"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.
