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Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Azera: The Last Hurrah

March 27, 2017 by admin 6 Comments

2017 marks the final year for Hyundai’s flagship sedan.

American consumers continue to shift their new car purchase decisions to crossovers and that move has taken a toll. The Hyundai Azera will soon be no more, putting an end to this flagship sedan’s all-too-brief reign.

Auto Trends confirmed the news with Brandon Ramirez — Senior Group Manager, Product Planning at Hyundai Motor America — at a media event last week in Durham, NC.

2015 Hyundai Azera.
2015 Hyundai Azera.

12-Year Model Run

The Azera came on the scene in 2006, replacing the previous XG300 and XG350 as Hyundai’s flagship sedan. That reign ended in 2009 when the Genesis sedan arrived and slotted above the Azera, itself usurped in 2011 when the Equus was introduced.

Both the Genesis and Equus were recast as Genesis brand models in 2017, returning the Azera to its flagship status. But only temporarily it seems.

Indeed, the market has been none too kind to the Azera as well as to other full-size models. Some sedans, such as the Toyota Avalon, have fared better, while the Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus, and Buick LaCrosse have also struggled.

With deep double-digit year-over-year declines for the competing products, we may see others drop out of the market too. At least traditional rear-wheel drive models such as the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 continue to find success in a dwindling market.

The Original Hyundai Azera

The Azera’s appeal was strictly for consumers wanting a large sedan with a powerful engine to go with it. Hyundai complied by serving the 2006 Azera with a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 263 horsepower. In 2007, the Azera gained a smaller V6, a 3.3-liter for its all-new GLS trim.

Hyundai has always positioned the Azera as a premium sedan, although its dimensions were only a few inches larger than the midsize and far more popular Sonata. Besides V6 power, customers could count on standard leather seats, heated front seats, a rear power sunshade, and an advanced audio system.

2015 Hyundai Azera.

In 2009, a refreshed Azera debuted with a revised front end and new 17-inch wheels. The look was even more elegant than before and provided the right segue from the Sonata to the upcoming Genesis sedan.

Additional changes in 2011 brought in revised engines with dual continuously variable timing and a notable boost in power. Hyundai also swapped out the five-speed automatic for a six speed, improving fuel economy in the process.

Second-Generation Hyundai Azera

An all-new Azera was introduced in 2012, featuring an even more elegant appearance. An upgraded interior, expanded safety features, and the Hyundai BlueLink telematics system were among the many improvements. Hyundai dropped the larger V6 and introduced an all-new 3.3-liter V6 engine with 293 horsepower. It immediately became the most power dense V6 in its class.

Hyundai continued to update the Azera even as sales never reached anywhere near the company’s goals. Those changes included the latest in telematics and safety equipment and a new, lower price.

Yet, outside of its more popular midsize and compact models, the Azera never made the impact expected. At the same time, Hyundai continued to enjoy strong demand for its two midsize crossovers — the five-passenger Santa Fe Sport and the seven-passenger Santa Fe.

2015 Hyundai Azera.

Looking Ahead

Now minus its three largest sedans as well as its Genesis Coupe, the Hyundai brand is pulling back temporarily, but not for long. The Santa Fe will effectively serve as the brand’s flagship, offering the only V6 engine as well.

Hyundai is also upping its green credentials, by rolling out a full line of Ioniq electrified models. A hybrid arrived in dealer showrooms in February and will be followed by a battery electric model in April. Hyundai will round out the Ioniq line when a 2018 Plug-In arrives in the fourth quarter. A Hyundai pickup truck is in the works and another SUV is planned.

Yes, the Hyundai Azera will soon be gone, but that loss should be made up by customers who might move over to a crossover or give serious consideration to the Sonata.


See Also — Hybrid Finesse: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq

Photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: 2017 cars, full-size sedan, Hyundai Azera, Hyundai Equus, HYUNDAI GENESIS, Hyundai Motor America, Hyundai Sonata, leather seats, V6 engine

Hyundai Tucson FCV: First Mass Produced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

November 21, 2013 by admin 3 Comments

Bring it on. The first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle will not come from Honda, General Motors or Toyota, who are among the biggest names associated with this emerging technology. Instead, the winner in the race for the first hydrogen-powered vehicle will be Hyundai when its 2015 Tucson FCV (fuel cell vehicle) hits the market next spring.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV.
Arriving Spring 2014: 2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

Hyundai took the wraps off of its Tucson FCV this week at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. It will be made available at several southern California Hyundai dealerships beginning in spring 2014. With $2,999 down and a 36-month lease signed, customers will pay $499 per month to drive one. The lease package also includes unlimited free hydrogen refueling and access to the company’s “At Your Service Valet Maintenance” plan offered exclusively to Hyundai Equus and Tucson FCV owners. That plan provides a free loaner vehicle if the FCV needs to be serviced, with a Hyundai dealer picking up and returning the serviced vehicle to the customer’s home, including the delivery of the loaner vehicle.

Tucson FCV availability will be restricted to southern California initially. The biggest problem facing this technology is that a hydrogen fueling infrastructure is not yet in place across the country. As of this writing, there are just 10 hydrogen stations in the United States, with eight of these clustered in the Los Angeles area. A ninth station can be found in Emeryville, Calif. The lone east coast station can be found in Columbia, SC.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

How to Order One

The US Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center tracks the number of public stations, but not the private ones. The state of California is backing hydrogen energy and has vowed to develop as many as 100 hydrogen fueling stations across the state over the next few years. For its part the federal government has thrown its support behind H2USA, a private-public partnership developed to push for a national hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Automakers such as Hyundai, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan have joined with various gas and hydrogen associations to support H2USA.

