Genesis Motors Australia says high-end Chinese SUVs are becoming harder to ignore, but argues new entrants still have work to do before they match established luxury brands on perception.

Lachlan McColl, Senior Manager, Go-to-Market and Sales Operations at Genesis Motors Australia, said Chinese manufacturers had changed the Australian market, while drawing a distinction between equipment-led appeal and luxury-brand standing.

Asked whether vehicles such as the 2026 Zeekr 9X and 2026 Xpeng G9L should be seen as Genesis rivals, McColl said Chinese brands were "not there in brand perception" at the upper end of the market.

"Chinese manufacturers have made a significant impact on this Australian market in the last three or four or five years," McColl said.

McColl said Genesis was not dismissing Chinese brands or the pace of their product development.

"I certainly never look down on other manufacturers for what they are doing," he said.

"We are in Korean luxury.

It is a little bit different."

The comments come as Genesis prepares the GV90, an upper-large electric SUV intended to push the Korean brand further into the luxury space currently dominated by German and British marques.

McColl said the GV90 would help move Genesis from a challenger brand to what he described as a more credible alternative for buyers who may have previously considered only established luxury brands.

"We are a luxury brand first and foremost," he said.

Genesis expects the GV90 to act as a brand-building model, rather than a high-volume seller.

McColl said the company was still working through its sales plan, but acknowledged the GV90 would not sell in triple-digit monthly numbers in Australia.

"It's not just about the sales of this car," he said.

"It will bring other people to our brand and it will help us sell more of the other cars that we have."

Genesis also expects GV90 buyers to want more individualisation than mainstream luxury SUV customers.

McColl said the vehicle was likely to be built to order, with around 16 exterior colours and a range of interior trim combinations expected to be available.

He said Genesis should be able to bring Korean-built customer-order vehicles to Australia in roughly two to three months, compared with four to six months for some bespoke German vehicles.

A Neolun version with coach doors is also under consideration for Australia, with Genesis saying the configuration has attracted early interest from customers.

Final GV90 model line-up details, features and pricing will be confirmed closer to the local launch.

Brand awareness, hybrids and retail growth

McColl said Genesis still faces a basic awareness challenge in Australia.

He said customer research shows design is the top reason people buy Genesis vehicles, but not enough luxury-car buyers are familiar with the brand or its products.

Genesis plans to run a new brand campaign from mid-September across social media, out-of-home, digital and broadcast video-on-demand channels.

The company is also expanding its Australian retail footprint, including a new Adelaide site and a wider Sydney network.

McColl said Genesis now has four showcases in Sydney, one in Melbourne, two in Queensland across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, one in Perth and one in Adelaide, supported by studios in Sydney and Melbourne.

He said Genesis is also reviewing other potential locations, including markets where the brand is not yet represented.

Product breadth remains another part of the plan.

Genesis has already repositioned its electric SUV range with the refreshed GV60, while its performance push now includes the GV60 Magma.

McColl said hybrid powertrains were "extremely important" for Genesis in Australia, alongside petrol and electric models.

Genesis executives said the brand is studying hybrid, plug-in hybrid and range-extender options, but has not detailed which models will receive them locally.

McColl also said Genesis is not pursuing volume at any cost.

"We're not necessarily just chasing volume," he said.

"Chasing volume doesn't mean success to us."

The brand says profitability, partner viability and customer experience remain central to its Australian strategy.

For Genesis, the immediate challenge is whether the GV90 can raise awareness without relying on the same price-led tactics that have helped some Chinese brands grow quickly in Australia.