Palo Alto, California -- When times were good and real estate was king, equity loans became the drug of choice for homeowners, as some spent big bucks on upgrades and renovations. Unfortunately, when it came time to sell, those same folks learned that buyers would pay only so much for property in their neighborhood. Great house. Wrong location.
That’s similar to the challenge facing the 2011 Hyundai Equus, an all-new model we recently tested at a Hyundai-sponsored event. Behind the badges you’ll find all the ingredients for a bona fide and gen-u-ine luxury sedan. And it certainly looks the part, with its full-size proportions, HID and LED lights, tasteful use of chrome trim, and sculpted rear haunches that accommodate the slightly staggered rear wheels while also giving this flagship a powerful presence. Many styling cues have been borrowed from the slightly smaller Genesis Sedan, though the Equus employs sharper bodylines and looks more substantial. The feature-laden interior is equally attractive.
Impressive as it may appear, affluent car shoppers may be reluctant to consider the Korean-built flagship if it means visiting a Hyundai dealership. For those folks, and anyone else considering the purchase of a 2011 Equus, Hyundai will bring the test drive to you, and buyers can have their cars delivered. Stepping into the dealership is optional.
But, despite being a truly competitive luxury car and a personalized sales experience, some would argue that the 2011 Equus still faces one significant hurdle: It’s a Hyundai. Yes it is. And after a long day of testing, we’re left with this response: What’s your point?
The 2011 Hyundai Equus goes on sale November 1, 2010, with limited availability through select dealers.
Pricing, Trims and Options
Indecisive shoppers in the market for a new full-size luxury sedan will breathe a sigh of relief when checking out the 2011 Hyundai Equus. With only two trims, the Signature and the Ultimate, there’s not a lot of choosing to be done.
Hyundai has yet to finalize pricing, but suggests that the Signature will start somewhere within the broad $55,000 - $70,000 range, and will be introduced with an attractive lease offer. While the bean counters finish crunching numbers, we’ll tell you about the standard features, which include a V-8 engine, adaptive HID headlights, premium leather upholstery and trim, a navigation system with an eight-inch display screen and real-time traffic information, a rearview camera, a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, and nine airbags. You’ll also find items such as a pre-collision warning system, stability control, push-button ignition, and a 12-way power driver’s seat.
Buyers not satisfied by the Signature’s offerings will want to move up to the 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate. In lieu of a bench seat, the Ultimate is fitted with dual-heated and ventilated buckets surrounding a center console, within which is a small cooler. Overhead are dual fold-down, illuminated vanity mirrors. Those riding in the rear passenger-side seat will be treated to multiple massage settings as well as a power-extendable footrest. Pop in a DVD for the rear-seat entertainment system’s eight-inch tilting screen, and you’ll have an entirely new perspective about Hyundai.
Must Have Features
Hyundai’s new flagship is sure to grab shoppers’ attention with its long list of standard equipment, including an iPad loaded with the owner’s manual and video demonstrations of specific features.
The iPad is a clever touch, but more important are the amenities and technology that affect the daily commute. These include a lane-departure warning system, Hyundai’s first application of a sophisticated air suspension, intelligent cruise control, a two-speed massage function for the driver, heated and cooled front seats, and a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel accented with real wood. Tunes are addressed by a 608-watt, 17-speaker Lexicon surround sound system that incorporates XM satellite service, a six-disc DVD changer, and both iPod and auxiliary input jacks. Even the iPod cable is standard. Rear and rear-side power sunshades, often optional on competing models, are fitted to every 2011 Equus. Finally, Ultimate variants add a wide-angle front camera that proves helpful when turning.
Not found on any other Hyundai is the Equus’s Valet Service program. Using an application on the iPad, owners can schedule service and have their car picked up and delivered by the dealership. Like the basic warranty, this perk spans five years or 60,000 miles. The powertrain is covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
It’s also worth mentioning absent must-have features, like wireless headphones (or any headphones, for that matter) for the Ultimate’s rear-seat entertainment system. And, while not a must-have feature, the availability of only four exterior paint colors (Black Noir Pearl, White Satin Pearl, Granite Gray, Platinum Metallic) pales in comparison to competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, each with 10 or more choices. The 2011 Equus also lacks a blind-spot warning system, but we’re told that’s already in the works, and, along with a more powerful V-8, should be available within a few years. It’ll be a bit longer before an all-wheel-drive Equus arrives.
Interior Features
Forget styling, horsepower, price, and the ratio of chrome-to-painted surfaces. What makes or breaks a luxury sedan is its interior. The 2011 Equus serves as proof that Hyundai designers understand that appearances and comfort matter.
Looking for spots where corners are cut is an exercise in futility. Mostly. Suede-like Alcantara fabric covers the headliner and upper pillars, while soft leather is generously applied throughout the interior, from the dash and door panels to the center console and seatbacks. Some manufacturers use leather-like vinyl in less visible areas to cut costs, but, according to Hyundai, every stitch of upholstery and trim in the Equus is the real deal. The same holds true for the wood paneling used to decorate the dash, doors and console.
Adding to the Equus’s overall upscale impression are buttons that feel substantial, knobs that turn smoothly, and rubber air vent dials. If we were to suggest changes, they’d include replacing the hard plastic on the climate control dials with rubber and ditching the center-mounted clock that looks like an Infiniti or Cadillac knockoff. In terms of placement and functionality, we only took issue with the button for the heated steering wheel (located behind the wheel on the column), and a navigation system that required scrolling through multiple screens to simply cancel route guidance. Operation of the center dial is intuitive, though landing on the climate control screen left us puzzled – it’s simply there for reference; instead of sticking with the dial to adjust temperature or fan speed, you’ll need to use buttons and dials on the dash.
Interior storage is another area that could use a bit of added attention. To its credit, the 2011 Hyundai Equus provides a 16.7 cubic-foot trunk, door and seatback pockets, front center armrest storage, and, in the case of the Ultimate, a rear-seat cooler. However, that armrest storage is limited, especially when an iPod is connected and placed inside, and the rear seat lacks a handy pass-through feature.
This all leads us to the most important aspect of the 2011 Equus’s interior: comfort. Starting up front, the driver is treated to a heated, 12-way power seat with fast and slow massage settings, an electrically adjustable heated steering wheel, and padded surfaces on the armrests and window sill. The passenger loses out on the massage feature, but both occupants enjoy plenty of room.
Second-row comfort depends on which Equus model is chosen. The Signature version features a comfortable bench that’s slightly elevated to provide a better view of what’s ahead. A fold-down center armrest is included, and overall space is generous.
In the Ultimate variant, passengers will find heated and ventilated rear bucket seats, a center console with a cooler and climate controls, and slightly less leg and foot room. The passenger-side power footrest, which requires tilting and sliding the front seat forward, is a great idea in theory, but in reality our five-foot-eight-inch-tall editor was left resting his dusty shoes on the back of that leather-clad front seat. As a result, he was uncomfortable and the front seatback, now dirty, essentially served as the footrest. A dealer-installed rear cover will keep the seat clean, but there’s no fix for the lack of sufficient space. On a more positive note, the shiatsu-like massage feature is a definite bonus.