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Hyundai Azera 2006

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Comments

  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I haven't heard anything about this, so I don't know.
  • fdcapt2fdcapt2 Member Posts: 122
    I drive an '03 Acura TL, which is a great car, and was all set to buy the 2006 TL when it came out. But I've read so many bad posts about the 2004 and 2005 models, that I changed my mind, and was all set to buy the new Toyota Avalon. I fell in love with that car and I was sure I'd be driving one real soon. Then Hyundai goes and designs the Azera, which knocked me out when I saw the pictures, and read some early reviews. Now I'm not sure what to do. The Azera has all the bells and whistles, but will probably cost thousands of dollars less. I think the Azera even has some stuff that none of the other cars I mentioned have. I think it has a power tilt and scope wheel, power pedals, and a few other things I forget. With the positive strides that Hyundai is making, as well as keeping the 10 year/100,000 warranty, it's almost a no brainer as to which car to buy. So it's back to the search for my next car, but if things are as good as they say, the Azera will look nice in my driveway........ :confuse:
  • schuck1schuck1 Member Posts: 14
    What are the controls on the rear arm rest and will they be available on the US model?
  • schuck1schuck1 Member Posts: 14
    It would really be nice, since the dash is already built for the DVD screen, if they would see their way to put in NAV where the DVD screen is currently located. Seems like a minor change to me. After all, if you want to compete in the luxury class, you really need NAV and bluetooth/handsfree phone.
  • shiznanniganshiznannigan Member Posts: 8
    Over the course of a 4 hour drive on S. Korea's HWY 1 today, I saw at least 4 of these cars on the road, and no less than 4 trucks full of them... one of which I was lucky enough to stumble upon during a rest stop.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/shiznannigan/IMG_2440.jpg
    Side view.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/shiznannigan/IMG_2441.jpg
    The dual exhaust outlets are a nice touch.

    Hopefully the bandwith on my photobucket account holds out.

    The first thing that came to my mind was.... it's much smaller than I expected. It really doesn't look any larger than the new Sonata, even when they're very close together. (You can see the trunklid of one in the first picture... it's bigger than the Azera/Granduer's trunklid!) On it's own, you could tell me that it's the new Avante/Elantra 5-dr, and I'd believe it. Other than that, it looks great, even if styled a little closely to the aforementioned Elantra. Quite sporty looking, hopefully it has the performance to match. I still have trouble believing that it has more interior volume than an Avalon or 7-series, though.

    I'm sorry I wasn't able to get more pictures, but the Korean truck drivers get a little uneasy when U.S. military personnel start taking pictures of what they're carrying. ;)
  • shiznanniganshiznannigan Member Posts: 8
    of the Korean Version of this car, the Grandeur, is available here: http://grandeur.hyundai-motor.com/
    Click on the picture to get to the very nicely done flash site, which is even in (slightly broken) English. Your web browser may need to download a Hangul language pack. Also, I don't know if there will be any differences between the Grandeur and the Azera... I would suspect they would only be minor.

    Click on "Advent" for some nice interior shots. A few nice shots and details can also be found in the cheesy "PR Movie".
  • schuck1schuck1 Member Posts: 14
    In looking at the rear of the car, it appears to have the "backup" sensors embedded in the rear bumper. This is the first I have heard or seen anything about these. Are there anymore neat options that haven't been listed here? How about ventilated/Air Conditioned front seats? That would be nice. :-) Or sonar cruise control, run flat tires, heated rear seats, side sun shades ( I know of the rear window shade). Are all the windows the 1 touch up/down windows? My old Jag had those and they were very nice, along with an auto close feature on that was programmable in the keyless remote that would close all the windows and sunroof incase you noticed it was raining. VERY NICE!!!!
  • shiznanniganshiznannigan Member Posts: 8
    The backup sensors may be a Korea-only option. They're very popular on new cars here, and I think I've even seen them on a new Sonata.
  • duckiedduckied Member Posts: 52
    Hello. Today I attended the Sonata "Drive Your Way" Tour in Philadelphia. Surprisingly, the 2006 Azera was there. I got to sit in it and compared it to the Sonata. It's very fancy and luxurious inside, and seems like it has softer interior touches than the 2006 Sonata. Also, I think the Azera looks much better in person than it does in pictures, as with the 2006 Sonata.

