Hyundai Azera 2006

fdcapt2

I was under the impression that the Azera was being built at the Alabama plant. A post here stated that they would be here in October, and I got the impression from that post they were coming from Korea. If so, do any of you think that's a plus as far as Build Quality/Fit & Finish ??? Someone here had sent a link for a movie, in Korean, about the Azera. It was about a 1/2 hour long, and even though I didn't understand the narration, the pictures showed a very nice, well put together car. I've got a really good feeling about the quality of this car after seeing that. It was actually the Grandeur, and had a really wild screen in the dash that did it all. Navi, TV, radio, all kinds of stuff that we'll never see on our models. If this car is made overseas, I sure hope it doesn't let us down. Any thoughts??

danf1

It will be built in Korea. The only models coming from Alabama are the Sonata and the new Santa Fe when it arrives. As far as build quality, I have no preference. I've dealt with Sonatas from both plants and they seem to be built to the same standard.

dcpiper776

Expected available date in Canada is same as USA. I own a 1998 Avalon XLS...looked at a 2006 to replace, but much too expensive. A small item but the Avalon does not have a strip on the sides to protect from car door bangs... Hmmmmm ??? Most cars I looked at have it. Azera has lots of nice standard features that are options on many luxury cars. Does anyone know what the gas mileage will be ?? That would be a big factor with the ever increasing fuel prices.
Have been a Toyota owner for the last 15 years with much satisfaction, but find they have become very independent and won't budge on the price, hence I'm looking forward to taking the new Azera for a test drive, the specs and warranties look great. Hope the price is right, I'll buy for sure if it lives up to my expectations.... I keep my cars a long time so not worried about re-sale value. From all reports I think the big Japanese makers will take notice. Of course only time will tell.

bwia

It is October, where is the Azera and what is Hyundai doing doing to promote this "luxury" sedan?

Most auto makers usually make a big splash about a new entry but apparently Hyundai has embarked on a stealth strategy. What is the estimated MPG on this baby is it expected to be better than the Avalon? If so, it should be highlighted as a desirable feature. Anyways, I am tired of waiting and I am afraid that I am becoming indifferent as there is nothing to highten my anticipation.

lions1

I called Hyundai Corporation, not the dealer, and they told me Azera will be available late December or January 2006. They had some problem receiving the cars in the USA.

lions1

1racefan

Don't get me wrong, by no means do I dislike Hyundai. My wife has an '02 Elantra, and it has been a great car. However, I question whether or not the US market is ready for a high $20,000s - almost $30,000 Hyundai. I have been really impressed with Hyundai's new vehicles, but I would have a hard time spending $27,000 plus on one (referring to one that is fully loaded).

topgear

It's already out there. It's called an Amanti by Kia. It's based on the XG 350. And if Kia can sell it, (and they are starting to sell well -with very high customer satisfaction -number 1 in JD Powers satisfaction!), Hyundais' should sell too because I think Hyundai is even better than Kia's are. (I know ...Hyundai owns Kia, but Hyundai has been the better quality company of the two). Kia, however, has caught up with Hyundai's help. It's just the public perception now that stands in the way.

I own a 2004 Amanti and love it. So, depending on the styling cues of the next generation Amanti which will be based on the Azera/Grandeur, I would not hesitate to be a Azera owner -if it ends up being the better looking one of the two.

I guess the bottom line of what I'm saying is -it will sell.

Pete

1racefan

"I guess the bottom line of what I'm saying is -it will sell."

I think that the Elantra and the Sonata are very competitive at their price points. However, when you start getting close to the $30K range, there are just too many good cars out there.
The other thing that would concern me, is what will the $30K Azera be worth when the owner tries to trade it in after 2 years and 36K miles versus other cars in the market that retail for around the same price.

