. Because that name was in the Hyundai brand so long when you think of Genesis "Hyundai" comes to mind.
Yet when I think of Lexus or Infiniti Neither Nissan or Toyota comes to mind unless I want to think of them.

bnilhome - 6/6/2019 9:22:25 AM

+4 Boost

I am not sure what is going with Hyundai/Kia/Genesis to be honest. It could be a case study in what NOT to do for creating brand recognition and differentiation.

First you have Hyundai and Kia who both offer similar cars and are just renaming them (as Ford and Mercury used to do), yet even the naming of the cars is very similar. You have the Hyundai Santa Fe and Tuscon (and Veracruz) all named after US Cits, and Kia is doing the same with Telluride and Sedona.

Now Kia appears to be delivering a bit more premium cars than Hyundai which offers some differentiation, but them you have Genesis coming in trying to also be a premium brand and that venture has been a failure thus far. They are almost a decade in from the launch of the first Genesis sedan and have yet to bring an SUV to market despite the last 4 years being all about SUVs and crossovers. You also have Genesis waffling on whether they want to open new storefronts or just be sold at Hyundai dealerships, and they have chosen the latter which further dilutes and questions the brand and image they were trying to create.

Moving forward I would recommend that Genesis and Kia just merge and sell Genesis at Kia dealerships since Kia has a perceived premium reputation relative to Hyundai, and leave Hyundai to compete with Chevy and Ford.

Truthy - 6/6/2019 9:33:34 AM

+1 Boost

Kia/Hyundai/Genesis has one thing GM needs to learn - execution. The Telluride is the latest example of thoroughly engineering the right product. People and reviews are generally quite positive for every new launch, no XT6s here. The marketing strategy is easier to fix than execution.
The Genesis SUV is on it's way and it should be striking.

trboaccord - 6/6/2019 10:58:08 AM

+5 Boost

It doesnt matter what they badge it as at the end of the day its still a kia/hyundai so it will be a rattle trap after a few months. They have people convinced by the flashy materials however using inferior materials catches up once the vehicle has aged.

Truthy - 6/6/2019 2:44:28 PM

-1 Boost

I know several people who have Genesis and none have experienced rattles. They have done very well in JD Power quality ratings. Perhaps you are confusing them with BMWs.

cidflekken - 6/6/2019 1:55:57 PM

+1 Boost

With a better grille, the Telluride would have been a perfect fit for Genesis, at the same current price point. I really think it would have lifted Genesis' profile significantly since they are in bad need of an SUV. The way it stands now, Genesis offering a compact/mid-size luxury SUV would be priced similarly to the Telluride and buyers won't see the value in the Genesis since it likely be smaller (i.e., GLC, X3, Q5 since that's where the price would fall).

skytop - 6/7/2019 2:17:27 AM

-1 Boost

This Hyundai Telluride SUV is certainly hard on the eyes.