    Some things I noticed:
    -huge trunk!
    -rear A/C vents
    -lots of rear leg room
    -nice rims, large tires
    -seat preset memory
    -more spacious than Sonata
    -wood steering wheel

    It was light green in color with a beige interior, and that's as much as I can remember.

    Hope this helps!
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    Duckied:

    In your opinion, how does the Azera compare to the 2005 Avalon Limited. I am in the market for a mid-level luxury sedan and I am eagerly awaiting the launch of the Azera. Since I am a current owner of a 2000 Avalon XLS, I am inclined to gravitate to the Toyota nameplate, but the "reimagined" Avalon does nothing for me.

    Aesthetically, the Azera is very pleasing to the eye, except for the front grille that looks 1980s-ish. What I am looking for is a car that is as quiet (or more quiet) than the Avalon, reliable, and with a powerful heater and AC unit. Is that too much to ask for in a $30K automobile?
  • duckiedduckied Member Posts: 52
    Bwia:

    To me the Avalon and Azera seem like very similar cars inside and out, although I haven't ever been inside an Avalon. Based on the 2006 Sonata, which is extremely quiet and smooth, I would expect that the Azera will be just as good, and probably even better. The reliability of Hyundai has greatly improved in the last couple of years, and with the 10 years/100,000 mile warranty and 5 years/unlimited roadside assistance the Azera should have a high reliability. The heater and A/C unit should work fine, as it does in my 2005 Elantra. When it arrives don't forget to try the power of the unit during a test drive. Also, the Azera has advanced safety features like rear side airbags and side curtains that other brands do not offer. Hope this helped!

    duckied
  • gerrytgerryt Member Posts: 6
    You can get an idea of what the Azera could have in it if you check out the Grandeur on Hyundai's Home page. Go to this link
    http://www.hyundai-motors.com and then select E-Catalog and then Grandeur (2005.06). They have the car loaded with everything including turn signals on the mirrors, heated seats front & rear, DVD-Navigation, Rear sensors and monitor, HID headlamps. The pictures are awesome and the information is extensive. Too bad I can't read Korean but there appears to be a lot more information here than you get on the average auto web page. If they don't bring the car over here loaded then they're making a big mistake if they expect to compete with Avalon and the ES 330. They can build the car with the bells and whistles but I think they may be afraid of the price point. After all the price point on the Kia Amanti is much higher than anything Kia's done before and they're not exactly flying out of the showroom. But I think that a loaded Azera would be very competitive and really show that Hyundai's going after the big boys. Check it out for yourself! :D
  • greginsalesgreginsales Member Posts: 1
    to my knowledge there is no option for reverse assist in the '06 sonata.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    are popular in foriegn countries where space is very tight. (like Korea) I wish we could get parking sonars on more cars...
  • danf1danf1 Member Posts: 897
    At my dealership, we will install rear sensors on any vehicle. They are very popular with the older generation as you can no longer see where your car ends.
  • shiznanniganshiznannigan Member Posts: 8
    I know parking assist isn't available in the U.S. model, that's why I pointed it out... I was saying that Korean models may differ in options/equipment from U.S. models. I actually saw parking assist on a SantaFe today too. As I said, it's a very popular option "overseas".
  • dcibrandodcibrando Member Posts: 90
    anyone know when the navis will be available in this or the sonata?
  • bigelmbigelm Member Posts: 995
  • dcibrandodcibrando Member Posts: 90
    hyundai parts depts are now receiving info on a hyundai navigation becoming available in mid-July!! :)
  • bigelmbigelm Member Posts: 995
    For the Sonata or the Azera?
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I see them on practically every car here in Hong Kong. (where I'm on vacation right now) even the SmartCars! :D
  • dcibrandodcibrando Member Posts: 90
    my guess is any hyundai vehicle
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    Here is what Business Week says about the $30,000 Azera.

    …The Azera, which rolls out in November, is something of a baby step [into the luxury segment]. Aimed at Avalon and Nissan Maxima drivers, the big sedan serves to show that Hyundai is capable of building a classy vehicle while still offering the decent price Americans have come to expect.

    Buyers get a lot for their 30 grand: eight air bags, a five-speed automatic transmission, and an aluminum 3.8-liter V6 engine that pumps out some 265 horsepower. The Azera also is loaded with all the upmarket extras: stability control, a premium sound system, rain-sensing wipers, and a telescoping steering wheel.

