New Hyundai Azera Owners Experiences

msazzyindc · September 2007

Like I said earlier....take the car for a test drive.

gamleged · September 2007

"Unfortunately here in Canada the Azera is priced even higher than the Accord (38,195 vs 34,990 - both fully loaded before navigation), and Hyundai discounts even less than Honda !

I really envy you Americans always getting a better deal!"

So, cross the southern border, buy American... um, buy Korean in America, drive back home, save the big bucks, especially with the Loonie flying high!... :shades:

sergio19 · September 2007

I would've bought mine in the USA but the warranty would be void as soon as I cross the border.

I too am from Canada and bought the Azera after have tried the following cars:
Acura TL
G35
Avalon
Maxima
Altima
325i
Sonata
Camry
Accord
Passat

I tried the Azera last after going to see and test drive the Sonata. (Hyundai wasn't really on my list) I had NEVER seen or heard of the Azera. It was there looking at me in the show room.
Came home did a search on Azera (That's how I found this place). After lots of reading I Called the Salesman the next day for a test drive. Drove back and said to the Salesman "Are my papers ready to sign?"

Of course they weren't...I was soo impressed by the ride and confort especially how quiet it was at 75MPH. I was sold at the test drive. I never expected it!

Anyways, good luck in your purchase

scbob · September 2007

I really enjoy my Azera, but before buying read the review by Chrisitan Wardlaw at the Autobytel website. http://www.autobytel.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/article_pag- e_order_int/2/article_id_int/2050.
Then read the Front End topic at this site.
Then try it over some rough roads. Mine was built in Nov. 2006 and I am planning on getting the front shocks replaced.
However, I still like it better than the Acura TL, G35 and Lexus ES and GS models I tested.

donrw · September 2007

I read that article some time ago and agree with it. You indicate shock replacement soon, I feel that there is a problem with all 4 shocks. My sense is that at times, over rough pavement all 4 shocks bounce off the pavement as in a worn shock.
Do you feel it is only the front shocks with a problem?
Don

scbob · October 2007

Not sure, but I will start with what Hyundai will pay for. Haven't got the new ones yet, but finished a 650 mile R/T through parts of SC, NC, TN and GA and back to SC. Different route all the way.
Roads in GA and TN are far superior to SC and NC. In GA and TN, car rode like a dream on their smooth roads.
On rough roads, it bounces and you can feel it in the seat back. Of course, I'm an old guy with a slight back problem, so I feel everything in my back. Surprisingly coming back mostly in TN, GA and little in SC, my back didn't hurt at all.
Still prfer the Azera to anything else out there.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE:436
Try a Bentley.

scbob · October 2007

Maybe I should have added under $40,000.

floridabob1 · October 2007

Oh!

oskidunker1 · October 2007

Is there a tone when fuel is low? I have run in pretty close to empty and found when I fill up, there is not much margin for error. In my Audi there always seemed to be 1 couple of gallons even when the "E" was flashing and the tone had been on.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE:440
No tone on my car, but light comes on.
There are still at least 2-3 gallons still in tank.

harrytdd · October 2007

I am a recent purchaser of an '07 Azera and after 980 miles, I have found a grossly inaccurate fuel gauge. Using the tripometer as my reference point, I refueled twice after driving approx. 225 miles... all highway driving. Without topping, but filling to an even dollar, I bought almost 6 gallons once, and almost 10 gallons another time. I do not believe that I was able to get 37 mpg once and almost 23 mpg another time. This will be an item for the service dept., in addition to the suspension clunking on bad pavement.

hjc1 · October 2007

I noticed problems also but I think I found the problem.
I seems that the shut off setting at some stations cut off the fuel too soon...probably EPA regs about not spilling gas.
At times I can add 2 more gallons of gas after shut off.
I'm very happy with my gas mileage. After a 4000 mile trip I averaged 28.8 mpg with 70% highway and 30% city. I simply gassed up normally and took starting mileage ending mileage and divided by total gallons of gas.

harrytdd · October 2007

On both occasions, the refueling was done at the same gas station, but may have been at a different pump. I will remain vigilant.

harrytdd · October 2007

I have opened an account at the HMA service and wanted to print up an official-looking TSB to show my dealer's service dept. However, I cannot find an archival index to find TSB 07-50-007. Can anyone help?

