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Refresh Fails To Meet Brand’s Own High Bar

2011 Hyundai Azera Limited

2011 Hyundai Azera Limited – Click above for high-res image gallery

Even five years ago, Hyundai was widely considered to be a bargain-basement marque. After all, anyone interested in checking out the brand’s lineup could visit a rental company within five miles of any major airport. But why dwell on the past when the Korean automaker is kicking butt and taking names in the here and now? Hyundai has been on a roll these past few years, with hits like the Genesis, Genesis Coupe and 2011 Sonata. With those successful entries, Hyundai has clearly established itself as a prime player in the U.S. market, but the company’s improved standing has also substantially raised the public’s levels of expectation. Where qualifiers like “for a Hyundai” were once the norm, we’re now measuring each and every new entry donning the italic H against the best from Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Honda.

Hyundai’s most recently refreshed product is the 2011 Azera. When the Azera first arrived on U.S. shores as a 2006 model, it came came close to nixing the “for a Hyundai” stigma with an impressive level of standard equipment and a lower price tag than its competition. But even with a strong value equation and plethora of amenities, that original Azera still wasn’t as refined as the current crop of winners coming out of South Korea. Can the freshly redesigned 2011 Azera, with an improved powertrain and increased level of luxury equipment, truly succeed like its all-star siblings?

Gallery: Review: 2011 Hyundai Azera Limited

2011 Hyundai Azera Limited

Continue reading Review: 2011 Hyundai Azera Limited

Review: 2011 Hyundai Azera Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Hyundai

2012 Hyundai Azera – Click above for high-res image gallery

The current Hyundai Azera is not a bad looking car, but compared to the glut of new models that already are or will soon be populating Hyundai showrooms in the next year, it’s starting to look long in the tooth. Hyundai appears to be on the case, as an all-new Azera has just been spotted testing in Europe. Like the current sedan, the new model will slot in between the front-wheel-drive Sonata and rear-wheel-drive Genesis. It will also feature Hyundai’s new “fluid sculpture” design language, as evidenced by the characteristic rising crease along the doors that’s visible through the camouflage.

The grille and mirrors of this camo’d Azera, which is called the Grandeur in its home market of South Korea, look similar to the new Sonata, but the lower edge of the side glass rises at the back giving the car a more pronounced shoulder. Power is expected to come solely from a V6 like the current model, but we’d be surprised if its displacement doesn’t drop to the 3.0-3.3-liter range with direct injection and possibly a turbocharged version. Given CEO John Krafcik’s commitment to 50 mpg by 2025, a version of the new hybrid system seen in the Sonata Hybrid seems like a smart bet as well.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Azera / Grandeur

[Source: Carpix]

Spy Shots: Next-gen Hyundai Azera caught in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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