Genesis’s G70 Shooting Brake, tailored for the European market, has struggled to gain traction. Despite a major marketing push at launch, it has failed to experience any “new car effect,” leading to assessments of it as a near “failure.”
According to Hyundai’s Motor on Sunday, Genesis has only exported 402 units of the G70 Shooting Brake since its launch in 2022. While the exact export numbers by country remain unclear, most of these have gone to Europe, mainly the UK. Genesis is realizing the challenges posed by Europe, often referred to as the “home of automobiles.”
Concerns are mounting within and outside the industry that Genesis may need to completely overhaul its European strategy due to the G70 Shooting Brake’s poor performance. The G70 Shooting Brake is a luxury midsize sedan variant of the G70 wagon. The term shooting brake combines “shooting,” which refers to hunting, with “brake,” which denotes a spacious wagon.
The European market is particularly competitive and dominated by established luxury car brands. Genesis launched the new car from its European headquarters in Apolda, Germany, with the initial reveal taking place in the UK. The strategy was to compete directly with established brands featuring models such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate, BMW 3 Series Touring, and Volvo V60.
An industry insider stated, “Genesis’s annual sales in Europe hover around 3,000 units, which is not very significant. The G70 Shooting Brake was the new model Genesis invested in to change this situation.”
2024 Sales Performance (information gathered from the respective companies):
- Genesis G70 Shooting Brake – 180 units
- BMW 3 Series Touring – 502 units
- Volvo V60 – 934 units
Despite initially planning to sell the G70 Shooting Brake exclusively in Europe, Genesis reversed its decision and began domestic sales as well. This, too, has not fared well. The total sales have only reached 1,371 units, marking a “humiliation” for Genesis. After starting with 803 units in 2022, sales dropped to 388 units in 2023 and further down to 180 units last year. Leading to speculation about an “early discontinuation.” The model has failed to break through what is known as the “graveyard of wagons” in the domestic market. In contrast, competing models like the BMW 3 Series Touring and Volvo V60 recorded domestic sales of 502 and 934 units, respectively. Significantly outperforming the G70 Shooting Brake.
