Genesis Grows Dedicated Retail Network In The U.S. Separating Itself From Hyundai

Genesis now has 35 standalone showrooms across the United States, two years after the first storefront was opened in Lafayette, Louisiana in April 2022.

As the luxury arm of the Hyundai Motor Group has spread its reach across the United States, Genesis has opened new retail stores in California, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Utah, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Maryland. These storefronts aim to play an important role in distinguishing Genesis from the Hyundai brand.

Read: Genesis Confirms Three Debuts For Goodwood

While recently speaking with Auto News, Genesis North America chief operating officer Claudia Marquez said it’s critical for Genesis to build itself apart from Hyundai.

“When we launched, we needed a lot of support from Hyundai, but now we are growing and every single function that is consumer facing is becoming completely independent,” she said.

There are currently 253 Genesis dealers across the United States but most operate within existing Hyundai facilities. Genesis says it will have more than 40 dedicated storefronts by the end of this year.

Peter Lanzavecchia, who owns Genesis of Cherry Hill in New Jersey, hired dedicated Genesis staff for the 20,000-square-foot facility so customers don’t feel like they’re in a Hyundai dealership. The brand’s dealers report getting trade-ins from brands including BMW and Mercedes-Benz and believe having a separation from the Hyundai brand is important.

Dealers have been slow to open bespoke Genesis showrooms because building and operating a new facility costs several millions.

Through the first quarter of 2024, Genesis reported a small 3.4% increase in sales in the U.S. compared to the same period last year, shifting 20,285 vehicles. In April, the brand’s EVs accounted for 12% of its total sales.