I have a first gen Fugio (from Ebay for £400) and can with conviction say it's the best 'feel-of-steel' frame I've ridden - undone somewhat by the rigid carbon fork mind! If it had been made available with more rear tyre clearance (it'll take about a 35mm - but not say a Rock'n'Road) and a steel fork option then it's be my perfect bike. I don't think they were made in great numbers but can still be bought for silly money (£700) -
http://edgwarecycles.co.uk/frames/genes ... view=write
Would recommend the 2014 Fugio for those doing mostly road/forest long day rides without much kit - it's a quality lightish bike (Genesis said it was 2.39kg for frame
and fork - fork being 0.46!), albeit rather old fashioned-looking these days.
Geometry, comparison-wise, the 2014 was a more traditional and upright CX-style frame (not surprisingly, as the prototype dates back to the dark ages of 2012!), the new one is more compact, lower and, in XL form, pretty long in the TT. The head tube is much taller and a bit slacker too, so it has to be drop bars (not flat), I guess.
I also have a 2017 Vagabond (new FS for £280), whilst set up very differently, I'd say the Vagabond is noticeably stiffer on the rough stuff and has a fair bit less of that 'steel-feel' subtlety, despite having a steel fork. Genesis say the frame weight of the Vagabond is 3.92kg compared to 3.5kg for the new Fugio (significantly up on the 2014 model).
I do like the idea and design of the new Fugio - based on my experience above, I'd be keener on an 853 version with a steel fork option, although non-comparable geometries means they'll feel/ride completely differently anyways...
EDIT: Going forward, as much as I'm an N+1 kinda guy, I think it better value in times of such austerity to invest in some 27.5+ wheels and try them on the Vagabond first.