The electric off-road luxury SUV was spotted for the first time in pubic, but it doesn’t quite look like the cool concept Genesis showed off last year.
First look at the Genesis off-road electric SUV
Genesis is celebrating its tenth birthday with a slate of new models, including a new flagship electric SUV, high-performance cars, and a luxury off-road SUV.
We got our first look at the off-roader last April after Genesis unveiled the X Gran Equator Concept at the New York International Auto Show.
Genesis said its first “adventure vehicle concept,” as it calls it, brings refinement to the rugged world of overlanding. The concept featured a rugged yet minimalist new look, with trail-ready auxiliary lamps and signature design elements, such as the two-line bar across the front and rear.
The adventure vehicle concept was also shown with integrated roof rails, 24″ wheels, and other added features like a split-opening tailgate with built-in seats.
After photos of a modified Genesis Electrified GV70 test vehicle equipped with off-road upgrades emerged last October, speculation spread on online forums that it could be the off-roader.
The test car had similar elements to Hyundai’s XRT test cars, including a large tow hook up front, larger tires, and a souped-up suspension.
A new video from our friends at ShortsCar captures what appears to be a Genesis Gran Equator test mule driving in public for the first time. The test car looks nearly identical to the current Electrified GV70 with a few added off-road upgrades, not exactly the “Gran Equator” we were expecting.
Top comment by Alexander
Why on Earth does it need such a ridiculously long nose? They could have designed a car with the same length and considerably more cabin space (and forward visibility) that would have been a whole lot more practical.
Genesis has yet to confirm that the off-roader will, in fact, be fully electric, but given the closed-off grille design and the fact that it’s testing the electric GV70 SUV, all signs point to it being an EV.
We can’t rule out an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) or hybrid version at this point, given that Genesis is now planning to launch vehicles across multiple powertrains, not just exclusively EV as initially planned.
The luxury off-road SUV is expected to arrive as a 2027 model, following the flagship GV90 and GV70 hybrid and EREV variants.
Will the Genesis off-roader simply arrive as a new GV70 trim option, similar to the Hyundai IONIQ 5 XRT? That’s what it looks like so far. We’ll learn more closer to its official debut. Check back for the latest.
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