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Ultimate: $64,500 + $900 destination
So if you want to pay more for a name be my guest.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I have no doubt Hyundai will sell all the Equuii it wants to in the US--the sales targets are reasonable for a new and very expensive car. But I don't think Hyundai has created an equal for the S Class and 7 Series yet. Maybe an equal to the LS. If so, I think that is a great start, especially given the price differential.
BTW, I was one of the many who had problems with Azera and finally dumped it. Tried three 2009-10 Genesis models and even with special discounts just couldn't see buying it.
In 4-5 years will be looking again and will check out Equus to see where it is, but not there now.
Hyundai is trying hard, but needs a better product line at the upper levels.
Honestly...until you actually go look at the Equus, you can't say they aren't there yet. I spent some time inside of an Equus (pre-production) and it was extremely high quality all the way around. From the suede headliner, supple leather and real wood trim. Everything in and about the car screamed luxury that would expect from the likes of Benz or Lexus.
Trust and believe...Hyundai has arrived, it's just a matter of people accepting & admitting it.
Have requested info. from Think Tank on one being shown in this area, but apparently no plans to do so.
So I have to base my opinion on what Hyundai has on its website, website and magazine reviews and Think Tank. Some reviewers agree with me.
Based on October new car sales, I don't think the Genesis is threatening M-B, BMW, Audi, or Lexus. Maybe Acura, Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln but doubt it. It has succeeded in making its own small niche in its price/performance/equipment bracket.
People have not accepted it yet.
I saw the Motoweek review on PBS and they were very lukewarm about the Equus. They were turned off by its exterior styling (too boxy and staid) and they complained about the interior's cheap plastics for a car at this price point. They thought the interior did not have a unified design theme and the analog clock looked out of place.
Frankly, from what I read on this thread and elsewhere I was expecting more. Instead I was assaulted with a dated mid 1990's design posing as a modern luxury automobile. As to comparison with the 7 series or the S class, the Equus is two iterations away and lags the Audi A-8 by a considerable distance.
Equus review on MotorWeek
Not completely 100% positive, but not as negative as the tone of your post implies.
I had the opportunity to sit in one last winter at the Chicago Auto show. I can't say that the Equus interior was any "cheaper" than any other luxury car that I had sat in at the show. Did Hyundai change the interior material since then?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
* They think the exterior styling is too conservative. Well, everyone's tastes are different. Many people like conservative styling in their sedans. But in the next sentence, they say the car "exudes sophistication" and note its "presidential profile". Doesn't sound like damning statements to me.
* They seem to like the interior overall (they write at length about the seating accommodations) but note "plain gauges, an abundance of hard plastics, and the unremarkable face of the analog clock". Another reviewer might praise the plain gauges for their simplicity and visibility. Note they didn't say "cheap plastics", but "hard plastics"--as every other car south of a Rolls or Bentley has these days. Maybe they'd like Roman numerals on the clock.
* Ride/handling wise, they say it's better than the Lexus LS, but not as good as the German competition. So there's room for improvement, but not too shabby for a first effort, to better one of the class standards.
The main negative they raise is the prestige angle, which is getting pretty old, ala: "It has a Hyundai badge." Oh, really? What a surprise! I thought it was a Packard or something.
If someone can't get past the badge, they won't give the Equus the time of day. There's buyers (like the tens of thousands who have bought a Genesis) who have gotten past the badge. Maybe someday car reviewers will review the CAR, not the piece of chromed metal on the trunk lid. Otherwise maybe we should change the name of some of these publications, e.g. BadgeWeek, Badge & Driver, and Badge Trend.
I have sat in the new Equus (pre-production) and from my point of view, the car is lovely inside. I've been inside Mercedes, Bimmers and Lexus sedans and to be honest...I feel that the interior of the Equus can stand up to them. Folks just have a hard time swallowing the fact the Koreans are capable of producing fine cars like the Germans & Japanese.
It's amazing how a few folks that post in the forums are quick to be negative about a Hyundai, but when you actually drive one out in the real world...the response is just utterly positive. The usual response, "Is that really a Hyundai?" Then when they actually get a chance to ride in or drive one, "I can't believe that Hyundai made this."
Then there's the expectation that it's supposed to ride & handle like a BMW, Benz or Lexus just because it's a luxury car. The fact that a reviewer stated it rode better than the Lexus LS, it's still not good enough because it's not better than the Benz or BMW. Everyone will have their nits to pick, but the fact that it's up there period...should be good enough. Bottom line...go test drive one for self and see if it fits in the line of how a luxury car should feel on the road.
* Wear items like brakes are included in the 5 year/60k warranty. That seems pretty exceptional. Are there any other brands that have an all-inclusive 5-year/60k warranty?
* The seatbelt tugs on you if you fail to react to the other lane-departure warnings. The electronic wizardry in today's cars boggles the mind...
Hyundai is starting to learn what it takes to be taken seriously.