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE:443
If you achieved 28.8 mpg on your trip, you should be celebrating. That average is higher than most owners are getting and is higher than estimated milage on Hyundai Azera window sticker.

hjc1 · October 2007

I guess I'm just a good driver.. :=)
I always driver with an egg between my foot and the gas pedal ... :=)
seriously I've been very happy with mileage and I was surprised with the results. I had an 04 xg350 and got similar mileage

cobrazera · October 2007

The past EPA ratings have used a multiplier in order to reduce the fuel economy ratings from what they actually achieved during their tests. They did this because the leadfooted ( average ) drivers in this country have been unable to come close to past economy ratings. So getting higher than the highway EPA rating is attainable ( at legal speeds, anyway ).
The new EPA test will more closely approximate real world conditions with more rapid accelerations and speeds, as well as actually running the A/C.
That said, though, I checked my Azera highway mileage while at a 70MPH cruise ( level highway, A/C on, no wind ) by resetting the mileage readout and got a 29.8MPG average reading after a 5 mile test. The car will do pretty good at cruise, then. Mix in some city and suburban driving and the mileage plummets, though.
My overall mileage after 10 months of driving is 21.6, and that's with very little stop and go city driving.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE:447
That seems more like it.
My Azera, which does mostly city driving gets about 18 mpg.
The sales manager at local dealership tells me that most customers advise him of similar usage.

msazzyindc · October 2007

Saturday driving to school I saw two Azera Limited's woo hoo! One White one Tan. Mine is still cuter

I'm mad that they were holding up the fast lane so I had to show them how to open the car up...LOL

scbob · October 2007

Cruise control always gets better mileage than any driver. The computer can adjust much quicker than we can go from eyes to foot.
If I am not going to change speed for five miles or more, I set the cruise.
Interestingly the new EPA MPG's are compatible with what Consumer Reports has been reporting for years.

royalty · October 2007

Well I finally got fed up with my Hyundai Azera Limited and traded it in. The horrible seat had caused so many problems with my back that my doctor suggested I get rid of the car. I have replaced it with a new 2008 Honda Accord and am amazed at the difference. Much better seats. Gimmicks in the Hyundai (stereo, rear sunshade, rain sensing wipers) are now replaced with solid engineering. The difference is amazing. Wonderfully supportive seats with side bolsters. Better ride with none of the rattles and clunks that the Azera exhibited. I only wish I had bought the Honda Accord to start with as they gave me a HORRIBLE TRADE-IN. The Azera lost $6,500 in just a few weeks. I can just imagine how much it would have depreciated over a few years. I know the Honda will hold its value much better but it doesn't matter as I intend to keep the Honda for many, many years as it is just too nice car to part with. Gorgeous styling, beautiful interior, great voice-activated navigation, great stereo (through only 6 speakers and a subwoofer) which doesn't buzz in the trunk like the Hyundai. Quiet, comfortable ride. I could go on and on but I now understand why Hyundai's are sold so cheap. It's because compared to Honda's, they are.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE: 452
Just think, if your doctor told you to get rid of your Azera, you should get a tax deduction of your loss as a medical expense.

dborth · October 2007

Re 452. Whatever you do royalty, under doctor's orders or not tell us what you really think...don't hold back.

drdonrs · October 2007

Wow! Everybody's back is different. I drove Acura TL's for years(6 of them)and both my wife and I had always had our backs snipe at us. My son has an 07 Accord and I can't sit comfortably for any length of time. Our Azzy, is without any doubt, the most comfortable car I have ever driven and that includes Acura TL's and Legend, Sterling, Maxima, Diamante, Chrysler New Yorker, and assorted Buick Electras to name a few. I also take "umbrage" with your trashing the Azera, you are in the minority. Anyway good luck with your new toy.
Don

oskidunker1 · October 2007

The Azera has the most comfortable seat I have ever had. Have driven Audi's for the last 20 years. I will say,however, you need to get the seat adjusted just right. For a while I had the seat back reclined to far and had back pain. I remembered when I first got the car I had locked in a setting that was very comfortable. My son had driven the car and moved the seat. When I went back to the original setting the pain went away and it has been fine for the last few weeks. More upright back with this seat is better. 2007 Azera. No rattles, no noise of any kind. Fabulous car.