    Hyundai says it hopes eventually to sell 50,000 Azeras a year, a leap from the 17,000 annual sales its more pedestrian predecessor, the XG350, racks up.
  • fdcapt2fdcapt2 Member Posts: 122
    The article you are talking about contains some statements made by me, after I was contacted by a reporter from Business Week. She read one of my posts here, and wanted my perspective on the Azera. As you can see by the article, I'm very impressed with this car. It will be for sale near Thanksgiving, and I'm hoping that it will be everything it's supposed to be.....and maybe more

    John
  • dcibrandodcibrando Member Posts: 90
    anyone know exactly when US dealers will be receiving the Azera? I hear navi's and xm radio will be available for sonatas then too :)
  • danf1danf1 Member Posts: 897
    Word has it that we will get the cars starting in late October or early November.
  • fdcapt2fdcapt2 Member Posts: 122
    According to one of Hyundai's Exec's, near Thanksgiving
  • shadow99688shadow99688 Member Posts: 209
    Dealer here says they will have 1 car in august then get more in September.
  • schuck1schuck1 Member Posts: 14
    I was just wondering what the United States Azera's will have as standard and optional equipment. It would be great to get the Korean Grandeur in the US as the navigation, rear sonar sensors, DVD system, and other options would be great. But, the front DVD from a production built car I believe is illegal in the US. Anyway, it would be great if we could get the complete list of standard and optional features and maybe "delayed options" if there are any.
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    Will the Azera have H.I.D. bi-Xenon headlamps?
  • sandpapersandpaper Member Posts: 60
    I wouldn't anticipate things like navigation, rear sonar sensors, dvd system, etc. standard or even offered as an option. The navigation system - maybe, since apparently the Sonata will get it as an option in 06/07.

    The reasoning behind this is that in 2007, Hyundai plans to unveil a RWD luxury sedan to test the market for a luxury Korean sedan. Since the Azera is supposed to be priced around 26k-30k, I'd expect the RWD sedan to be priced around 35k. Thus, Hyundai wouldn't want the Azera and the planned RWD sedan to overlap and compete with each other.

    In Korea, even the Sonata has navigation, rear sonata senors, dvd system, etc.
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    Very good point, but Hyundai is planning a 2008 rollout of the new RWD luxury sedan to compete the M45 and Audi A6.

    Complicating this decision and one Hyundai is struggling with is whether it should set up a new luxury division, a la Lexus and Infinti, or to make the new sedan its flagship. Either way, the acceptance of that will depend on the Azera. If the Azera turns out to be as good as it purports to be, then the transition to a luxury line will be flawless, perhaps.
  • choe13choe13 Member Posts: 348
    The rumors are true but in better detail, hyundai after its 7th car the 2007 elantra off its plan, will go ahead with its 8th which will undoubtly be the car that will shake off any rumors that hyundai cannot compete with the likes of Honda and Toyota and actually join these companies reputations , the 2008 Hyundai Coupe which closely resembles their concept hd8c.

    It will be a RWD, flawless design of a true sports car, 0-60 close in about 5-5.4 seconds with other innovative add ons

    After this car, like most of you guys have written, depending heavily on the success of the Azera, a RWD car their 9th name tba will roll out as their luxury RWD car, positioned to be bigger than the sonata but smaller than the azera.

    Big things will come out of hyundai in the next couple of years
  • sandpapersandpaper Member Posts: 60
    bwia, where did you hear about the rwd sedan competing with the a6 and m45?

    choe, where did you hear about the rwd being larger than the sonata but smaller than the azera?

    Personally, I think the first is more likely. Positioning a vehicle which is smaller than an Azera,larger than a Sonata yet pricing it higher than an Azera would be disasterous, in my opinion. Even with the Sonata and the Azera, the line between them are very thin and the higher model Sonata's will probably compete with the lower model Azera's. This is similar to the Camry-Avalon and Accord-TL relationship.

    Also, from the best of my knowledge, the RWD sedan will be the next generation Korean-market Equus sedan, which is a large model with a 4.5 V8.

    I do hope they create a luxury brand - soon - but after 2010. 2010 is the year Hyundai wants to sell 1 million vehicles. Only if they have met this goal should they pursue another division.
  • choe13choe13 Member Posts: 348
    rumor came out of korean auto mag, spy

    btw the 9th vehicle if it will come out, would be a 2008-2009 vehicle, and will not be the next equus. If you think about it, there is no way hyundai has that sort of reputation by 2008 to be able to sell say a 40-50 grand car much like the 7 series or A8, which ultimately what the equus is in korea. Even 5 grand cheaper or so, it would not be smart. A reputation like that takes a long time to build.