Regarding the Amanti - Of the folks I know that have them, they all seemed to have paid in the low $20s for them. My point is that if the Azera is priced close to $30K, and they don't intend to discount it heavily, how well will it sell?

iluvmysephia1

offer rebates or discounts on the Azera? They probably will, yet I'm not so sure that's their best strategy. How about, like Honda with their Accord, Hyundai just sells their Azera's for $28,950, or whatever-have-you, and they don't offer rebates or large sales incentives? Hyundai and Kia are on the cusp of retaining their values now, and offering large reductions to sell them is not a good choice. After all, if you are into comparing cars these days for feature and build quality, Hyundai and Kia are outdoing a decent chunk of the car makers right now. If they're behind in something, like these i-Pod issues of late, they'll fix it in the next model year.

I don't think I'd let an issue with a car stereo stop me from buying the Kia or Hyundai or Scion or Toyota of my choice. Not even. But to each his own. It is true, busting into an integrated dash to put your stereo system of choice in is not a pretty forethought. Downright gritty to ponder...so I guess I see somebody's point...almost. I guess I'd think differently if I was in the i-Pod world right now. It would seem that there's always something that could be done to get the sound you want without gettting too drastic, an electronic plug-in here or a tweak to something else somewhere else. Drivetrains and bodystyles and things like that top issues with the stereo when I'm doing my car shopping, eh?

johnson5

I called HYundai in the first of September. They said 3rd or 4 th weekof November. No the safe bet is January.
I am not sure I want to buy with 3.8 Lit engine.As per motor tend the the expected mpg is 26.5 miles Hwy.
If they offer with 3.5 lit engine of sonata probably I will.

1racefan

"Who says that Hyundai won't offer rebates or discounts on the Azera?"

Not me - I just question how well a close to $30K Hyundai would sell without them. Hey, let's face it - public perception carries a lot of weight in the car world. When you approach the $30K price on cars, there are a lot of good new cars out there to choose from. $30K is also CPO Lexus / Infiniti / Acura / BMW territory as well. Ask the average middle management guy on the street (that may not know a lot about cars) if he would rather spend $30K on a slightly used CPO Lexus, or a brand new Hyundai, and see what he says. Now get that same guy to actually go and look at an Azera, and he may change his answer. Hyundai just needs to do something to encourage this type of consumer to actually add the Azera to their shopping list, and take the time to go look at one.

I agree with you 100% with the rest of what you are saying. Hyundai/Kia are putting out some nice vehicles. My wife has an '02 Elantra with almost 70K miles on it. Car has been great - only a couple of minor warranty issues. Even when it had 50K miles on it, we had several friends ride in it and comment that it was nicer than some of the other competitor's cars (Civic, Corolla, etc...) that they had owned or driven. You and I - being car lovers (I assume) already know this. The challenge for Hyundai is getting the general public to recognize it as well. The Sonata was a huge step in this direction, but I truly question whether they are in a position to sell a close to $30K Hyundai at this point in the game without the rebates. But, if they do offer rebates, that is great for people like you and me that already recognize they put out great cars with a good warranty.

iluvmysephia1

you know I'm a car lover like you! Come on now! And yes, I agree with you, I just think it's time that Hyundai and Kia vehicles start showing a good reflection from the general public and start retaining their value. AAMOF-the new Kia Amanti and new Kia Sportage are great examples of new Kia rigs that, by all rights, ought to hold their resale value after two years. For example, if I decided I wanted to trade my '01 Sportage 4x4 in on a 2006 Kia Sportage in the year 2008 sometime, and it was a 5-speed tranny on the Sportage, with around 18,000 miles on it, I would not balk at paying $15,000 for it. The 2005 Kia Sportage is supposed to sell for $15,999, I don't think that includes A/C though. You and I know that dealers will offer precious few Sportage's for $15,999. I looked at some in Idaho last week on a Kia lot after dark and the lowest priced Sportage was in the $19,999 range somewhere. That's half the battle, getting your rig's price where you like and not budging, and having your favorite color in stock, etc.

Heck, my wife and I paid $17,045 for our 2001 Kia Sportage back on September 29, 2001. I felt like I was getting value for my money then and now I feel even more like I have received value for my money. Not only value but great looks and solid performance. The Sportage 4x4 towed 1,000 pounds of our stuff from Washington state to Missouri (over the Cascade and Rocky mountains) when we moved to the Midwest in 2003. It performed flawlessly. These are tough rigs, these Sportage's!

