The Most Innovative Asian Luxury Brand That Ranked Higher Than Lexus Five Years In A Row

When enthusiasts debate the most innovative car brands on the planet, names like Lexus, BMW, and Tesla tend to dominate the conversation. But for several years running, a South Korean luxury brand has quietly — and convincingly — outscored all of them on the industry’s most rigorous technology benchmark. It isn’t a fluke, and it isn’t close. The brand topping J.D. Power’s U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study isn’t the Asian nameplate you’d guess first, and understanding why it keeps winning tells you a great deal about where the luxury car market is heading.

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The U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study by J.D. Power ranks car brands based on how convenient their tech is, how they use emerging technology in their vehicles, how they utilize energy, how sustainable their practices are, and what infotainment and technology features are offered across their model lineup.

As the luxury arm of Hyundai, Genesis has claimed the title of most innovative luxury car brand in the TXI Study for multiple consecutive years. Meanwhile, its parent company has been named the most innovative mainstream car brand. There is clearly something remarkable happening at the Hyundai/Genesis headquarters, so we have taken a deeper look into what makes them so innovative, how they are utilizing new technology, why customers love what Genesis models offer, and their vision for the future.

Genesis Is Ranked As The Most Innovative Asian Car Brand

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Taking the top spot for innovation with a TXI score of 538 on a 1,000-point scale, Genesis car models are ranked well above the second most innovative car brand, which scores 526. The U.S. Tech Experience Index Study draws on responses from 76,230 owners who have owned a 2025 vehicle for 90 days, using their feedback on technology and innovation.

By evaluating how efficiently each automotive brand introduces new technologies to the market, the TXI Study assesses both the adoption rate of new technologies for each brand and the quality of execution. The assessment measures how satisfied owners are with the technologies and the number of problems they encounter while using them. According to the study and owners’ feedback, Genesis is the highest rated.

Five Years Of Table Dominance

It is not just this year that Genesis has taken the top spot. For four consecutive years, the brand has led the way in innovation across all assessed car brands.

• 2021 Genesis TXI Study Score: 634
• 2022 Genesis TXI Study Score: 643
• 2023 Genesis TXI Study Score: 656
• 2024 Genesis TXI Study Score: 584
• 2025 Genesis TXI Study Score: 538

Though Genesis’ score has dropped, the market average of the top five on the list has fluctuated and ultimately declined over the same period. In 2021, the average TXI Study score for the top five was 560.6, in 2022 it was 565.2, in 2023 it was 559.4, in 2024 it stood at 532.8, and in 2025, it stands at 504. Genesis still sits comfortably at the top.

The History Of Genesis Cars

Officially launched as a standalone brand in 2015, Genesis’ origins can be traced back to 2008 with the release of the Hyundai Genesis Sedan as a competitor to luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. The brand quickly established itself as a genuine contender in the segment.

From the outset, Genesis placed heavy emphasis on innovation by integrating cutting-edge technology and a focus on the customer experience. With the introduction of advanced driving features, intuitive infotainment interfaces, and high-end safety features, the brand helped set new standards in the luxury car segment.

A key focus for Genesis — one that has been central to the brand from the beginning — is forward-thinking design, sleek and minimalist styling, and ease of use for its owners. That philosophy continues today through a technology-first strategy.

How Genesis Leads The Way In Technology

Genesis

Genesis is leading the way in innovation by constantly integrating high-end technology and top-tier safety features into its new vehicles — not just by adopting technology developed elsewhere, but by designing and rolling out proprietary innovations of its own.

Certain Genesis models benefit from seriously cutting-edge technology that is exclusive to Genesis and includes:

• Face Connect. Genesis pioneers the use of biometric technology in their vehicles. Models like the
  underrated Genesis GV60
  are equipped with Face Connect, which allows you to unlock and start the vehicle using facial recognition.
• Genesis Touch Controller. A unique circular touch controller located on the center console gives you intuitive access to the infotainment system, simplifying interactions with menus and functions.
• Genesis Digital Key 2.0. Allows you to lock, unlock, or start your vehicle via your smartphone or smartwatch, and can be shared securely with others — a convenient feature for multi-driver households.
• Augmented Reality Navigation. This Genesis-exclusive AR feature provides real-time navigation by projecting route guidance directly onto a live feed of the road ahead.

High-Tech Features In Genesis Vehicles

Aside from Genesis’ exclusive technology, its models offer a broad array of high-end tech that improves both convenience and safety.

Hyundai and Genesis know a thing or two about EVs and, with the rollout of impressive models like the electrified GV70, they have made a strong mark in the EV market through the use of high-range batteries, high-end technological features, and a strong safety record. Genesis is also set to make a significant push into the hybrid segment, responding to growing demand in the U.S. by adding another dimension to its ever-innovative lineup — one that promises to be tech-laden, luxurious, and long-ranging.

The Most Tech-Laden Genesis Models

Genesis

Though most Genesis models are renowned for being luxurious and packed with innovation, some standout models offer the most up-to-date and advanced technology available.

