Is a luxury automobile still a luxury automobile if most people can afford it? That probably depends on how much disposable income you have and whether or not you care about keeping up with the Joneses. There’s no denying the cachet and curb appeal that comes with Jaguars, Mercedes’, Lexus’, BMWs and so on, but if you want to motor along in inconspicuous luxury, with most of the convenience and comfort features that the automotive industry can provide.....without breaking the bank in the process, then perhaps the Hyundai Azera is for you. No, it doesn’t have the upscale presence of well-established luxury marques, but, on the other hand, it starts at less than $36,000, and a loaded "Limited" model still goes out the door for well under $40,000, which is the starting point for most of the aforementioned manufacturers.
Now going into its third year, the Azera is powered by a 3.8 litre V6 with the by-now commonplace engineering features of dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and a variable valve timing feature. It develops 263 horsepower and is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission only, with Hyundai’s Shiftronic manual shift feature. This drivetrain combo isn’t particularly dramatic, but it’s as civilized and smooth as anything else in this price bracket, and is enough to move the Azera along at a decent clip, bearing in mind that it’s a luxury car, not a sports sedan. Brakes are four-wheel disc with either 16 or 17-inch wheels and tires, depending upon the model.
Standard equipment level is high, which is the Azera’s strong point. Heated front seats, leather interior that actually smells like the real thing, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, one-touch up and down power windows, dual zone climate control, heated outside mirrors, power sunroof, ABS, and eight airbags - front, front-side, rear-side, and side curtain - are all included with the base GLS. The Limited model has a power rear window shade, the larger 17-inch wheels and tires, upgraded stereo with six-disc CD player, more interior wood trim, and XM radio with speed-sensing volume control, not to mention one of my favourite accessories in this or any other car: power adjustable pedals.
You won’t find a back seat entertainment monitor or navi system in the Azera, but that’s not a bad thing, as far as I’m concerned. We seem to have reached a point in automotive technology where just having comfort features and a refined ride in upscale models isn’t enough anymore. Me, I can do without a navi system and my kids are driving their own cars now. But, if you really must have an electronic brain to guide you, there are plenty of aftermarket navi systems available that are just as good as those coming from the carmakers. And I’m happy to see that Hyundai has resisted the urge to equip the Azera with a keyless ignition system....one of the great automotive con jobs currently being foisted on consumers by manufacturers.
Slide behind the wheel of the Azera and you pretty much have a bigger, fancier version of the Sonata. This is a good thing. Generous peripheral visibility, straightforward ingress and egress, and noticeably commodious front seats. The Azera is a very uncomplicated car to get in and out of, and if you’re a larger person and need a bit of extra space, it delivers. Hyundai is claiming head room of 1020 mm in the front seat, and 970 mm in the back. By way of comparison, Toyota’s Avalon boats 986 mm in front and 953 mm in back.
And, I would suggest, the Avalon is the Azera’s closest competitor. They are similar in size 2780 mm. vs. 2820 mm. wheelbase, power, and even appearance. While the Avalon has a trunk capacity of 407 litres, the Azera beats it by over 60 litres.... 470 litres. Interestingly, the Toyota Camry, which must also be considered a rival, also has a larger trunk than the Avalon.
Price-wise, the Avalon is a couple thousand dollars costlier, starting at $41,840. It also has a slightly less extensive standard equipment list, but delivers better fuel economy. According to Natural Resources Canada, the Azera delivers 12.2 L/ 100 km in town and 7.8 L/100 km on the highway, while the Avalon is good for 10.6 and 7.0 respectively.
Both cars, however, offer the same sort of anonymity. These two just kind of blend into the scenery. They do not stand out in a crowd and fall into the "all new cars look the same" category. The Azera is also one of the few cars I’ve driven that doesn’t have any glaring annoyances. If I really wanted to pick nits, I could whine about its overall blandness and wonky intermittent windshield wipers, but if Hyundai has set out to build a car that offends absolutely no one, it seems to have succeeded.
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