1racefan, no, I know what you're talking about. I just feel (along with gobs of other American people now) that Hyundai's and Kia's have arrived fully to the States, with gobs of value and character. They will start holding their value soon, IMO, and I feel that that time has come.

The new 2006 Hyundai Azera will be interesting to watch, to see how people like them and if they are willing to pay list price for them. Your comparo's above are valid, the Azera for $30,000, or near it, will cause some American noggins to waggle a tad, but it shouldn't. I have a strong feeling that that Azera in the window will be worth every penny. And then some.

fdcapt2

:mad: I've been to just about every Hyundai dealer on Long Island, and still haven't gotten any answers from salesmen, or managers. No one knows anything at all about when the car will be here, when they will get some brochures, and mostly, some sort of price. It seems to me that if Hyundai is trying to get themselves into a new section of cars, entry-luxury??, that there should be some sort of advertising going on. I have yet to see anything about the Azera, other then in car magazines. You see all sorts of stuff from other car manufacturers in non car magazines like pictures, descriptions, stats, etc., but nothing about the Azera. Not my idea of smart business sense considering they said the car was supposed to be here in late October, or mid November, and your salespeople don't have a clue about the car that's supposed to be so wonderful. I've extended my lease on my '03 Acura TL a couple of times to be able to check out these cars, but I'm running out of patience. I'm sure that if I decide to go in another direction, Hyundai won't fold, but if enough people get tired of all this secrecy, they might cause themselves some problems by losing potential buyers. Let's get your heads out of your BUTTS, Hyundai, and give the public some new info, other then what's been on the Hyundai site for the past bunch of months......FDCapt2

danf1

Hyundai has always been secretive about upcoming products. I don't know if they are making last minute adjustments to packages, prices etc... or just don't want their competition to have too much information.

As far as advertising, Hyundai just like every other business, wants to sell what they have today. Why get people looking for something that they can't get yet. Instead bring them into the showrooms with the new Sonata, and wait until you can sell an Azera and make a profit off of it before dumping allotted advertisement dollars.

Lesson #1 in sales is the old acronym, S.W.A.T., Sell What's Available Today.

truethat

These are my guesses...
1. Shortage- Grandeurs have been selling like pancakes in Korea. Since every single Azera/Grandeur will be built in a single plant, it will be tough to keep up
with all the demand (I hear there's 2~3 months wait in Korea)
2. Strike- As many of you know, there was a huge strike during September at
Hyundai/Kia plants. I think it lasted for quite a while (was it 2 weeks?). That's
surely going to affect any plan for new model introduction in the US. :lemon:

oldgymrat

Apples to oranges or a close call? I have an '03 Audi, which is leased. The lease will be up in the early spring. I'm just now staring to think about what I want next. I love the Audi's interior and how it handles, but it has had several electronic gremlins. Since I leased it I've gotten a new job and I'm now driving 75 miles per day. So, I want to buy the next car and I want something with reliability, comfort and a strong warranty. Do you think the Azera will be a good choice or maybe the new 07 Santa Fe, but I'm unsure when it will be available. Thanks

fdcapt2

Thanks for your info, I'm really pulling my hair out trying to decide which way to go. I would hate to take this care, site unseen, and find out I really screwed up. All the reports seem to feel it will be a good deal, but I'm still a bit shaky.

dgxnavy

Hi All Who Are Waiting Also,

I presently own a 1999 Lincoln Continental that has close to 100,000 miles and have been looking to buy a new car soon to replace it. I have been reading about the new Azera and believe this might be what I am looking for. I also have been checking out the Hyundai dealers and have found out that I know more about the Azera than they do. Hope that they get them to the showroom soon so that I can make a decision as my Lincoln will soon be due for some major repairs. I will keep checking this forum to get the latest updates.

Keep Me Informed

Thanks

navigator89

A Lincoln Continental is a great car, I loved the last generation especially.

