Genesis G80 on the Rise, Surpasses Sonata in Monthly Sales

Genesis G80 Sold 7,582 Units in May
Mass Model Sonata Surpasses with 5,827 Units for the First Time
Genesis G80 Ranks 5th in Domestic Car Sales in May
Strong Performance Since Launch Compared to Imported Premium Sedans

[Asia Economy Reporter Su-yeon Woo] The monthly sales volume of the Genesis mid-large sedan G80 has surpassed that of Hyundai Motor's mid-size sedan Sonata for the first time ever. It is unusual for a premium vehicle priced more than twice as high to outsell a popular mass-market model.

According to the automotive industry on the 2nd, the Genesis G80 sold 7,582 units in the domestic market in May this year, surpassing the Sonata's sales volume of 5,827 units during the same period. This is the first time a single model from the premium brand Genesis has recorded higher monthly sales than the Sonata, once called the 'national car.'

The Sonata and G80 differ by more than twice in starting price alone. The industry evaluates that although the G80 and Sonata belong to completely different classes and target consumer groups, it is significant that the premium Genesis model has surpassed the representative mass-market model Sonata in the domestic market.

In May alone, the G80 surpassed several popular models such as Hyundai Porter (6,322 units), Hyundai Santa Fe (5,765 units), Kia Bongo (5,958 units), and Kia Seltos (5,604 units), rising to 5th place in domestic car sales. Expanding the scope to the imported car market and comparing it with premium sedans in the same class, the G80's progress has been remarkable since the launch of the new full-change model in March. In April as well, the Genesis G80 sold 4,416 units, easily surpassing competitors like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2,146 units) and BMW 5 Series (1,944 units).

Genesis, led by the G80 returning as a full-change model after 7 years and the brand's first sports utility vehicle (SUV) GV80, achieved over 10,000 domestic sales for two consecutive months. Genesis, which set a record for the first-ever 10,000 domestic sales in April, sold 12,960 units in May, successfully dominating the domestic premium car market.

However, with the GV80 launched earlier this year and the G80 released in March each surpassing 30,000 cumulative contracts, there is still a backlog of nearly 20,000 units for each model, causing a continued supply shortage. Accordingly, industry attention is focused on whether the G80, which shipped over 7,000 units in May, can set a monthly sales record of 10,000 units for a single model this month.

Not only in the domestic market but also in the North American market, the new G80 and GV80 are receiving explosive responses. During the post-COVID-19 demand recovery period, these two Genesis models are expected to rapidly emerge as new export cash cows.

According to foreign media, in early May, Mark Del Rosso, CEO of Genesis North America, stated that the GV80 had already recorded nearly 10,000 pre-orders in the North American market, and the G80 had received over 1,500 reservation orders. Hyundai Motor plans to launch the G80 and GV80 in the North American market starting this summer. The G80 will be produced entirely at Ulsan Plant 5, and the GV80 at Ulsan Plant 2, including units for export.

In an early-year conference call, Genesis announced its sales target for this year as 116,000 units. This is the first time since Genesis's independent launch that it has set an annual sales goal exceeding 100,000 units. In the second half of this year, Genesis will strengthen its lineup by launching the brand's second SUV, the GV70, and a facelifted version of the sporty mid-size sedan G70.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.