Hyundai previews next-gen Azera with new batch of renderings

[Sal Collaziano]

Filed under: Sedan, Hyundai, South Korea

2010 Hyundai Azera/Grandeur official renderings - Click above for image gallery​

Once derided as a budget brand, Hyundai has been campaigning a relentless march up-market over the past few years with the likes of the Genesis and the Equus. Beneath them sits the Sonata - an impressive new vehicle to be sure - but there exists a wide gulf between these models, and it's the Azera's job to fill that gap with a larger-than-Sonata front-wheel-drive sedan.

Now in its fourth generation, the current Azera - also known as the Grandeur in some overseas markets - looks rather dated and unremarkable nestled in between its flashier stablemates and has been on the market since 2005. We've seen spy shots of its fifth-generation replacement undergoing testing, but Hyundai has now released the first batch of official images showing us what to expect from the new model.

As you can see for yourself in the gallery below, it looks promising, applying the Korean automaker's "fluid sculpture" design language to a new shape that's expected to arrive sometime in the new year as a 2012 model. Accompanying announcement after the jump.


Gallery: 2012 Hyundai Grandeur/Azera renderings



[Source: Hyundai via WCF, Hyundai-Blog]Continue reading Hyundai previews next-gen Azera with new batch of renderings

Hyundai previews next-gen Azera with new batch of renderings originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[2011bh380]

Looks like it got a couple styling cues from the successful Sonata for body curves and a mix of sonata and genesis coupe front. Overall, it is better than the previous azeras. Wonder how the interior looks.
Thanks for posting this. was curious about the new azera.

 

[RLREILLY81]

Looks like the Sonata.

Like I said in a prior post somewhere on here... No need to have the Azera and Sonata. Same styles now and almost identical price point. IMO

 

[BacktoHyundaibychoice]

Looks like the Sonata.

Like I said in a prior post somewhere on here... No need to have the Azera and Sonata. Same styles now and almost identical price point. IMO

This thing looks good enough to make me wonder "why a base Genesis"?

Beautiful car.

 

[Akin67]

Although this is not a scientific analysis, if you noticed the large Hyundai badge is on the front grill. If Hyundai were ever to establish a luxury division the Azera will probably remain the top of the line vehicle on the Hyundai side. It has the large Hyundai badge plus front wheel drive.

A possible luxury division will likely be composed of vehicles that are rear or all wheel drive and contain badges that are more discrete and can be easily changed such as on the Genesis.

 

[BacktoHyundaibychoice]

This thing looks good enough to make me wonder "why a base Genesis"?

Beautiful car.

To expand a bit:

If a fully-loaded Azera is priced around $33-$34K while a base Gen is around $36K, I can see this Azera stealing sales from that Gen at least in the snowbelt.

And this completes the "fluidic design" of the entire line. New Elantra, Azera, Sonata, and I just saw the new Accent when they shot a commercial last week. Even it looks great.

Kudos to the Hyundai design team.

 

[krypto89]

toned down version of the sonata. like the front end but dislike the rear reflector that goes all the way across the trunk...

 

[amdmaxx]

looks nice and I happen to like the rear lights all across.. LEDs hopefully

 

[Sal Collaziano]

I'm very interested in seeing the inside of this car...