Nother CarGuy

Hyundai has announced plans to drop the Azera in the United States. According to the automaker, the Azera has been a "successful" part of the company's lineup for years as it offered a combination of style and comfort at an affordable price. However, Hyundai notes the car was facing stiff competition from the Sonata and the Genesis G80. A mix of slowing sales and product overlap pushed the company to decide to stop offering the Azera and simplify its lineup. The 2017 Azera starts at $34,100 and is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 engine that produces 293 hp (218 kW) and 255 lb-ft (345 Nm) of torque. The car comes nicely equipped with leather upholstery, heated / ventilated front seats, and GPS navigation. Despite all these features, Azera sales have dwindled as Carsalesbase reports the company only sold 4,942 units in the United States last year. For comparison, Buick sold 27,582 LaCrosse models in 2016 while Toyota sold 48,079 Avalons. Besides announcing the decisi...

Hyundai has cleared the air regarding the availability of their  new generation 2017 Azera  in the USA: we won’t be getting it, and we’re not the only ones. Speaking to  Carscoops , a US spokesman for the Korean company said: “Hyundai will sell the all-new Azera in all global markets except for Australia, Europe and North America. The  all-new Azera  will not be sold in the U.S.” But here’s where things get a bit confusing, as the spokesperson added: “Considering the importance of Hyundai Motor's flagship model in overseas markets, Hyundai is currently reviewing the possibility of introducing a US-specific model that reflects the needs of customers in North America".  Does that mean Hyundai will develop and offer a different model based on the Azera for the States, or perhaps even market a restyled version of the car under their  just launched Genesis brand  as an entry-level premium sedan – think Lexus ES rival? We don’t know yet, but we did a...

After sharing a  few candid drawings  of the redesigned for 2017 Azera or Grandeur in Korea earlier this week, Hyundai dropped the first real-life images of their bolder and more youthful take on the mid-size sedan segment. The Koreans say the new generation Azera “spearheads a new era” of design for the brand, and while that may hold true for Hyundai, we can’t help but notice the styling similarities with the products of its  just-launched Genesis luxury marque  that was spun off last year.  So much so in fact, that some have hypothesized that instead of replacing the current model, Hyundai could  turn the Azera  into the ‘Lexus ES’ of their Genesis brand in the States, which kind of makes sense given the decline in the non-luxury mid-size sedan category. The new Azera not only looks more handsome and upscale than the current car on the outside, but inside too, especially in the grade featured in the release photos that boasts a partially leather c...

Hyundai is attempting to stir up a bit of excitement over its next Azera, badged as the  Grandeur in Korea , by dropping a batch of teaser sketches ahead of a full reveal, initially in its home market next month, and then the rest of the world. Now, while most manufacturer teasers tend to be on the overly-exaggerated side when it comes to the design and even more so, the proportions of a car, Hyundai’s sketches might not be far off from the truth, as  supported by spy shots of the 2017 Azera testers , including the ones you see below that were sent to us by Carscoops reader  Marton G . And that’s a good thing because Hyundai appears to have breathed new life into its mid-size sedan with a more dynamic and sportier styled body that looks more related to the Genesis G80 (previously known as the Hyundai Genesis) than to the Azera, though, that might lead to an identity problem for the Korean maker’s  newborn luxury brand .  According to Hyundai, “the all-new A...

The 2017  Hyundai Azera  has been modestly revised, with a new color palette and safety and comfort features.  Joining the Pewter Gray Metallic, Venetian Red Pearl, and Moroccan Pearl later on will be the Nocturne Black, Hyper White, and Ion Silver, while inside, the  car benefits from  standard heated and ventilated front seats, leather seating surfaces, 8-inch navi touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a 550-watt Infinity Logic 7 audio system.  The Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is offered at no extra cost and the 2017 Azera can also be specified with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Smart Cruise Control, stop/start, HID headlights with automatic high beam assist and LED fog lights. The  options list also counts  the electric parking brake with auto hold, rear window and side window sunshades, panoramic roof and 19-inch alloy wheels.  The 2017  Hyundai Azera  also f...