2006 Hyundai Azera Preview

Getting Serious About Luxury

At this year's Geneva Motor Show and a few weeks later at the New York International Auto Show, Hyundai revealed its all-new executive sedan, the Azera, known as the Grandeur in other markets. This isn't the first time

Hyundai revealed its all-new executive sedan, the Azera, at this year's Geneva and New York auto shows. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

that Hyundai has attempted to break into the luxury segment; it tried in the late '90s with the XG-series luxury sedan. The generic-looking car did little to boost Hyundai's prestige, however, attracting few buyers due to it being underpowered and generically bland-looking. While improvements have been made to the XG since its inception, the new Azera, inspired by popular European E-segment vehicles, should fare much better thanks to a bolder appearance and improved refinement.

Compared to the XG, which was seemingly styled after the early '90s Mercedes S-Class and previous generation Acura 3.5 RL, with a little mid-'90s Lincoln Continental thrown in for good measure, the Azera is a much more pleasant vehicle to look at. Hyundai's stylists have carried over much of the new Sonata's look, which is evident in the car's chromed, trapezoidal grille and narrow, wedge-shaped headlamps. While coming right out and saying that Hyundai's stylists seem to have blatantly plagiarized Volkswagen and Audi designs wouldn't be correct, there are strong hints of Phaeton and A6 visible in the front quarter view.

As far as Hyundais go, however, the Azera is one of the South Korean automaker's more daring sedan designs,

As far as Hyundai sedans go, the Azera is one of the South Korean automaker's more daring sedan designs. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

particularly from the rear. The car's hind flanks bulge outwards as they meet up with the coupe-like roofline to culminate in a BMW-esque separate trunk lid. LED tail lamps, which look peculiarly similar to, albeit better than the North America-market Accord sedan, are the finishing touches to the rear end. Overall, the Azera is a bigger car than the vehicle it replaces, with an increase of 20 mm (0.8 inches) in length and width, 30 mm (1.2 inches) in wheelbase and 70 mm (2.8 inches) in height. Despite this growth, Hyundai claims that the car will weigh approximately the same as the XG, at around 1,620 kg (3,570 lbs).