pahefner01 · October 2007

It seems this post would be more appropriate on the Honda Accord forum.

In my opinion and my wife's opinion the driver's seat and the passenger's seats in the Azera are much more comfortable than the seats in her former Accura, the upscale version of the Honda line.

garym1j · October 2007

Same experience. My dealer also failed to remove the rubber covering on chrome strips. Too busy putting on his license tag advertisement and sticker. (I had them take both off. I need to be paid of advertising.)

garym1j · October 2007

No, you are not alone. Brandon Hyundai, Brandon, FL missed it also. They also missed the rubber covering for chrome strips. Oh, well.

colloquor · October 2007

Trade-in any new car within a couple months of purchase, and you will lose money every time.

allmet33 · October 2007

Honestly, it sounds to me like you were simply looking for an excuse. I guess you couldn't take the pressure of those around you questioning your decision to purchase the Azera to begin with. If you had a dollar for every time one of your friends or family members said, "A Hyundai??? REALLY???" You would probably have been able to pay cash for it, huh? LOL

Looking at the Honda Accord, not sure exactly what is so gorgeous about it. It doesn't have the lines like a Benz, Audi or anything of that ilke. Gorgeous has never been a word to describe an Accord with. It is a bit edgier than past Accords, but still...rather safe.

The front end suspension noise is an issue that only existed in the early 2006 Azeras, so not quite sure what you were hearing.

Funny how you're quick to call the wonderful standard features that come with the Azera Limited gimmicks, but yet...I'm sure they played a big part in your decision to purchase the Azera initially.

You're about the only person I've ever heard say that the ride in the Azera is not quiet or comfortable. Heck, even the car magazine reviews give the Azera high marks on comfortable ride.

As far as your comments on being cheap...WHOA!!! Put your bitterness aside for a minute, swallow your pride and really take a look at the Azera. The way the car is made and put together, it's actually a value because it's definitely better than the price would indicate.

Not sure what price you paid for your Azera, but I would guess around $27,800, taking a $6500 loss really isn't that far off. I mean...as soon as you drive any car off the lot, the value depreciates 20% off the bat. If I'm close on the price, the hit you took was around 23%. In perspective...considering it was a Hyundai, that's not bad at all!!!

Happy motoring! :P

derrelhgreen · October 2007

One thing you forget, ask him to bring it around and perhaps see how fast it is.
I'll be betting on your H for sure.

I wonder how much those high-end Hondas are before tax and license when compared
to what people are paying for a fully equipped Limited with an MSRP of $31.4K?

The '08 Accords have been out for a relatively short time and I'm sick of seeing 'em already.

Here in Southern California, it is possible to go for several days without seeing any Azeras.

allmet33 · October 2007

LOL Nah...I would have no joy in picking on his "gorgeous" Accord.

Considering what he gave up in his Azera, he paid more dearly than just the $6500 he lost in depreciation. I mean...to get an Accord equipped nearly as well as the Azera, he's easily looking at $30K+.

I've only seen a few of the '08 Accords here in the DC area, even though they do look better, I'm still not impressed with them. Went to Chicago this past weekend (Friday to Monday) and I only saw a grand total of 2 Azeras between Breezewood, PA up to Chicago and back.

