The topic came up as an adjunct to a rather passionate discussion about which new 2006 model would win in our local car of the year.
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| The Azera, as good as it is, probably won't take car of the year, because of biases from some curmudgeons who think that Chevy's new HHR should take the prize. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press) |
The Sonata was brought up as a strong favorite, and being that it's already won such awards throughout the country its nomination is hardly surprising, although the majority of auto writers felt that the new Civic will probably take the final nod. The Azera, as good as it is, probably won't, because of biases from some of the curmudgeons who thought Chevy's new HHR should take the prize. I'm not joking.
Over
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| The Azera's suspension setup is ideal for its luxury car mission. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press) |
and above styling, interior design and overall refinement, most of our table's scribes, like me, were impressed with the Azera's ride and handling. Once again I refer to Buick, but not the floaty barges the brand produced in its glorious past, rather the modern American luxury sedans that do a pretty good job of isolating road imperfections while delivering stable, albeit comfort-oriented handling dynamics. The Azera would be the best Buick ever made, however, upping the handling equation and smoothing out even more dips and bumps. And this is unlike Kia's Amanti, which when I drove it about two years ago, was so softly sprung that I found myself getting carsick while driving. No, the Azera's setup is ideal for its luxury car mission, and resulted in an ultimately comfortable conveyance around the city, plus when needed, a car capable of managing narrow, winding roadways at high speed without concern.
