Hyundai surprised the automotive world when displayed the 2011 Hyundai Equus at the 2009 New York Auto Show. The success of the Hyundai Genesis sedan, however, has the Korean automaker thinking big. If Americans will embrace the Genesis as a Hyundai luxury car with a price tag as high as $40,000, some ask, what's to stop them from embracing a more luxurious model a step up the food chain wearing a Hyundai badge?
The Genesis offers some equipment found only on $50,000 luxury cars in a $32,000 to $40,000 price range. The Genesis appears to be convincing skeptical auto writers and skeptical car shoppers that Hyundai can build a bargain luxury car.
In Asian markets, this car is sold as an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS - a super-luxury car with a sticker price approaching six figures. Would Americans accept a six-figure Hyundai?
The Genesis succeeds by offering a BMW 5-Series-like experience for the price of a 3-series.
Standard Equus features like a massaging driver seat, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and a 17-speaker surround-sound audio system are usually options on even high-end luxury cars. Hyundai even plans to supply Equus owners with an Apple iPad as a standard feature, which will function as a sort of interactive owner's manual and maintenance minder.
Even with this minor demerit, the 2011 Hyundai Equus is a genuine competitor to other luxury sedans, both midsize cars like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class and flagships like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class. The "Hyundai Equus" is a large luxury sedan available in Signature and Ultimate trim levels. The Equus Ultimate seats four, as the rear bench seat is replaced with a pair of reclining bucket seats with heating/cooling/massaging functions and a passenger-side power footrest. This rear-wheel-drive car is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. According to Hyundai estimates, the Equus will achieve 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.
The 2011 Hyundai Equus comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes, electronic seatbelt pre-tensioners, active front head restraints, a lane-departure warning system, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, a driver-side knee airbag, front and rear side airbags, and side curtain airbags.
If you're wondering whether a value-oriented brand like Hyundai can produce a luxury car, the cabin of the Equus will put your mind at ease. The passenger-side rear seat even has a power-operated footrest. In its home market of South Korea, the Hyundai Equus Ultimate is frequently used as a VIP limousine.
