Genesis, a luxury automobile brand from Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled its second sport utility vehicle online Tuesday, the GV70.

The new vehicle will be introduced in South Korea as early as January. Genesis aims to lead the luxury SUV market through the GV70.

“The domestic luxury SUV market was expected to be somewhat slower than the growth of luxury SUVs abroad due to its high price. But, GV80 is writing a new history and GV70 will continue to lead the sales of mid-sized luxury SUVs in Korea,” said Lee In-ah, managing director of global customer experience at Genesis.

Its predecessor has sold a combined 27,487 vehicles at home and 3,316 vehicles abroad since the launch.

In the global market, the GV70 will gradually be launched next year after its release in Korea. The automaker said the US, Europe and China are key markets with a good understanding of premium car brands.

Introducing the second SUV model, the first being the GV80, the automaker said the exterior design of the GV70 has embraced various elements to reinforce its sportiness, which is a major factor differentiating it from the bigger GV80.

In the front, the GV70 has introduced a Crest Grille, set lower than the headlamps, while the twin-lined Quad Lamps have been added to highlight the speed and dynamism of the model.

The arching Parabolic Line that begins at the top of the Quad Lamps and runs across the body is intended to emphasize the dynamic expression of the vehicle, and with the coupe-like roofline, the GV70 exerts its unique identity, the automaker added.

The interior design of the new model is based on the characteristics of the Korean architectural philosophy of the “beauty of white space” -- drawing simple shapes and emotional volume, Lee Sang-yup, global head of design at the company, explained.

For the GV70, the automaker has introduced several new technologies, including the world’s first fingerprint authentication system.

According to Genesis, the fingerprint authentication system enables drivers to easily make payments inside the car.

The Advanced Rear Occupant Alert, also newly added to the Genesis car, is based on radar sensors. This function uses the radar sensors to detect not only the limb movements but also the respiratory movements of passengers, such as infants, in the rear seat and alerts the driver to their presence, according to the automaker.

A wide range of advanced autonomous driving assistance features have also been applied to the GV70, including Highway Driving Assist level 2, improved from the previous version to automatically change lanes when the turn signal is activated.

The GV70 offers three powertrain options: the 2.2 diesel engine, the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 powertrain.

With the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, the car can get up to 380 horsepower and 54 kilogram-meters, the company added.

For colors, 12 options are available, including the new Mavuna Red, Barossa Burgundy Metallic and Barossa Burgundy Matte, the automaker said.

The final price has not yet been decided, but it is expected to range from 49 million won to 75 million won for the highest trim.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)