New York: Checking out the Hyundai Equus in person
by Alex Nunez on Apr 8th 2009 at 3:57PM 
Hyundai Equus – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you think the Genesis sedan is nice, wait'll you get a load of Hyundai's home-market luxu-flagship, the Equus. The automaker has one prominently on display here at the New York Auto Show this week, and while it's supposed to merely be a "Look, this is how awesome we can be" thing (there's no plan for the Equus to be sold here at this time), you can bet Hyundai is taking note of people's reactions. Outside, the Equus is more ornate than the Genesis, with a bright grille, highly-polished wheels and a pedestrian-impaling hood ornament. The sheetmetal details are nice, too. We especially dig the subtle fender bulges over the rear wheels.
While that's all well and good, it's inside the cabin where the Equus shows that it's truly meant to do battle against the likes of the Mercedes S-Class, Lexus LS and BMW 7 Series. All the toys are present: push-button start, a console-mounted control interface for the in-car systems, classy wood accents, upmarket switchgear, and even Grey Poupon snack trays for the rear passengers. Oh, those rear passengers get massaging back seats, as well. It's very impressive looking and it stinks of quality. If Hyundai ever decides to gamble and attack the next price segment up from the Genesis sedan, they clearly have the ammo to do so. The Equus is the real deal.
Gallery: New York: Hyundai Equus
Photos Copyright ©2009 Alex Nunez, Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
inline6 4:01PM (4/08/2009)
O-VER-STYLED
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Sal Collaziano 4:51PM (4/08/2009)
Maybe so for some people. If this car makes it to the U.S., it'll replace my 750Li... I really don't understand why Cadillac can't do something like this.. Money? I suppose that's it.. If you don't have enough money to build good products, don't build anything at all.
Sal Collaziano
http://www.genesisowners.com
Taglane 4:59PM (4/08/2009)
I think it's overstyled. And I mean Tacoma- overstyled. Maybe it's just a little too much detail. Not bad-looking, just a little....In your face- you know?
skylin3gtr013 11:55PM (4/08/2009)
i agree with taglane...
i think the chrome is part of it. The car just looks a bit too shiny you know?
revaholic 4:02PM (4/08/2009)
The interior looks nowhere near as upscale as a 7 Series, S-Class, or LS in design. It looks like a very tarted up family sedan interior.
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Auari 4:11PM (4/08/2009)
Ya, you're right, that's why they're not selling these in the sates, because it won't sell.
Seminole 4:24PM (4/08/2009)
Agreed. I sat in the new 750i at 4ngiefest and it made my 3 series look like a Chinese made piece of junk. The build quality was impeccable, the leather was baby bottom soft, and it had more features then the space shuttle (Head up display, 1000 way power seats, power rear side sunshades. It was ridiculous.
wolverinejoe80 8:14PM (4/08/2009)
cream interior
http://www.rpm9.kr/_UPLOAD/gallery/900c270715a57d000cc3708d77b63820.jpg
i think it needs more buttons. it's too bland. but the fit,finish and material is right up there. wood grain is supposed to be the one that used in the maybach.
big J 9:50PM (4/08/2009)
a tad too many "borrowed" design cues for my taste
sibbe 4:04PM (4/08/2009)
looks damn huge
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ConceptVBS 7:14PM (4/08/2009)
Because it is.
wolverinejoe80 8:10PM (4/08/2009)
it's bigger than the S
Drew 10:01AM (4/09/2009)
I live in Seoul and I just saw three of these this afternoon, coming home. They've been out for about a month or so here, and they're not seeming to be selling as fast as the Genesis (which are mega popular here in V6 form)... I'm sure the economy has something to do with it, but I have several thoughts about this car:
Thoughts:
-Yes, it really is huge. It's enormous. I'd say it's not far off from a Maybach 57 in size, possibly longer. Makes the new S-Class look trim and the new 7 series look positively lithe. It's a porker.
-Not a fan of the styling. I am a secret fan of the Genesis sedan's styling (though I am a loyal BMW fan/owner... and I know, in profile, the Genesis sedan looks pretty eerily close to the E60 sedan.. I see these two cars side by side every day, all day) The new Equus however, is just a pimpmobile.
-The old outgoing Equus once started out at approx $45K for a V6 model, this one is significantly more expensive, as Autoblog has reported, but you can get one for like $45K here beacuse of the exchange rate nowadays, something like $60K to locals if currencies were on level. In effect, it is 30% more expensive, but Autoblog had it pegged at 130 million won, like $100K, which would be the absolute highest trim level possible, somehting like an S-Class Guard stretch limo.
What you get for $45K in this Equus is a content package simialr to an LS460, except V6 powered.
-re: the above, Autoblog also had once figured the Genesis sedan to be 58 million won (like $55K at the time) last year, the BH330 trim (I have no idea what that is but I assume it's a 3.3L V6, starts at 39 million won here. I got a flyer in mail the other week from my local Hyundai dealer with prices, and at the time that equated to $27K USD. The top trim, the GH380 Lux or whatever it is, is something like 55 million won, so Autoblog wasn't completely wrong, but they're citing the most loaded, top of the line models here, which aren't as relevant in the real world. Nobody considers the BMW 5 series to cost exactly what a loaded to the hilt 550i costs.
-re: re: price: 60+ million won in Korea is a lot of cash on hand to buy a car with these days, for private individuals. Since the local currency is crap, there are a lot of car bargains to be had, in a market where car bargains were completely unheard of up until late last year, the typical idea for car pricing here was about double what Americans pay. The used car market as well as financing options have matured to the point where Koreans might not be as motivated to buy a Hyundai Equus over an import anymore, since the latter has decreased in price over time and become much easier to buy and service here.
- The new Equus will do ok in Korea eventually, since many domestic buyers feel obliged to buy Korean-made here, particularly the Korean-owned businesses that buy these as fleet cars.
Mino 4:08PM (4/08/2009)
For the respective price point. Seems like a great car. However to truely compete and take customers who're looking at the luxo-barges the interior will need to be stepped up a couple of notches.
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geo.stewart 4:53PM (4/08/2009)
its following the original Lexus theme; 90% of content at 70% of price.
dont think its going to steal any BMW or MB sales but it will steal Lexus, Buick, Caddy, and Lincoln sales.
Follow the Genesis sales at the size lower and you will get a good indicator.
It would make sense to launch in this economy. With people scaling back, they would garner some sales and those getting rid of their 5-10 yr old lexus would be mightily intrigued.
tekd 1:33PM (4/09/2009)
If it steals Lexus sales it'll steal MB sales. Who do you think Lexus stole the LS buyers from? The people who buy LSs are the same people who buy S-Classes. And no I don't mean the fanboys who post nonsense on here, I mean the majority of actual buyers-older professionals (usually 50+). There's a few trust fund kids and the like who buy these luxo-barges but the vast majority are sold to older individuals who actually have the money to buy them.
I don't think anybody would actually cross-shop this with an LS or an S-Class. It would stand a better shot at getting people considering an ES or E class. Until it gets a serious interior upgrade anyway.
Wobbly_ears 4:11PM (4/08/2009)
Umm, do I see Azera-like exterior styling here?
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dw 4:15PM (4/08/2009)
Yep, looks just like the bulges above the rear wheels on our Azera.
The Other Bob 4:11PM (4/08/2009)
Dang that looks alot like the Buick right below it.
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Resipsa 4:15PM (4/08/2009)
Yeah sweep spear and all.