The Azera should be out by the end of this year tops. I heard October but it doesnt seem like the car is being released now.

If you get sick of waiting for the Azera, or you don't like it try a 300C, Lucerne, Avalon or wait for the Ford 500 with the 3.5L.

dgxnavy

I loved the continental also. I was really disappointed when they stopped making it. I thought that they would bring it back. I saw an article on a new concept Continental, but i guess that they wont be making one. They are bringing out the Zephyr. I loved the 300c when it first came out,i drove one but it wasn't the kind of car that my wife could be comfortable driving. I have the Lucerne and the Avalon on my list. I drove a Ford 500 and thought that there was too much road noise on the highway. I still want to see the new Azera. I am on my way to Florida this week and figure that I can wait until the end of the year.

fdcapt2

Well, at least that's what she said. I stopped at a Hyundai dealer here on Long Island tonight, and sat down with one of the salespeople. My first question, and probably one a lot of you are asking, when can we see this car. She told me they would have an Azera in their showroom on November 5th. She told me that Hyundai has been waiting until after the upcoming car show to release the Azera. She was very sure that they would have the car in on this date, and promised to call me to come take a test drive on that day. I asked about getting a brochure, and she said they should have them in about 2 weeks or so. She was excited about this car, and she isn't alone. We talked about different trims, and prices. She was the first person to actually have some info to pass around. As you probably know, it's going to be priced close to the XG350, and it'll be in 3 trim levels. Hopefully this news will take some of the stress :P off some of us.

dgxnavy

Just got this over the google news,

Check the site below.

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200510/kt2005101119485411900.htm

bluespring

That's good news~ Is there 3.3 engine in the differnt trims?
I heard from Korean friends that there are many defects in the IMS of Korean version of Azera (3.3). In addition, it has abnormal engine sound. :lemon:

topgear

Sorry...what is IMS again?

sandpaper

Quote:

``To achieve the best quality with no defects, we’ve delayed exports to the U.S. from the originally scheduled October date to the year’s end,’’ a company official said.

hyundai777

Hi, all.
I'm korean so, I can get some photo from korean website
http://imagesearch.naver.com/search.naver?where=dt_iphoto&query=%B1%D7%B7%A3%C1%AE&c=2&qt=- df&sort=0&fr_res=0&to_res=0
http://imagesearch.naver.com/search.naver?where=dt_iphoto&query=%B1%D7%B7%A3%C1%AE&c=8&qt=- df&sort=0&fr_res=0&to_res=0

exactly, I can buy azera in korea now and price in korea is arround 26K.(standard)
i think azera has a nice body as much as other sedan

fdcapt2

Thanks for the pictures, I'm assuming the pictures of the Grandeur are close to what the Azera will look like? Is there anyway you can help me to navigate some of the sites so I can find some more pictures, etc. I was able to click on english on one of them, but after that I was lost.......

opirus1

2 pictures of azera on www.car-action.com.
when you go on that site, you'll see (image board up)on the left side of the site.
click on that and go to page 2. click on what it says azera 3.8.

fdcapt2

Thanks, there are some great pictures on that site. I clicked on just about every page, 40+, and found some more good pics. There were a bunch of the Grandeur, and it looks almost exactly like the Azera. I also saw that the Grandeur has parking assist in the bumper, turn signals in the side mirrors, and a small marker light like on the Acura TL, on the side of the car. Do you have any idea that those items will make it on the Azera???? Pretty car, thanks again....John :confuse:

floridabob1

Dealer has advised that mid Dec. will be first date available

ktoepke

I just drove the Azera earlier this week. I can confirm that it comes standard with a 3.8-liter engine, in either SE or Limited trim.

My full First Drive review will go live on www.insideline.com Monday for those who are interested in the details.

navigator89

Great, looking forward to your review.

Hyundai really is on a roll these days, with the Tucson, Sonata, and the upcoming Accent, Elantra and Santa Fe.

hoodlum2

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_- pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1129845010902

jchan2

has its ducks in a row.

Its cars seem to be winning over buyers like wildfire.