    What hyundai though wants to aim for is a car of the size of the bmw 5 series, priced just above the azera that will be competatively priced(bmw 3 price for a bmw5). I think personally that is a great idea, and i don't understand your rebuttal of why it wouldn't work. It would be gloriously luxurious, and try hard to compete for a spot in the market(why get a TL when you can get a bigger and cheaper RWD car)

    A accord-TL , accord-avalon makes dearly no sense beacuse in hyundais case, it would be more like altima - M45, which there is a thick line of differences.

    If this new luxury division is successful then like you said the equus would come in.
  • toyunkitoyunki Member Posts: 25
  • plasmid4plasmid4 Member Posts: 7
    I just came back from vacation from Korea, and had the opportunity to spend 3 weeks in an Azera. First impression: wow, impressive car. The interior is huge, and very comfortable. Rear seat has a fold down center console with controls for seat heater, radio/DVD/TV/Navi control, and something else... I think.. I can't remember. Front seats are VERY comfortable, and the front dash had a screen for DVD/TV/radio/navigation. There is also hands free telephone in the car. (the car has its own number). There is also a plug hole for connecting cell phones to the car. The car ride was extremely quiet and smooth...a la Lexus...and the car accelerates with power and smoothness. there was dual chrome exhausts, HID, turn markers on side view mirrors. Looks alot better in person than what the pictures show. If it really sells for $30k, it is a steal. Since its still pretty new in korea, the car was getting ALOT admiring looks from strangers, and there were many instances where they came over to talk about the car.

    sorry about my rambling... i'm still jet-lagged and tired.
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    plasmid4, very good report. It seems Hyundai has a hit on its hands. In terms of pricing, is the Grandeur competively priced in Korea? What would that translate to in the U.S?

    One more question, what about the NHV and fit and finish is it Lexus like? Once again thanks for feeding our anticipation. I have never been at a Hyundai dealership but hope dealers will treat Azera customers attentively providing with loaners etc.
  • plasmid4plasmid4 Member Posts: 7
    Price I'm not sure... elsewhere in an earlier post someone posted a link to a korean site that did have a price on it in korean Won... I think it said around W36000000... which i think translates to around 36k dollars. But i think that price is for the base car, so the one I rode in (larger engine, fully loaded) prob. costs more than 40k dollars. I dont know what NHV stands for... but fit and finish is absolutely solid. I've driven and rode in several MB and Lexus and BMWs.. and I'd say the car's fit and finish was just as good as those cars. Honestly, I was never a hyundai fan until I saw this car.
    Only one negative to the car is that there is a bit too much plastic up in the front dash... kinda like the new MB M-class's dash... all that plastic. But that is nit-picking, because overall i like the interior of the car.
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    Sorry about that plasmid4, "NHV" stands for Noise, Harshness and Vibration.

    I was concerned more about wind noise though, due to glass thickness or lack thereof. Many factors can contribute to harshness including, shocks, springs and wheels. The size of the engine contributes to vibration, but since the Azera is equipped with a 3.8-litre V-6 engine and (presumably) use sound deadening material in the engine compartment, I think negative vibration should be minimal.

    Once again great report!
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    Remember how the Korean version of Azera (Grandeur) looked a little
    different from the front?
    I went to www.hyundai-motor.com and it seems they changed it to the
    version we'll see in the states.
    Let me show you how I did it. It's much easier than it sounds.
    You'll need Macromedia Flash player for this.

    1. click here first.
    2. See the large picture? (That's Azera, BTW) At left bottom, it says
    "showroom" in English.
    3. Move the mouse to it (no clicking), then the menu appears(not a pop-up).
    4. Under "passenger cars", you'll see "Grandeur." Click that.
    5. A pop-up opens and menu on the left is actually in English.
    (maybe it's just me, but you might need to click the "grandeur" on top left corner
    of the pop-up window the first time - figuring this out took me a while. :P )
    6. Click the menus (especially exterior and interior) and play around. Of course
    you won't understand Korean explanations (or whatever they are), but they've
    got good number of quality pics.

    NOTE: In "exterior" page, they have rear views separately. Click Korean letters
    right above the right arrow sign (bottom right), it'll take you to rear views.

