Hyundai seems to be reshaping the auto world by putting more features in their cars for a better price than most of the competition. The Azera is no exception to this rule for Hyundai and enters the market as a mid-sized luxury sedan at a price many can afford for their daily driver. Offering great power and fuel economy along with industry leading safety features the Azera makes an impressive choice for any shopper who is looking for a great car to drive and impress their friends, family and themselves.
Because the Azera is from Hyundai and not one of the mainstream luxury makers this car is put in the class with the Honda Accord, Toyota Avalon, Buick LaCrosse and Nissan Maxima which makes it an almost unfair competitor with all its great features and equipment along with the performance numbers that put others to shame. For this model year the Azera adds a ton of great safety features and has the packages offered on last year’s model put into standard equipment for different trim levels. In addition to this the Azera adds a hands-free Smart Trunk Opener available at Hyundai dealers and a new eight-inch LCD navigation and multimodal interface with the integration of Google POI and Apple’s Eyes-Free Siri.
Driving the Azera is fun and exciting with a responsive steering system that allows the car to be motivated to find the curviest roads around. Add to this the active suspension system that allows the car to stay stuck to the road with little or no movement throughout the drive. The cabin lives up to the near luxury feeling of the Azera by being one of the quietest in the class giving occupants a very enjoyable ride with the ability to listen to whatever they want to instead of the road outside.
Both trim level of the Azera is powered by one engine which comes in the form of a 3.3-liter V6 engine which offers up 293 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is attached to one of the best performing six-speed automatic transmissions on the market. This transmission has a manual shift mode to please those who want to have the added control of being able to shift the car themselves. This powertrain shows up with very nice fuel efficiency numbers that come in at 20 city/29 hwy mpg for the Azera base mode and 19 city/28 hwy mpg for the Limited model.
Supple leather upholstery along with other soft materials on all surfaces help give the Azera a very near luxury look and feel. Add to this some of the class leading technologies to enjoy found in the infotainment system this car is a state of the art wonder for owners to fully enjoy. The seating and space is plentiful for the Azera giving plenty of comfort for anyone who rides along in the car. All controls for the Azera easy to find and utilize to make the car fun to drive and a fully engaging experience. The Limited model adds additional niceties such as a panoramic moonroof, a power rear sunshade and manual side-window sunshades.
On the outside the Azera looks and feels as it is described, which Hyundai is stating the styling is “Fluidic Sculpture” giving it a flowing look across the entire car that offers great looks which are near luxury and will be enjoyed when parked in a driveway or being driven on a parkway. Add to this front which is adorned by a horizontal grill and LED headlights which allow better visibility. In fact all lighting of the Azera is LED making it even more interesting and attractive at night letting onlookers know the darkness will not dispel the beauty that is the Azera. This car rides on a full set of beautifully spoked wheels that carry the car in style and grace along the road.
In this mid-size class of vehicles the Azera boasts an extremely impressive list of standard features which makes it easy to price and buy. This car comes in with keyless entry, push button starting, power folding side mirrors, automatic climate control, a rearview camera, a power tilt/telescoping steering column, a 12-way power driver’s seat with extension, automatic headlights, a navigation system, a 14-speaker Infinity audio system, 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, leather seating, Bluelink telematics with safety and convenience services, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, iPod, USB and auxiliary ports. With that amazing list of awesome features there is no wonder the Azera is so well regarded as a nearly luxury sedan that leaves its own class in the dust.
The Limited model of the Azera adds a few great features to enjoy and helps to make this already fantastic sedan one that has even more features to come very close to competing with the sedans from Mercedes-Benz and BMW with a much lower price tag. The Limited adds High Beam Assistance, Forward Collision Mitigation, a panoramic sunroof, high-intensity headlights, a power rear sunshade and 19-inch wheels to the base Azera model. For other features to be added shoppers will have to visit the dealerships and have some dealer installed additions including a first aid kit, mud flaps, carpeted floor mats and a carpeted cargo tray. With so much that can be added to the Azera this car can be a magnificent choice for anyone to own and choose as their daily driver.
Finally, the pricing of the Azera which shows up with all the features, performance, fuel efficiency and great looks that have been mentioned at a price that is much more affordable than expected. The starting price of the Azera sedan comes in at $34,895 for a base model sedan that is so fully loaded it feels like there wouldn’t be a higher trim level. The Limited trim shows up at $39,095 which is an amazing price for this car that is so chock full of great features to allow any owner to wonder if there really is room for more to be added.
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