Oh, wouldn't it be a great time to be a Hyundai dealer right now?

johnbaxter1

does anyone know whether the Azera will have 60/40 split fold down rear seats?
baxterjohn oct 24,2005

alexlear

Yes, 60/40 rear folding seat in both SE and Limited trim levels.

toast

Azera Review

fdcapt2

I just finished the article here in Edmunds about the Azera. All I can say is I hope it's as good as they said. The car looks really nice, inside and out, as far as the pictures go. Hopefully the salesperson I spoke with a few weeks ago will come through on her statement that her dealership will have an Azera in on November 5th, and will be calling me to take a test drive. I've been pushing back my lease on my '03 Acura TL since March hoping that this car will be what they were saying it was going to be. Going by this review, it looks like my wait was a good thing. I'll post my test drive results here and I'm hoping that it'll be a positive one. I still have a tiny bit of negativity about buying a Hyundai, but I think that should pass...... :sick:

bwia

Great review---it confirmed all the initial impressions I have had about the Azera. Now we have to play the waiting game.
For some reason I am yet to see the new Sonata on the Boston roads, so let's hope that the Azera is not so rare.

Anticipating my first text drive soon.

alexlear

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet but it has great info so I thought I would post. Its a multimedia press release with video and high-res images and at the bottom it has a specs document and a features/options document.

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/hyundai/22976/

ctalk

an Azera today, caught me by surprise. I was walking back from grocery shopping, and got a slight glimpse of its interior. Interior looks very upscale. The styling is very sophisticated and classy (with all the chrome touches) But, I prefer the Sonata's front. The rear LED's give it a more upscale look. I wish I'd saw more of the interior.

zooomer

I saw a black Azera about a month ago. It was in the drive through at McDonalds in Napanee, Ontario, Canada. It looked out of place at McDonalds as it was obviously a high end car. It looks much better in real than the pictures even. I thought it looked kind of like a blend of Lexus 430, Acura RL, BMW 6 series and S series Benz (back quarter view). I'm buying one as soon as they're available.

ctalk

That is actually really odd, I saw it in Toronto, Ontario near McDonalds to :P

wigan4

I really wish it had a nav system--I'm sure that'll come in a year or two.

lensky3

When will the Azera have Sat. Radio?

taz16

What will be the Azera class-size?

Full-size ex. Toyota Avalon, Chrysler 300, and Ford Five-Hundred
or
Near-luxury ex. Lexus ES 330, BMW 3 Series, Acura TL, and Infini G35
or
Luxury ex. Mercedes E-320, BMW 5 Series, Acura RL, and the Infini M35

navigator89

The Azera is definitely fullsize, a competitor to the Five Hundred, Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger, Toyota Avalon, Buick Lucerne and Kia Amanti, though there's no point in getting the Kia when the Hyundai has a better engine and features. Lexus ES330 is a possible competitor, although it is smaller.

No way is it close to the TL, G35 and 3 Series. They are all small sport sedans which the Azera is not.

And it's not close to the RL, 5 Series, E350, M35 because it doesn't have the brand name, doesn't have the sportiness, and it's way cheaper.

FYI - in 2008 or so Hyundai will introduce a RWD sport sedan to compete with the above mentioned cars.

jchan2

its main competitor is the Avalon, Lucerne, 300, Impala, Five Hundred, and the Amanti, which is now lame-duck since you can get the Azera with more features and a better engine, unless you really want that nice grille the Amanti has.

bwia

its main competitor is the Avalon, Lucerne, 300, Impala, Five Hundred, and the Amanti.

That's a blue collar, old and fat man class, except for the 300. I think the Azera should try to compete in the M-35 and Volvo S-80 class and shy away from the Avalon comparison.

averigejoe

...no point in getting the Kia ...?

One reason for getting the Kia Amanti would be if it is $6000 to $10000 lower in price than the Azera. Which is probably about where it will need to be to compete for shoppers looking for a similar sized front wheel drive car. $18000 for an Amanti and $26000 for the Azera after all incentives sounds about right for November and December this year.
Can you say rebates?