    ALSO, the "color & line up" page takes a while to load.

    LASTLY, they must be using Sonata engines for Korean version of the Azera.
    (Maybe you knew that already)

    That's it~ Enjoy. ;)

    P.S. You can take the same steps to look at other models. Just choose a
    different model on step 4. I'm impressed with more upscale looking Sonata,
    so check that out if you're interested.
  • siasia1siasia1 Member Posts: 1
    nop~!!! 1030won = 1dollar, so 36000000won = 34951dollar, but it contains 8% special tax, 3% else tax and 10% sell tax,, so 22% tax,,, well,, it's price is under 30k, :)
  • choe13choe13 Member Posts: 348
    alot of good threads guys. I think this car will be the want to be the luxury car that could.
    Alot of general folks maybe turned off by hyundai or this new car, but one test drive and they mite not know what hit their feelings.

    It will challenge the Avalon, fusion, Milan, Lacrosse and could even pry some TL, BMW 3, Audi A4 shoppers too who dont' care about name as much as luxury and size.

    If i was like 35 or a corporate man, i would seriously want one of these
  • schuck1schuck1 Member Posts: 14
    It appears to me that the Korean version of the Azera has basically what everyone wants in the US. Hands free phone, DVD navigation, front and rear seat heat controls, sonar backup sensors, and on and on. Instead it is my understanding that the US version won't have a lot of these bells and whistles. I can understand the front seat DVD being used to watch DVD's but that is a minor change. Jaguar did it through software and made the screen only for navigation. Now, that being said, lets convince Hundai to import the rest of the options as they do in Korea!!

    Steve
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    All those electroic and secondary parts would creep up the price.
    To make sure Azera stays considerably cheaper than competition, they'd have
    to cut corners whereever they can.
    Also, since Hyundai is obsessed with quality, they might be afraid to put in so
    many features that can cause so many little annoying problems. And that won't
    help JD Power ratings. :P
    My guess is that they will use Korean market as testbeds and see if they can
    contain any possible long-term defaults. Then, they can start selling cars with
    more accessory features.

    Just my opinion...
  • choe13choe13 Member Posts: 348
    in korea the azera is their bmw 7 series car in comparison. So those options are needed for different kinds of buyers. In north america hyunday will compete with the avalon and acura TL and have to stay priced under them, even their top of the line compared to the competition. However if sales go well, i will hope that those options in a year or two could be offered(btw in korea theres no way of a clean parking 60 percen t of the time, so a rear sensor is a serious thing)
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    I get what you mean, but it's hardly BMW7 series even in Korea.
  • choe13choe13 Member Posts: 348
    Trust me bro, it is like the bmw7(or closest thing to it now)

    They also have other cars like the equuas , the chariman etc. and though they are RWD, they are very poor executed RWD cars.

    Alot of big business people who prefer hyundai, will buy this car now. Though alot of koreans still love the actual bmw 7's and e class cars
  • sandpapersandpaper Member Posts: 60
    It is very true that the Grandeur is very popular and well-respected in South Korea. The 'Grandeur' nameplate is iconic in it's reputation.

    You have to realize that most wealthy Korean businessmen do not drive their own vehicles - they are usually driven to and from their destinations by chauffeurs. Therefore, vehicles like the Equus are much more desirable due to their larger passenger space (assumption).

    And you have to take into account Korean's obsession with class and rank. The Equus is a higher range car, and therefore will automatically be preferred over the Grandeur.

    It's kind of interesting how in Korea, Hyundai competes head to head with these higher end marques. I think Hyundai definitely needs a separate luxury marque - if not in the US - definitely in Korea.
  • sandpapersandpaper Member Posts: 60
    http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200508/kt2005080320031011870.htm

    According to the Korea Times, the Grandeur XG is now the bestseller in Korea. In Korea, both the current gen XG and the next gen Azera are sold side by side. The current XG is called Grandeur and the next gen Azera is called the Grandeur XG in Korea.

    The Grandeur XG sold 8,549 units, in comparison to No. 2 (Samsung SM7) with 1,667 units.

    Also, it is said the Grandeur XG took away sales from higher-end level Sonata sedans as the Grandeur was released.

    Meanwhile, sales of lower-end models such as the Verna, Avante, Kalos, and Click all slid due to the "rich get richer and poor get poorer" phenomenom currently taking hold in Korea.
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