The automaker just can’t seem to break into the segment despite an excellent offering
- Sales remain far below German rivals, despite competitive pricing.
- Demand for the compact luxury sedan keeps shrinking in the US.
- Genesis may focus future performance efforts on electric models.
The Genesis G70 is the last holdover of what might be an ending era for Hyundai Motor Group. It’s the last gas-only vehicle in the family with rear-wheel drive. Sure, the Elantra N, Ioniq 5 N, and EV6 GT all still exist, but the G70 is special. Despite that, it might be about to go away for good, and the sales figures explain why.
Analysts believe that the G70’s lease on life is nearly over and will end altogether after the 2027 model year. That’s because it’s just not selling the way Genesis needs it to. As the entry-level model for the brand, it’s supposed to bring young buyers in by the droves. Instead, Genesis has sold just 5,136 of them over the first half of 2025.
Struggling to Compete
That’s just 856 sales per month, which isn’t enough when it costs as little as $44,245, and its main rival, the BMW 3-Series, registered 14,137 sales. The BMW 4-Series coupe managed an even more impressive 23,369 sales. Even the Mercedes C-Class more than doubled Genesis G70 sales with 13,674, according to AutoNews.
More: The Next Genesis G70 Could Go All Electric
As for why the G70 lags behind, it’s hard to pin down, aside from superficial factors like brand recognition, a shorter track record, or buyers’ lingering attachment to more established badges.
From a driver’s perspective, it’s an outstanding value that keeps up with BMW while outpacing Audi and Mercedes. It is more affordable and has better warranty coverage, too. At the same time, it’s hard to bend the will of consumers unless a product is so much better than the old guard that they can’t ignore it.
“The consumers looking for the lower driver’s position and a trunk are a dying breed as modern crossovers provide better handling and fuel economy than their SUV predecessors,” according to Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions. “Crossovers are the new passenger car, and those of us looking for sedans will find fewer choices going forward,” he continued.
For now, it seems that the G70’s days are numbered unless something drastic changes. Genesis says that it “will continue to offer models that meet the needs of U.S. consumers, and we don’t have plans to discontinue G70 at this time.” That doesn’t mean much aside from that the more G70 buyers it gets, the better a chance that it won’t die.