Sorta makes one feel we are in an exclusive club.

royalty · October 2007

Forgive my bitterness. Getting low balled on the trade-in value from the dealer that I bought it from was insulting. His telling me how low he could have sold it to me for and using that as an excuse did not help. I will say I really did like my Azera - look at my earlier posts. I enjoyed the roominess, the power, the silky smoothness of the throttle and trans, the stereo, the turn signals in the mirrors, etc, etc. There were so many things I liked that I found it hard to believe the seats were causing my back pain. I also found so many people that LIKED the seats and found them to be most comfortable that it confused me. I took a ride in the Sonata and found the Sonata leather seats to be more comfortable, more supportive and more adjustable than the Azera's. It was when the dealer told me how much money it would cost me to trade DOWN to the Sonata that I got ticked. If there had been any way to get the seats comfortable in the Azera I would still be driving it. Most car upholstery shops do not want to touch any new cars as the seats have air bags and/or sensors in them and they are scared to mess with those. I added bolsters, padding, you name it in an attempt to work around the discomfort but nothing cured it. I LOVED the upright seats in my XG350L with the long cushions and wish I had kept that car but that is water under the bridge. Everyones back is different. Everyones comfort and discomfort levels are different. I look back on the seats in my old Saturn and they were horrible but I put up with that for 10 years as I didn't know any better and I had less income so I could not make a change. I am wiser now and I realize my very bad back needs a certain kind of support in a seat which unfortunately was not the kind used in the Azera. It also is not the kind found in most new cars as I sat and drove a LOT of different cars searching for good seats in a nice car. What's funny is the seats in the 2008 Mazda Miata were quite comfortable FOR ME. Not sure if they would be for everyone and that was absolutely not the car I was seeking but I test drove it just to see. The seats in the Saturn Aura were pretty close to what I sought and the engine and trans were great but the rest of the car was cheap, cheap, cheap. Again, it is all in the driver and what they seek in a car. The Azera rattles I mentioned were in the passenger seat which was in three times to the dealer for repair and was never resolved. I know there are many Azera fans on this forum and I was one of them (with the exception of the uncomfortable and rattling seats). The Azera is clearly superior to previous Hyundai cars. It is amazing the progress Hyundai has made and I wish each and every Hyundai owner good luck and enjoyment with their car.

royalty · October 2007

Good idea! I may try it.

royalty · October 2007

No. I made the purchase myself. No one around me questions me on my purchases. My mistake was not driving the car long enough to notice the problems.

I think the Azera is a good looking car. The bulges on the rear quarter panels set it apart from other cars. I liked the styling on it the very first time I saw it, either in pictures or in person. I also like the styling on the new Accord. Honda finally went with some aggressive styling which works very well on the coupe. I like the edgy styling. Note: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Forgive me for calling some of the options gimmicks. I think my problem was I did not use a lot of them. The sunshade I used occasionally. The turn signals in the mirror were nice from a safety standpoint. The memory seats/mirrors/pedals were nice if there were other divers in my household but there are not so that feature was not used. I really liked the radio. The speed with which it read an MP3 filled disc was VERY nice (try some other so-called MP3 capable radios in other makes and you will see what I mean). I liked these options initially but realize afterwards that they were not critical to the operation of the car. I should have refrained from calling them "gimmicks".

I paid $26,500 which I thought was a good deal. Finding out afterwards I could have bought it for $24,200 at the same dealership was a bitter pill to swallow. Getting offered $20K for it was insulting. I know a car loses a lot of value after purchase but $6,500 in a few weeks? 25% depreciation? Ouch. Hyundais do NOT hold their value. Great if you keep the car forever but hurts if you trade-in every few years.

allmet33 · October 2007

I'm sorry to hear that seat comfort was the reason you had to let the Azera go.

I agree with you in that Honda finally gave the Accord "some" edge, but in my opinion...still not enough. Based on this last post from you, it would seem that the decision to let the Azera go was actually more difficult than first assumed.

$26,500 on a Limited w/Ultimate was still a good deal. If it makes you feel any better. I purchased my '06 in Feb. '06 (Limited w/Premium) and I paid $26, 081.

