roblaw
Getting familiar with the group...
Just some observations of the Azera. After a recent terrible service experience with my Hyundai dealer when I had to return to get something fixed that was fixed incorrectly the first time, they gave me a brand new (6 miles) top of the line Azera as a loaner for 4 days. I drive a 2012 3.8 Premium (no tech) so the comparison was interesting given the price differential of about $2500.00 between that car and my car.
Overall it is a nice car. If I was in that market I would have to check out the Avalon because that appears to be a nice car as well with a nice interior and a very good drive train that I already am acquainted with in my wife's RX350.
I think the look goes over well in the Sonata Plus size. Overall it was comfortable. The seat was reasonably shaped and the extended seat squab helped with the lack of thigh support on the Genesis. Like the Genesis the amount of seat adjustment was limited and the steering wheel did not extend far out (telescope). I missed the 4 way lumbar support and the rain sensing wipers on the Genesis (two items I think may be available on the Avalon top trim level).
Not sure why the Asian manufacturers do not give a larger adjustment range on the seats or wheel (I can literally put my knees in my chin in my buddy's 2011 E350 Benz and my wife's Lexus is similar to the Genesis). The controls were a little more complex but I only had the car for 4 days and my car lacks the Tech package so that car may not has as clean and easy a user interface as my car. Interior quality was pretty good, if a 1/4 notch lower than the Genesis. It was very quiet overall, with barely more road noise than the Genesis on the highway. Very roomy with a large trunk. Like my Genesis the interior was solid and quiet with one little hard to find noise that spoiled an otherwise quality experience.
Some of the tech issues with the Genesis seemed to have been solved with the Azera.
Driving it was again nice. Being front wheel drive it did not feel like it would break the tires loose every time I accelerated on a damp road. The ride was firm but not bad for 19 inch wheels. I am not a big fan of 19 inch wheels and painted on tires on luxury cars. However, my ride tolerance is probably a little higher now that I have had the Genesis for over a year. After getting back into the Genesis I noticed that the impact harshness was very slightly less on the Genesis (with 18 wheels) but I attribute that to the fact that my car has 13k miles on it vs. less than 100 on the Azera. Interestingly the excessive suspension movement on the Genesis (some call jittery) was largely absent on the Azera. The highway ride was firm and comfortable and steady. This gives me hope for the 2014 Genesis (although the pictures we have on the website seem to show a car with little space between the tires and the car like the current Genesis which may indicate less than optimal amounts of wheel travel).
I did not use the Houston Astrodome sunroof and am not a big sunroof fan anyway but the feature was there for those who enjoy it.
The engine was very smooth and pretty quiet. The 6 speed auto was relatively smooth but not as smooth on up-shifts as the Genesis 8 speed. It did, however, downshift far more readily that the notoriously slow to downshift Genesis. The car was noticeably less powerful and responsive than the Genesis in overall performance and the 3.8 has a nicer sound.
Overall the Azera is a very nice middle upper tier car. However, at a list price $2500.00 less (with a few more toys) than the middle tier Genesis I still think the overall feel and look of the Genesis makes it worth the extra price. Now if Hyundai raises the price a good deal on the 2014 (like they did on the Azera) the value proposition may change, but right now, I would rather pay several thousand more for the 3.8 with Premium than a loaded Azera.
Overall it is a nice car. If I was in that market I would have to check out the Avalon because that appears to be a nice car as well with a nice interior and a very good drive train that I already am acquainted with in my wife's RX350.
I think the look goes over well in the Sonata Plus size. Overall it was comfortable. The seat was reasonably shaped and the extended seat squab helped with the lack of thigh support on the Genesis. Like the Genesis the amount of seat adjustment was limited and the steering wheel did not extend far out (telescope). I missed the 4 way lumbar support and the rain sensing wipers on the Genesis (two items I think may be available on the Avalon top trim level).
Not sure why the Asian manufacturers do not give a larger adjustment range on the seats or wheel (I can literally put my knees in my chin in my buddy's 2011 E350 Benz and my wife's Lexus is similar to the Genesis). The controls were a little more complex but I only had the car for 4 days and my car lacks the Tech package so that car may not has as clean and easy a user interface as my car. Interior quality was pretty good, if a 1/4 notch lower than the Genesis. It was very quiet overall, with barely more road noise than the Genesis on the highway. Very roomy with a large trunk. Like my Genesis the interior was solid and quiet with one little hard to find noise that spoiled an otherwise quality experience.
Some of the tech issues with the Genesis seemed to have been solved with the Azera.
Driving it was again nice. Being front wheel drive it did not feel like it would break the tires loose every time I accelerated on a damp road. The ride was firm but not bad for 19 inch wheels. I am not a big fan of 19 inch wheels and painted on tires on luxury cars. However, my ride tolerance is probably a little higher now that I have had the Genesis for over a year. After getting back into the Genesis I noticed that the impact harshness was very slightly less on the Genesis (with 18 wheels) but I attribute that to the fact that my car has 13k miles on it vs. less than 100 on the Azera. Interestingly the excessive suspension movement on the Genesis (some call jittery) was largely absent on the Azera. The highway ride was firm and comfortable and steady. This gives me hope for the 2014 Genesis (although the pictures we have on the website seem to show a car with little space between the tires and the car like the current Genesis which may indicate less than optimal amounts of wheel travel).
I did not use the Houston Astrodome sunroof and am not a big sunroof fan anyway but the feature was there for those who enjoy it.
The engine was very smooth and pretty quiet. The 6 speed auto was relatively smooth but not as smooth on up-shifts as the Genesis 8 speed. It did, however, downshift far more readily that the notoriously slow to downshift Genesis. The car was noticeably less powerful and responsive than the Genesis in overall performance and the 3.8 has a nicer sound.
Overall the Azera is a very nice middle upper tier car. However, at a list price $2500.00 less (with a few more toys) than the middle tier Genesis I still think the overall feel and look of the Genesis makes it worth the extra price. Now if Hyundai raises the price a good deal on the 2014 (like they did on the Azera) the value proposition may change, but right now, I would rather pay several thousand more for the 3.8 with Premium than a loaded Azera.