• 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe
  . Features Genesis Digital Key 2.0, Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Pass, a 27-inch OLED instrument cluster, heated front console armrest, a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, and Genesis Pay, which allows you to pay for parking and fuel at participating locations.
• 2024 Genesis G90. Features Genesis Connected Services accessible through your smartphone, an 8-inch armrest touch display, forward collision avoidance assist, and a hands-free smart trunk.
• 2024 Genesis Electrified G80. Features a premium multimedia platform, highly customizable seating, remote smart parking assist — which lets you maneuver the car in and out of tight spaces via the key fob — and a surround-view monitor that provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle.

It is not just how much technology is packed into Genesis models that makes them innovative, but how well it works and how meaningfully it improves owners’ daily lives. Owners who contributed to the overall JD Power rating of 79 out of 100 for the Genesis GV70 rated “driver experience” highly at 89 out of 100, and rated quality and reliability at 84 out of 100, while reviews of the GV70 consistently praised its innovative tech.

Genesis’ Future Strategy

Genesis

Looking ahead, Genesis’ strategy centers on building upon existing technologies while developing new innovations across both hybrid and EV models. At the New York Auto Show, Genesis launched a two-concept approach to their future cars.

The first approach targets ultra-luxury and the second is aimed squarely at high performance. The Genesis GV60 Magma promises to represent the next chapter for Genesis EVs. Built on the GV60 platform, the Magma will incorporate longer-range batteries, faster and more capable technology, and aggressive, athletic exterior design cues that signal a high-performance direction for the brand’s EV lineup. The GV60 Magma features a large front air intake designed to direct airflow toward the battery, motors, and brakes to manage heat, while canards add extra downforce and air curtains reduce aerodynamic drag.

Their second approach is to build on Genesis’ premium positioning and deliver Bentley-rivaling luxury through one of their new concepts: the Genesis Neolun Concept. Drawing on the tradition of high-end South Korean hospitality, key features include B-pillarless coach doors, a spacious interior with generous legroom, front swivel chairs, armrest screens, and a large dash display. Whether the Neolun reaches production soon remains to be seen, but it clearly signals Genesis’ commitment to a tech-rich, premium experience.

The Growing Use Of AI In Vehicles

Genesis

Though many luxury carmakers are implementing AI in their new cars, Genesis is a leader in delivering AI that works reliably, adds genuine utility, and makes everyday use more convenient. As part of Genesis Digital Services, AI powers the Car-To-Home system, which allows you to remotely start your vehicle and set temperature preferences from inside your home.

Genesis and NVIDIA also signed a deal covering the installation of the NVIDIA AI Cockpit across their lineup from 2022 onward. The AI cockpit is designed to replace the array of control units and switches used for temperature and infotainment functions. It also handles navigation and can suggest nearby restaurants, faster routes to your destination, and contextual information about your surroundings.

This all points to an exciting future, but one important takeaway from the TXI Study is that owners still prefer hands-on tech to hands-free tech. Carefully balancing both types of interaction will be essential to keeping Genesis owners satisfied — and that is precisely where the brand’s exclusive proprietary technology plays a critical role.

Dependable And Innovative Is A Winning Combination

Genesis

It is not just Genesis’ innovative ideas that are driving its leadership in the luxury segment — reliability plays an equally important role. For a brand without the decades-long track record of Toyota, Lexus, or BMW, Genesis is performing impressively on that front.

According to RepairPal, the Hyundai Genesis carries a reliability score of 3.5 out of 5 and an average annual repair cost of $565. That places it 7th out of 30 full-size luxury cars, and roughly $411 cheaper to maintain per year than the average luxury car.

How Other Car Brands Compare To Genesis

Genesis is the top innovative car brand in the TXI Study and, as noted, has held that position for four consecutive years, with Lexus coming in second place. Also highly regarded for innovation in the luxury segment — not only with EVs, but with a hydrogen-powered sports car that could really shake up the EV segment — Lexus has remained close on Genesis’ heels for several years but has yet to claim the top spot.

While Genesis scores the highest and the GV70 receives the JD Power emerging automation award for its front traffic warning system, there are also a number of highly innovative brands and models making excellent use of the technology at their disposal.

Other Highly Innovative Automakers

Innovation in the TXI Study isn’t limited to flashy infotainment — it also rewards how a brand advances sustainability, safety, and ease of use. The BMW iX was highly praised for sustainable driving thanks to its one-pedal regenerative braking system.

The BMW X6 also received recognition for its infotainment system and smartphone connectivity, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is lauded for its fast charging capability — making life on the move more practical — and the Hyundai Santa Fe offers an impressively simple and intuitive infotainment system.

The Most Tech-Heavy Cars Of 2024

Hyundai

Alongside Genesis, brands such as Hyundai, BMW, Tesla, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz have all released impressive, tech-heavy models that prioritize ease of use as much as outright capability.

• Hyundai Ioniq 5 – boasts an augmented reality navigation system and fast-charging capabilities.
• Ford Mustang Mach-E – features a large touchscreen display, adaptive cruise control, and a digital instrument cluster.
• Mercedes-Benz EQ – showcases a Hyperscreen infotainment system and voice controls.
• BMW iX – boasts a gesture-controlled curved infotainment display, augmented reality navigation, and voice assistant.

Sources: Genesis, J.D. Power, RepairPal, and CarEdge