Hyundai Motor still looking into the feasibility of the Genesis and the N brands in the Philippines

Our recent trip to South Korea gave us a lot of insight into the Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), and the possibilities for Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) to undertake in the near to far future. Currently, the brand is pushing for a lineup that is tailored for success in our region with hopes of expanding to new horizons. 

HMC offers more than just its Hyundai-branded passenger cars and EVs. Other sub-brands under the company include Genesis and N, both of which have still not yet found their way to the Philippines. The Ioniq name is already in the Philippines, heralded by the gorgeous Ioniq 5. Ioniq marks the first sub-brand of the company in the Philippines, but as stated there are a few more that we’re eager to see if ever. 

As such, we asked Hyundai executives from both South Korea and the Philippines whether these brands could enter the market while showing tons of enthusiasm at the same time. The response that we got was quite hopeful. Though one thing that was stated to us during our tour was that, we were being given the full Hyundai Motor Company experience, which means that all the things that we got to see in South Korea weren’t exactly sneak peeks or previews of what we could expect from the Hyundai brand, but a chance to see what Hyundai has to offer with the brand at its strongest. 

Hyundai executives from both countries stated that the brand is continuously studying the market to see what models can be offered. The response is a positive one, but it’s also a conditional one. Considering that HMPH is rebuilding its brand in the country, off the back of a long period of hibernation, should be taken into consideration. Though, HMC has stated that they want the Hyundai brand to be successful in the country which indicates that there is room and a desire to grow. 

Bringing in the other HMC brands could pose another challenge for the company, especially Genesis. Showrooms must be built to accommodate the Genesis brand, and the price will be another big consideration as well considering that the production line for the brand is based in South Korea. Not only will it be a time-consuming endeavor to set up the showrooms, but Hyundai will also have to find and/or train specialists for the Genesis brand, and also invest in the other products that are tied in with the cars like charging stations and more. On top of that, Genesis will be going toe-to-toe with other luxury brands like Lexus and several European marques. More market study and preparation are required before Genesis can start in the Philippines, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible. Should HMPH find its footing, it might not be a far-fetched possibility. 

Perhaps the brand that we’re most excited about is the N brand, and it’s the brand that could prove Hyundai’s engineering prowess to enthusiasts. Several conversations happened during our trip about N and whether it was a possible success in the country. Models like the Elantra N, Veloster N, i30 N, and i20 N were all part of the conversation, as was the future of the N brand (which may shock you, pun intended). The topic even led to the possibility of offering N-Line variants in the country, however, there are currently no models in the Philippine lineup that can be bought with the N-Line package at the moment. HMPH did not comment further on the upcoming models in the country, however, the brand did state that we should stay tuned for the arrival of models that aren’t crossovers. 

For now, the prospect of seeing the Genesis and N family of products from Hyundai is still up in the air, but in consideration for the country. The future launch of these brands will hinge on the success of the current and near-future lineup of the company. We were told to expect something sometime in April. With the 2023 Manila International Auto Show happening later this month, we’re excited to see what model Hyundai will showcase, however, we will confirm that it is neither an N nor is it a Genesis, at least not yet.