- Hyundai revealed the new “Grandeur” sedan Wednesday for South Korea and some global markets.
- We previously knew this car as the Hyundai Azera, but now that we have the Genesis brand, this will not be coming to our shores.
- Still, the design and technology are definitely worth looking over. And that whole “forbidden fruit” thing is always fun, isn’t it?
This is the all-new Hyundai Grandeur. No, you can’t buy it, at least if you’re American.
Nearly 25 years ago, Hyundai introduced an executive car into the U.S. market called the “XG”. Over the years, it morphed into the Hyundai Azera, and functioned as a more luxurious flagship of sorts until the company briefly introduced the Equus, then summarily spun off its luxury cars into the Genesis brand and dropped Hyundai-branded luxury sedans. At least, that’s the history if you’re in North America. Over in South Korea, things are a bit different, as you can see with the new Grandeur sedan. Now in its seventh generation, this car carries the torch as Hyundai’s most opulent offering.
Right from the outset, this new car has a distinctive presence by way of the thin lights and all that grille. The automaker’s definitely been taking a bold tack with its styling, and I think this would certainly turn heads against the relatively conservative S-Class. The front end treatment also links this car to the Staria van, which again looks pretty out there for a traditionally humdrum segment. Hyundai did incorporate a more old-school element in the rear quarter window, though, which nods back to the 1980s Grandeur models.
The outside’s distinctive, but you should check out the interior
Of course, this being Hyundai, the global market Grandeur is flush with technology. Digital displays, haptic controls and ambient lighting, it’s all there. It’s not quite in your face as some other flagship cars, though, so the cabin looks fairly calming and lounge-like. As you’d expect from a top-spec luxury car, the Grandeur also brings in Nappa leather, real wood and aluminum trim pieces throughout the interior.
Hyundai did not share any mechanical specifications for its seventh-generation car, at time of writing. However, it will likely share a 3.5-liter V6 engine with the similar Kia K8, as well as a smaller 2.5-liter option. Both those powertrains are standard fare throughout the Hyundai-Kia-Genesis lineup. Front-wheel drive is the standard, though all-wheel drive will likely be an option for South Korean customers, as well as those in the other global markets where this car will actually go on sale.
Sadly for some, we will almost certainly not see the Hyundai Grandeur arrive on our shores. We have the Genesis brand, after all. And the redesigned G90 — which is fantastic, by the way (more on that coming soon) — neatly fills that void for those folks still buying luxury sedans.
Still, it’s interesting to see what’s out there in other parts of the world, and this Grandeur shows that Hyundai is by no means finished with its rollout of fresh, distinctive looking models.
You can check out a bit of the G90 in our latest fleet update video, and we will have more coming up soon. Stay tuned!
