One of Genesis’ top designers believes the world is slowly getting bored of SUVs — and the luxury Korean brand sees a real chance that wagons, of all things, might be next in line for a revival.
Adrian Padino suggests that the idea of SUVs “dominating everything” is a misconception fueled largely by the American market’s love for high-riding vehicles. In many other regions, especially Europe, traditional body styles still hold their ground. Yet the facts are hard to ignore: crossovers have exploded in popularity over the past few decades. Families already own them, plan to replace them, and automakers keep pushing more of them out because SUVs simply bring in bigger profits.
Luc Donckerwolke — Genesis’ Chief Creative Officer and one of the most influential designers in the industry — believes this SUV boom is approaching its natural ceiling. The Peru-born designer, whose portfolio includes legends like the Skoda Octavia and Lamborghini Murciélago, says the rapid growth of SUVs will eventually lead to market saturation. When that happens, he expects people to start looking for something fresh again.
He explained that the industry was witnessing a massive multiplication of SUVs, and said that such rapid growth always reaches a point where the market starts looking for something different. He added that this is why he is certain the industry cannot survive on a single category alone.
Genesis Isn’t Following the Crowd
While most automakers are doubling down on SUVs, Genesis is intentionally keeping its sedan lineup alive. Models such as the G70, G80, and G90 continue to define the brand, alongside the G70 Shooting Brake — one of the last wagons still offered by a premium manufacturer.
Recently, Genesis also unveiled a two-seat V8 sports coupe under its high-performance Magma division, making it clear the brand isn’t ready to let go of the purist, enthusiast-driven side of motoring.
Then came the boldest move yet: the G90 Wingback Concept, a high-performance luxury wagon designed to challenge icons like the BMW M5 Touring, Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate, and Audi RS6 Avant. Built on the 5.1-meter G90 sedan with a 3.2-meter wheelbase, the Wingback adopts an entirely different personality with a more aggressive bumper, wide fenders, dual rear wings, and a vertically stacked dual-exhaust setup.
Genesis says it has no production plans for now, but the fact that the concept exists at all shows that the company is thinking beyond the current SUV-heavy landscape.
Are Wagons Really Coming Back?
Donckerwolke believes that once the SUV hype cools down, buyers will rediscover the appeal of sleek, practical wagons — especially when paired with modern luxury and performance.
If the G90 Wingback ever reaches showrooms, it won’t come cheap. The standard G90 already starts at $104,495, and a Magma high-performance version could easily sit alongside German heavyweights such as:
BMW M5 Touring: ~$127,675
Audi RS6 Avant: ~$131,995
For that reason, Genesis may choose a safer starting point by leaning on the more attainable G70 Shooting Brake to gauge market interest before launching a flagship performance wagon.