Big Bang Theory: Hyundai Juicing Up V8, Prepping Loads of Cool Fuel-Saving Tech
But the question was, what other makers are offering a 5/60 all-inclusive warranty.
They mentioned suspension and engine as issues. Suspension just seems to keep showing up in Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
Per the article, the "base" price is $58,900. Interesting how the price continues to go up. If I remember correctly, it was originally supposed to sell for less than 50K?
1) Not enough power for this class. That will be remedied in 2011 with the 5.0L Tau with 429 hp.
2) Suspension. Specifically:
On Hyundai's high-speed 6-mile oval, the Equus was borderline frightening to drive at 120 mph. As Lago noted, "[The Equus] got downright nervous in excess of 100 mph. Felt floaty in places the competition didn't even notice.
Conclusion: if someone plans on driving his/her luxocruiser above 100 mph, the Equus is not a good choice.
3) Back seat footrest--someone over 5'5" would bump their feet on the front seat. Note the footrest is only on the up-level Ultimate trim they tested. The "base" trim doesn't have that. Unless you plan on being chauffeured around, the base trim at $58k is probably the better choice.
BTW, I don't recall the base price of the Equus ever being officially noted as being under $50k. Might have been some wishful thinking you saw? Here's what MT said about the Equus' price (and they tested the fully-loaded car)--emphasis added by me:
That's how the automaker can sell a car with $100,000 worth of features for just $65,400.
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_co- ntenders_and_finalists/hyundai_equus.html#ixzz17BMpNLG6
P.S. The new 5 Series and Infiniti M (and the Avalon) were "only" Contenders also, like the Equus... for shame, for shame!!
My favorites:
• Infiniti M56X, the seats are the best I've sat in and everything is just well laid out. The exterior styling is forgettable though.
• Lincoln MKS, wow! Big, powerful, refined and full of technology...it even reads text messages.
• Jeep Grand Cherokee--without a doubt, the best designed and refined SUV out there. The fit and finish and quality of materials are beyond anything Chrysler, or for that matter any manufacture has offered before.
Buzz:
• Nissan Leaf -- smaller than expected, the car was locked so we could not touch the console or surface material quality. Nice cockpit and well laid-out though.
• Chevy volt -- looks good from a distance as we couldn't get near enough to touch it.
• Cadillac CTS-V -- I saw middle age men salivating over themselves
• Chevy Camaro -- In lime green it raised the testosterone level of teen boys about 20-fold
• Kia Optima -- best new exterior styling this year. The proportions look perfect
Disappointments:
• Hyundai Equus -- looks bloated and lethargic, dated styling inside and out. High quality materials on door and seating surfaces.
• Honda and Lexus -- nothing new, generic styling, in short boring cars.
• Low gas mileage on most vehicles, 17/24 mpg seemed to be the norm
Surprises:
• Very large crowd at the 5-day show, although we are supposed to be in a recession. Oops! I forgot, the recession is over according to Bernanke.
• Hyundai had the most impressive display and line-up of vehicles. It has emerged as a top manufacturer with admirable styling and dependable vehicles competing in every segment. From the entry level Accent to the Elentra (new and full with standard features) to the hybrid Sonata to the mid-luxury Genesis sedan/Coupe and to the ultimate in luxury the Equus. In 20 short years Hyundai has turned the auto industry upside down.
When car was first mentioned as being planned to come to US, prices were estimated to be under $50,000. Of course, this was about 3 years ago.
My personal interpretation of the comment on suspension is that if MT had a concern at 100 MPH in their short review, it would be indicative of concerns for many at much lower speeds.
It is a very good car when price is considered. But it is not the perfect car.
If price were no consideration, I'd get a Rolls Royce Ghost. From what I've read about it, it seems like heaven on wheels.
If MT has a concern about the Equus' handling below 100 mph (i.e. at speeds mere mortals drive), I am sure they would have said something. They might have even pulled out Ralph Nader's famous phrase: "unsafe at any speed."
Wow. That's a LOT of [non-permissible content removed] kicking. (wink)
Or did you mean, people driving around on city streets or highways (in the USA) at 100+ mph should have their a$$e$ kicked?
I recall one review saying the suspension of the Equus falls between that of a BMW & a Lexus. For the life of me...how can that not equate to a pretty good suspension???
Edvig
The Azera doesn't ride nearly as smoothly as the Toyota Avalon.
The Equus was a grey Ultimate trim, black interior, $65k and fully loaded. The car certainly looked every inch the luxo-cruiser, and the rear seemed to be a real nice place to hunker down on a long trip. But it seemed impractical for all but executives who want to be driven around by someone else, with the big center console in back. A nice flagship for Hyundai, more for "look what we can do" vs. sales numbers. Also it gives them a platform to introduce new features into its cars that could eventually trickle down to lower-priced cars.
An impressive vehicle, but I was more attracted to the more mundane but practical Elantras and Sonatas on the showfloor. And one could buy all three of them--Sonata Limited, Elantra Touring SE, and Elantra Limited sedan--for the price of the Equus.
Long Term Tester Blog for Equus