The new Genesis X Gran Equator concept showcases the brand's intention to tap the lucrative luxury 4x4 market with a rival to the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser. 

Revealed at the New York Auto Show as an electric concept car, the vehicle has been designed to accommodate both combustion and range-extender powertrains. Although it is strictly a concept at this stage, Genesis design boss Luc Donckerwolke hinted that the car would enter production and suggested it would take three years to develop a road-ready version, indicating at a possible arrival in 2028 or 2029.

Notably more slab-sided than existing Genesis models, the silhouette of the X Gran Equator almost recalls the sizeable American station wagons of the 1970s and 1980s, with a long bonnet, a low shoulder line and a rakish rear window.

Indeed, Genesis said the concept “defies traditional SUV conventions”, more closely resembling high-riding estates such as the Audi A6 Allroad, Volvo V90 Cross Country and classic AMC Eagle.

Nonetheless, it's intended to be a fully fledged off-roader and is fitted with a set of 24in beadlock wheels (so called because the beaded edge of the tyre is clamped to the wheel with a series of bolts) shod with chunky all-terrain tyres.

Donckerwolke said the decision to eschew many of the traditional luxury off-roader design cues was to ensure that the X Gran Equator offered a fresh, modern design.

"We would not do a [Mercedes] G-Wagen, because that is clearly a vehicle that is anchored in the tradition for Mercedes," said Donckerwolke. "We would do something like an old version of a Range Rover, old version of a Jeep, but obviously transporting all our brand DNA and the values of luxury and hospitality into the car. It's a mix of off-road capability, off-road performance and luxury.

"We don't have the design DNA of a Jeep or Range Rover. It's a different brand, so this car has the design DNA of a Genesis. I don't care what the other brands do: I do it my way."

Donckerwolke added that the pared-back design of the X Gran Equator was a deliberate contrast to other cars on the market: "We are living in a time where design is over-saturated. In every car, you have design elements where you can make three cars out of one, because there are an overkill of design elements. We don't need that. Everybody is free to have their own identity, but at Genesis, we are living in purity. We are reducing. We are about what we call the beauty of the empty space, the white sheet of paper. We really care a lot about the proportions.

"This car has such incredible proportions that you don't need to put a lot of make-up on it. If you have a pig, you need to put a lot of make-up. We are working to make sure that we don't have a pig from the start."

Inside, the dashboard does away with the large screens typical of modern cars. Instead, there are physical switches for important functions such as the drive mode and small gauge-style displays showing the sat-nav, wheel travel and an inclinometer. The car’s speed, remaining range and time are shown on a pod of three smaller dials in front of the driver. This design is said to focus the driver’s attention on the road ahead, rather than any interior accoutrements.

Chunky grab handles are mounted to the centre console – echoing a similar feature in the Defender – and the same motif is mirrored for the rear passengers.

The tailgate is split horizontally at the bootlid, opening in two segments, and the concept is fitted with a set of roof rails. 

The X Gran Equator concept is built on what Donckerwolke called a platform "similar" to that of the Kia EV9, but he confirmed a production version would be likely to accommodate a range of powertrains. Listing electric, hybrid and range-extender powertrains, he said that "now obviously we have to look at the business case and the differentiation" between powertrains and other models. However, while the Hyundai Motor Group continues to develop hydrogen technology, Donckerwolke ruled it out for the X Gran Equator.

A range-extender model could prove crucial in helping any production version to win over buyers in the Middle East and parts of the US, where there is plenty of demand for premium off-roaders but still a limited market for EVs. It's a similar move to Volkswagen's revived Scout brand, which will launch with off-road pick-up and SUVs offered with range-extender drivetrains,

The radical concept is the latest in a series of experimental models from the Korean brand, all hinting at a push much further upmarket than Genesis's current positioning as a value-focused BMW and Mercedes-Benz rival.