Yes...the depreciation is 25%, but again...it's a Hyundai, right? Trust me when I tell you that the depreciation being 25% is an improvement from before. However, to say they don't hold their value...when I traded my '02 Sonata GLS in after 4 years and 105K miles, they gave me $5K for it. I paid $16,800 for it. Considering the mileage, I didn't think that was a bad deal at all. As far as the value on my Azera, I'm not worried about it. My plan is to drive this car until the wheels fall off!

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE:464
Just wondering why you didn't just purchase a premium replacement seat such as a Recargo, if your only disappointment was the seat comfort. It probably would have been a whole lot cheaper.

oskidunker1 · October 2007

Audi's also depreciate badly. Hyundai can't be worse.Cal Bears Rosebowl!!!!!!!!!

scbob · October 2007

Check to see what he sells it for. The local (Upstate S.C.) Toyota dealer is advertising a 2006 Limited with Premium for $21,000. From past experience, he won't go lower than 20.
The seats are different, not as soft as on my Camry XLE, but still comfortable. It is like some people prefer soft mattresses to firm ones.
Went to Acura and told them I wanted to drive the car on the interstate for about 30-40 miles R/T and would then buy it. My back hurt so much after 20 minutes, it was unbelievable. No matter how I adjusted the seat or the lumbar, it just got worse.
By the way, the suspension is a problem on the 2007's as well as the 2008's. Hoping new struts will improve ride in mine.

bhmr59 · October 2007

Sounds like $2300 of your $6500 "value loss" was due to over paying when you bought the Azera. You said you found out afterward that the same dealer would have sold you the same car for $2300 less.

The trade-in value would be the same regardless of whether you paid $24,200, $26,500 or $29,000 when you bought it new.

If the car was only a few weeks old, you also could have sold it privately for alot more that the dealer allowed you as a trade-in. I wonder what the dealer will list your used car for on his lot? Want to bet that he'll be asking $24,000 or more?

philapa · October 2007

It happened to my 2006 I got last November.

There is no excuse! :mad:

allmet33 · October 2007

Actually scbob, it's a little early to say the suspension problem has carried over to the '08's. One thing that was specifically stated was the suspension was going to be upgraded for the '08 model year.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE: 470
How can there already be a problem with the suspension on the 08 Azera?
The car isn't on the road yet.

derrelhgreen · October 2007

"By the way, the suspension is a problem on the 2007's as well as the 2008's."

Perhaps he meant to say:

By the way, the suspension is a problem on the 2006's as well as the 2007's? :confuse:

Unless he has an inside track on information on the 'not yet' available ' 08s?

dborth · October 2007

re 470: What '08 azera? I leased my '07 and drove home on 16 October 2006. The dealer at the time had '06's & '07's in stock. On the 13th of October '07 one might think the '08's would be here, if there will be an '08 that is.

scbob · October 2007

Either a faulty keyboard or keyboard operator. Meant to say 2006's, not 2008's.
However, based on the ride of my car, I would be suscipious of the 2008's being significantly improved as well.
If Hyundai cannot get this right on the Azeras already sold, the "word of mouth" and forums about Hyundai will severely impact the Genesis success.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE; 477
Keep in mind that most people buy cars, drive them and never consider participating in these forums.
I'm also sure that most owners never even think about suspension problems.
If the look is OK, and the price is right, people will buy.
The high depreciation rate makes the car attractive only to long time holders or lessors.

allmet33 · October 2007

You would also think they would have put in dash nav. units in the '07's too, right?

I think they got quite an earful from the first two model years and with that, they are making a move to take care of two MAJOR complaints that the Azera prompted. The lack of an in-dash nav. system and the dreaded suspesion clunk in the early '06's and whatever suspension problems exist with the later '06's and the '07's.

For them to specify that they are upgrading the suspension for the '08 model year is big because it means they are listening. All we can do is wait and see. Personally, I would like to see and adjustable suspension so drivers can choose between a soft cushy ride or tighten it up for a sportier feel. That would be a huge move for them.

floridabob1 · October 2007

RE: 479
Mike,
Wake up from your dream.
They haven't figured out how to put Blue Tooth or Ipod connect into the Azera, and you're asking for adjustable suspension.

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