First sight: Genesis X Gran Equator concept
The Korean firm targets Defender and G-Class appeal with its luxe, old-school take on an SUV
Genesis House feels a fitting place to reveal a concept car.
The Suh Architects’ design and Red Dot winner protrudes proudly from Manhattan’s Meatpacking district, offering views of the Hudson river and surrounding skyline from its upper floors. Not to mention the opportunity for a Korean tea ceremony.
But it’s the ground level, rich in wood detailing, which played host to the reveal of the Genesis X Gran Equator concept on the eve of the 2025 New York International Auto Show. It’s the latest concept car from a firm dishing them out as fervently as an all-you-can-eat buffet, this latest design an arresting and perhaps unexpectedly traditional take on an SUV.
Many car enthusiasts are turned off by the high-rise crossover trend – unless it’s found on something with proper off-roading nous, a la Defender or G-Class – in which context the Gran Equator concept feels a smartly judged response to their cynicism. An SUV that might actually go places. Which was exactly the aim of Genesis’ chief creative officer, the inimitable Luc Donckerwolke.
“One year ago in this building, we showcased the Neolun concept, our biggest SUV,” he told a rapt crowd. “It was a milestone for the brand, the new flagship of Genesis. It embodied the ultimate Genesis hospitality on wheels. Now we go back to the DNA of the SUV; to remember the open spaces that off-road vehicles allowed us to explore.
“My role is to inject adrenaline into the brand and our new concept fosters exploration, a weekender to be taken on adventures off the beaten path. To rediscover nature in the most refined and luxurious environment.”
One thing I’m really worried about is being bored. We will never apply the same design to different segments of car, because the buyers are different too
Has he achieved it? The long bonnet and cab-rearward proportions speak of traditional, front-engine GT cars, those designed to cover vast miles with minimal fuss and ultimate luxury. The silhouette of the car therefore sets the scene for an off-road experience that’s not short on cossetting comfort, despite the versatile roof rails and rugged 24-inch beadlock off-road wheels. Overall, our eyes see a hint of Mercedes W123 estate, which is never a bad thing.
Perhaps the Gran Equator appears too preened to get truly mucky, its smooth lines dissected neatly by the trademark Genesis twin-line lighting, a running theme in Donckerwolke’s designs for the Korean brand. It typically wraps full width around his concepts while appearing more subtle and segregated in production models. Nonetheless, this looks unlike any other recent Genesis concept.
“One thing I’m really worried about is being bored,” Luc tells CDN, “so I will never replicate a design. We will never apply the same design to different segments of car, because the buyers are different too. It’s disrespectful of the customer to believe that the brand is more important than them; to take a design and just scale it like a Matryoshka doll.
“We make sure that every single Genesis has its own character,” he continues. “The Gran Equator has different styling to our X Gran Coupe and X Gran Convertible concepts [unveiled in Seoul]. You’ve seen all the studies that we are working on. Every single product is tailored with a different design. We have our common thread, the two lines which make our signature. I believe that is strong enough to make a link across the brand.”
Climb inside and you’ll find typical concept car minimalism albeit one rooted in reality – however flagrant its lack of domineering touchscreen to appease the purists. Instead, a row of circular gauges mixes analogue aesthetics with digital readouts, the inspiration coming from vintage camera dials.
While the instrument panel behind its round steering wheel hints at electric propulsion, no firm production plan means anything is on the table, the wider Hyundai Group not short of powertrain or platform options. A large, lusty internal combustion powertrain could look right at home if that elongated front end is sketched deep enough to swallow it. Though it’d need electrification for European appeal.
I confess that I do these concepts without asking permission. So far, I have never had to ask for forgiveness
So, what are the chances we’ll get to buy one? “While not confirmed for production, its design language and innovative features – such as the integrated roof rails and split-opening tailgates – showcase the brand’s future design potential,” reads the official press release, suggesting gradual influence on roadgoing Genesis products rather than an outright showroom translation. But Donckerwolke admits to not giving commercial colleagues the requisite notice to make a business case before the covers were whipped off in Manhattan.
“I confess that I do these concepts without asking permission. So far, I have never had to ask for forgiveness. The reason why I do this is we are very young brand, only ten years old, so we have to see how far we can go and at what point we are ready [to expand]. The commercial team are very busy and they can be quite stressed by the work I give them by showing something at the last moment.”
When Genesis’ architecture has made a name for itself in design circles, though, why not the cars displayed in it, too?