Hyundai Azera

The Kia Amanti is what happens when designers can't decide whether to copy a Mercedes or a Jaguar, with the result being a quantifiable and qualified mess. Hyundai has quickly improved its styling with winners like the Genesis Coupe and Sedan, and we've been hoping for sister company Kia to follow suit. We can think of no better place to start than the replacement for the visually challenged Amanti, and spy pics from near the Artic Circle show that the affordable "luxury" (the quotes remain unti

After four years of development, Hyundai has joined the ranks of GM and Ford as the only automaker to develop its own six-speed automatic transmission in-house. The new 'box sheds over 26 pounds and 62 parts from Hyundai's five-speed unit, while increasing fuel economy by 12% and decreasing shift times. Five different variants of the six-speed will be produced, with the 2009 Hyundai Azera equipped with the 3.3-liter Lambda V6 being the first recipient, followed by 16 other models, including the

Spies have caught a sleek new sedan doing the rounds in Korea. Word is that it's codenamed VG, will be arriving in '09, and will be "closely related to" the Hyundai Azera. While there is no word on engines yet, the car is expected to be front-wheel-drive. That doesn't exactly bode well for Kia's brief of being the sporty brand -- so sayeth Hyundai -- but the car is supposed to be "near luxury" and appears to have some all right lines, even under the camo. We look forward to seeing more.

Hyundai has quickly developed a full range of products in its US lineup, and quality scores from companies like JD Power show those vehicles now rank among the best in the industry. For all of Hyundai's progress the past few years, the South Korean automaker has taken its time getting navigation systems into its fleet of cars and trucks.

Despite our earlier speculation, Hyundai's upcoming BH model won't be a replacement for the Korean Equus. Hyundai Motor Co. says now that its new "BH" luxury car will slot in between the Azera and the Equus, in a spot formerly filled by the front-wheel drive Dynasty. This V8 powered rear-wheel-drive sedan will go on sale in South Korea at the end of this year or possibly in early 2008. U.S. sal

We reviewed a 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited not long ago and found the sedan from South Korea (actually, it's built in Montgomery, Alabama) to be a looker with a less than inspiring interior. While Hyundai has yet to address our criticisms inside the car, it has added a new model to the lineup aimed at courting folks who value fuel economy over the raw charisma of the current car's 263-horsepower 3.

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Hyundai's looking to bust into the highly-competitive entry-level luxury field with the 2008 Equus. The South Korean automaker already has the safety and luxury appointments thing down with the Azera, but the Equus appears to promise much more. With a spec sheet that includes rear-wheel-drive, V8 power, and a $30,000+ sticker price, Hyundai is clearly trying to

While trolling the AutoWeek forums we found a post that led us to Kia's Korean website where, front and center, the brand was touting the "N.E.X.T. Opirus". We're not sure what "N.E.X.T." stands for, but it's clear from these photos that Kia has gone to the trouble of cleaning up the front and rear clips of the Opirus, which is the basis for the North American Amanti. The front end looks much better with a wider and shorter grille (are those LED

In the world of large sedans* equipped with side airbags, some do a better job than others at protecting occupants according to the latest results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Achieving the top score of "good" are the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Camry (this serious group of testers does not issue any scores of "excellent" or "exceptional" or even "super marvelous"). The Buick Lucerne and Hyundai Azera both earned an "acceptable"

Before Hyundai brings its first V8 RWD luxury vehicle to market next year we hope the name changes. Equus? Why would you name a car after a genus of the family Equidae that comprises horses, asses and zebras? Regardless, The Car Connection reports the car's interior will live up to luxury car standards with the requisite wood trim and leather seating surfaces.

Hyundai is gradually climbing the street cred ladder with its 2006 Azera, which went for a whopping (at least by Hyundai standards) $27,500 average transaction price in March; the highest of any Hyundai ever and higher than the XG350 the Azera replaces. While Hyundai still fights the perception that real car buyers don't buy its wares, the company is already selling twice as many Azeras as it did XG350s.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the new 2006 Hyundai Azera a frontal offset impact rating of “Good”, the organization’s best rating for crashworthiness. Like many a Hyundai, the Azera’s virtually a padded room on wheels with Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS and eight airbags all standard.