Genesis Goes Wild: Hyundai’s Luxury Brand Targets the G-Wagen Crowd
Look out, Range Rover and Mercedes. Genesis is coming for you.
Aaron GoldWriterManufacturerPhotographerSep 10, 2025
Genesis X Gran Equator concept 1
What It Is The Genesis Gran Equator will not just be a new SUV but a new type of SUV from the Korean luxury brand. The Gran Equator will take Genesis in a new direction, away from its street-focused SUVs and into the rougher terrain occupied by Range Rover and Mercedes.
Why It Matters Genesis has done a fantastic job building Bentleys for the masses. Ooze your butt into the quilted leather seats of one of its SUVs and take in the colors and materials and metal accents, and it’s clear the manufacturer will offer you Rodeo Drive cachet for Ventura Boulevard prices. But that approach steers it away from a large segment of the luxury SUV market, one occupied by go-anywhere luxe SUVs like Land Rover’s Range Rover and the Mercedes G-Class. After all, high-end luxury is about doing whatever you want, whenever you want. You might never take your family glamping in Moab, but if you own a Range Rover, you could. With a Genesis GV90? Not so much.
The X Gran Equator concept, launched at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, previews the Genesis SUV that can do. Compared to existing Genesis SUVs, the design is simpler, less ornate, and clearly off-road-focused, with big, knobby tires and plenty of ground clearance. We particularly like the bulging fenders with their narrow lip extensions. Lots of SUVs use massive plastic cladding to indicate off-road abilities they don’t possess. The Gran Equator sends the same visual message as the Range Rover: If you have it, you don’t need to shout about it.
Genesis X Gran Equator concept 2
What you see here is a concept, but we see the production version of the Gran Equator, if it makes it to production, following the same theme. There’s something distinctly American in the long hood and upright pillars, characteristics that remind us of the 1970s International Scout and 1980s Jeep Wagoneer. Same for the interior, which uses a big column shifter that would do an old Suburban proud, plus simple, round gauges with no massive screen to be seen.
Platform and Powertrain When Genesis introduced the X Gran Equator concept, it did not say anything about the powertrain, which is unusual; generally, automakers are eager to tell us about their latest suitcase-sized solid-state battery that packs loads of driving range. Given the ever-changing regulatory landscape, we aren’t surprised Genesis stayed mum, even though the concept’s styling clearly indicates an electric powertrain. We know Genesis is following the diversification strategy of parent company Hyundai, with plans to offer a variety of internal combustion, hybrid, electric, and extended-range EV powertrains so it is best positioned for an ever-changing landscape and consumer concerns.
We think the Gran Equator will arrive with this strategy in full force. We’d like to see a plethora of choices, including Genesis’ fantastic twin-turbo V-6 and an extended-range electric powertrain offering battery-only range competitive with current (pun intended) electric SUVs. With Genesis gearing up for its Magma performance subbrand, we also think it’s likely we’ll see a Gran Equator in orange paint with a souped-up powertrain, something to compete with the V-8-powered Range Rover Sport SV.
Estimated Price $100,000
Expected On-Sale Date Late 2027
Aaron Gold
After a two-decade career as a freelance writer, Aaron Gold joined MotorTrend’s sister publication Automobile in 2018 before moving to the MT staff in 2021. Aaron is a native New Yorker who now lives in Los Angeles with his spouse, too many pets, and a cantankerous 1983 GMC Suburban.