Hyundai has established an interest page or what they say is the first step in the Tucson FCV ordering process on it website. Visit Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell and you’ll be asked to provide your first name, last name, email, and zip code. Hit the submit button and you’ll be registered.

This east coast guy did sign up and received the following message: “Unfortunately the Tucson Fuel Cell is not currently available in your area. It may become available in the near future, so please check back and stay updated with our fuel cells.” The sign up page also touts the FCV’s 300-mile range, what some other vehicles offer. Unlike any other mass-produced vehicle, the Tucson FCV runs on water and has zero emissions except for harmless water vapor.

Soon after signing up, I received the following note from Hyundai via email: “You’re now on the list for upcoming announcements about the exciting new Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell. It’s completely reimagining the idea of an electric vehicle. Keep an eye on your inbox for more updates and to find out when the Tucson Fuel Cell will be available in your area.” I had to pull the message out of my spam box, by the way.

How hydrogen power works.
How hydrogen power works.

Refueling and Testing

Hyundai says that the FCV can be refueled in under 10 minutes or for about the same time you would refuel a gasoline-powered vehicle. They are also touting the minimal cold-weather effects of FCV technology compared with battery electric vehicles while emphasizing the 221 foot-pounds of torque derived from its electric motor. Hyundai says that its fuel cell fleet has been in operation since 2000 and has completed more than 2 million durability test miles. That testing has also put the Tucson FCV through numerous crash, fire and leak testing scenarios.

The 2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV will be built at the same Ulsan, Korea, manufacturing plant that produces the gas-powered Tucson. And, yes, I’ll let you know if Hyundai ever follows up with a message announcing availability beyond its initial marketing base.

2015 Hyundai Tucson FCV

Further Reading

Toyota Opens California Pipeline-Fed Hydrogen Station

Daimler, Nissan and Ford Tie One On (Fuel Cell Partnership)

MIT Names Audi, Toyota As Disruptive Companies

KPMG Survey: Automotive Executives and Electric Vehicles

Tucson FCV photos and charts courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: 2015 TUCSON FUEL CELL, crossover, F2USA, hydrogen, HYDROGEN STATIONS, Hyundai Motor America, sport utility vehicle, TUCSON FCV

Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept Points to Possible Third Luxury Model

January 20, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

When Hyundai made it known in 2008 that it had no plans to launch a separate luxury brand to market its top of the line vehicles, this writer and many others did not expect that its marketing strategy would succeed. Five years have passed and we’ve been proven wrong as both its Genesis coupe and sedan, and its Equus sedan have enabled Hyundai to extend its reach into the premium segment.

Premium Market

Concept HyundaiIndeed, Hyundai claims that its Genesis line and Equus sedan enable Hyundai to claim 9 percent of the premium market or well above the 5 percent market share the entire Hyundai brand enjoys.

In 2012, Hyundai sold 33,978 Genesis units and 3,972 copies of its top-of-the-line Equus, seeing its share of the premium market increase from 8.8 to 9.0 percent. Within that market are the three segments where Hyundai competes: entry-premium coupe (Genesis coupe), mid-luxury (Genesis sedan) and premium luxury (Equus).

HCD-14 Concept

At the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Hyundai revealed the HCD-14 Genesis concept, a vehicle it says provides a hint at the future technologies its premium models could offer. The concept reveals a stunning sedan design that could presage the next generation Genesis sedan or an all-new model, perhaps both.

John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America told NAIAS media representatives that the success of its current premium models …paves the way for a new generation of rear-wheel drive premium products. Krafcik added that the HCD-14 gives an …indication of the focus were placing on driving dynamics and technology.

Fluidic Sculpture Design

In recent years Hyundai has been using the term fluidic sculpture to describe the sculpture or body lines evident in its current design language. That design is most popularized in its midsize Hyundai Sonata sedan and is evident in its other cars. A variant of that language is apparent in its SUVs.

The HCD-14 attempts to update that design language, at least for its top of the range models. The concepts face is described as bold with sporty LED headlamps flanking the sides. Deep fog lamp ports and a muscular hood advance this models premium look. The grille is as pronounced as you would find in an Audi, but with its own design characteristics present.

The concept features a familiar sedan profile with a sharply tapered cabin and shore rear deck. Notably, the almost coupe-like look of the sedan offers hint of something unusual rear pivoting rear doors that provide ease of access to the second row. Such suicide doors are not commonly used these days, but have been played with by designers from time to time.

Cabin Comforts

Inside, the designers worked to make the cabin more ergonomically useful for the driver. Gone is the traditional center stack, replaced with a driver interface that Hyundai says is intuitive and offers 3-D hand-gesture recognition. The system makes use of eye-tracking, thumb controls and gesture recognition to control infotainment, audio, climate commands, navigation and smartphone access. A windshield head up display reduces driver distraction.

Hyundai explains that its proprietary interface represents the companys vision for its premium vehicles, one that …sets a new benchmark in active driver safety technology.

Engine and Transmission

The HCD-14 concept is powered by Hyundais 5.0-liter TAU V-8 engine, an award-winning 32-valve motor currently available in the Genesis sedan and standard in the Hyundai Equus. That engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting capabilities. The concept is equipped with paddle shifters for more engaged driving.

As far as concepts go, Auto Trends sees this model going into production, perhaps without the rear pivoting rear doors. That latter change would be a shame as so-called safety concerns eliminate what we see as an important design characteristic for this handsome sedan.


See Also — Second Look: 2017 Genesis G80

Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.

Filed Under: Concept Vehicles Tagged With: Hyundai Equus, HYUNDAI GENESIS, HYUNDAI HCF-14 CONCEPT, Hyundai Motor America, JOHN KRAFCIK, NAIAS, sedan

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