Genesis SUV to target Audi Q7

The Australian arm of Hyundai, HMCA, is full of enthusiasm for a larger-than-Santa-Fe SUV based on the Genesis platform.

But there are a couple of hurdles to overcome first: It has to enter production, and it has to be built in right-hand drive.

To date, according to HMCA's Public Relations General Manager, Bill Thomas, the idea is nothing much more than a wishlist agenda item for Hyundai's CEO in North America, David Zuchowski. But by placing his own weight behind calls for a large SUV to be built on the Genesis sedan's architecture, Zuchowski has strengthened the prospect of the new Genesis variant making it to production.

"We'd definitely look at any expansion of the Genesis brand," Thomas told motoring.com.au during the launch of the updated Veloster earlier this week.

"The American boss has been quoted as saying that they're looking at an SUV... it might be just a planning thing, it might be studies into the possibilities of it..."

"It's an interesting subject: how do you take the Genesis brand – and move it and expand it? You can see that premium SUVs are doing very well."

When queried as to whether such a vehicle would be around the same footprint as Jeep's Grand Cherokee – another large SUV with longitudinal engine mounting in a monocoque shell – Thomas suggested the Genesis SUV would be "maybe a little bigger", if it reaches production. That would make it a seven-seater, without doubt. With a market as large as North America all in favour, the prospects of the Genesis SUV entering production are looking good – possibly styled along the same lines as the Intrado concept car (pictured).

"I'd imagine that the Americans would be very keen on it, given their market and the size of [the SUV]."

Thomas also indicated that by virtue of the USA being such an important market to Hyundai, it would only take the CEO there to thump his fist on the boardroom table and demand a larger SUV – and it would happen.

"Ultimately he has to answer to the Koreans, but he [Zuchowski] has got the size of market where he could talk it up – and if he wants a luxury SUV with a Genesis badge on it, it's likely he'll get one."

Thomas speculated that a Genesis SUV, sitting above the sedan would be priced somewhere above US $40,000, which would almost certainly place it in Luxury Car Tax territory in Australia – and well above the tax threshold. In fact, it could be expected to undercut rivals like the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE, but not necessarily by much.

Nevertheless, it's a model that would arguably make more sense in the Australian market than the sedan from which it would be derived. Given the Santa Fe precedent, Australians appear willing to pay more for an SUV from Hyundai than a conventional passenger car – once the price threatens to exceed the Luxury Car Tax threshold at least.

"Well 48 per cent of our Santa Fe sales are the top-spec Highlander [variants], which is $52,000 – $53,000. There's not resistance to the Hyundai badge when it comes to that kind of spend. It's perfectly acceptable and it's seen as a good value car," said Thomas.

"So you would expect a Genesis-badged luxury SUV to do extremely well – and it would represent good value for money. It's an enticing thing..."

As for the whole question of the mooted Genesis SUV being built in right-hand drive, the Hyundai spokesman insinuated that HMCA would be working hard behind the scenes to convince the factory of the need for a right-hook version – and local sales of the Santa Fe with all the fruit support that argument.

Discussion turned to the Genesis SUV after motoring.com.au sounded out Thomas about the Genesis coupe.

"It's a car that we'll take, if and when it's built," he said. "We don't have a lot of information about that car; it's a bit quiet on that. If it's a larger coupe, it's a nice addition to the brand – but even the same kind of coupe as the current Genesis... we'd be grateful, for Australia."

It's been widely reported that this new generation will be closer in size to the sedan with which it shares its platform than the first-generation Genesis coupe was. That would potentially make it longer than BMW's 4 Series and the Lexus RC... more of a grand tourer than a sporty liftback coupe, in other words.