Genesis Motor Europe says the high-performance GV60 Magma has been shortlisted for the Golden Steering Wheel 2026 (Goldenes Lenkrad), one of the region’s most respected car awards, adding to a growing list of recognition the brand has picked up from customers, media and the industry across Europe.
Peter Kronschnabl, Managing Director of Genesis Motor Europe, pointed to the readers’-vote nature of the award as a sign of the brand’s strengthening connection with European buyers, noting that in under five years Genesis has moved from a newcomer to an increasingly recognized premium name on the strength of its product quality, design and customer experience.
Five Years of European Expansion
Since entering Europe in 2021, Genesis has built a presence in Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Italy, France and the Netherlands, with Spain set to follow soon.
The brand has picked up international design honors including Red Dot and iF Design awards along the way, and every Genesis model sold in Europe carries a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
Genesis credits that track record to engineering work done across Hyundai Motor Group’s R&D centers in both Europe and South Korea, paired with its “Son-nim” hospitality philosophy — treating every customer as an honored guest — which the brand says shapes everything from product development to retail and aftersales.
The GV60 Magma’s Role in That Story
The GV60 Magma, the first production model from Genesis‘s Magma performance program, blends the brand’s “Athletic Elegance” design language with sharper driving dynamics, pushing Genesis into one of the premium market’s more competitive and emotionally driven segments. European customer deliveries begin later this year.
The car’s Golden Steering Wheel shortlist follows a string of recent honors for Genesis in Europe, including an iF Design Award and a Red Dot award for the GV60 Magma itself in 2026, alongside recognition as Auto Bild’s top overall brand in its latest reader survey — building on earlier wins such as German and Swiss Car of the Year honors for the GV60 and multiple Scottish Car of the Year awards across the GV70, GV80 and GV60 lineup.