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Hyundai’s flagship Azera officially competes
with large sedans. It’s typically matched against the Toyota Avalon and Buick
Lucerne (and it outscored those two in the recent IFCAR large sedan
comparison), not the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai’s own Sonata. But
while the Sonata offers less luxury than the other top cars here for much less
money, the Azera reverses that. It offers terrific interior space and quality,
refinement, and general luxury. And it is still around the same price as a
comparable 2007 Camry XLE V6. It is easily the best car in this group, and
would win if its price had stayed a bit further from the top of this group’s
price range.
The Azera has a very comfortable ride, soft
and absorbent and well-controlled. It isn’t nimble, but corners more capably
than a Camry, and has much better steering feel. Hyundai’s new 3.8-liter V6 is
not quite as potent as the Camry’s, but acceleration is still among the best
in this group’s. A rich engine note accompanies acceleration, but fades to
silence otherwise. Wind noise is negligible, but some excess road noise is
evident over coarse pavement. Fuel economy does not impress, however.
Inside, the Azera’s front seats are roomy,
well-shaped, supportive, and very comfortable. The rear is also quite
comfortable, with a very roomy, well-shaped, and supportive seat. The interior
is among the nicest in this group, with high-quality materials,
 excellent panel fit, and an
upscale appearance. The gauges are large and clear, and the high-mounted
instruments are easy to reach, logically placed, and simple to use, though a
few stereo controls could be larger. The steering wheel includes convenient
controls for the automatic climate control system. Drivers sit comfortably
even without the optional power-adjustable pedals, and have very good
visibility. Entry/exit is easy to both the front and rear. The trunk isn’t
vast for a large sedan, but is very roomy by this group’s standards.
The Azera earned a mediocre four stars for the
driver and four for the front passenger in NHTSA’s frontal crash test, but it
was Good in the IIHS offset crash test. No other crash tests have been
conducted on the vehicle.
The Azera reviewed here came in at $27,705,
very well-equipped. At that price, it lacks satellite radio, but does include
active head restraints, eight airbags (including group-exclusive rear-seat
torso protecting side airbags), and a power rear sunshade.
Overall, the Azera is a class-leading large
sedan priced alongside mainstream family sedans. It’s expensive in this group,
but comparable to the 2007 Camry, and superior to that vehicle overall.
Because of its typical comparisons to large sedans, it’s easy to forget about
it at this price point, but definitely look at the Azera before buying any
other family sedan over $25,000.
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