We spend a week in the most luxurious front wheel drive sedan offered by Hyundai
Pros:
Exterior styling
Interior quality
Refined powertrain
Cons:
Vague handling
Lack of steering feel
Checking out the tweener
The Azera is something of a "tweener" in Hyundai's lineup. A large and fairly luxurious front wheel drive sedan, it falls between the brand's ground-breaking and highly popular midsize Sonata and the more visible as well as more luxurious rear wheel drive Genesis.
Exterior
As the middle child in Hyundai's grown-up trio of sedans, it would seem that the Azera's mission is to lift some of the style and sportiness found in the Sonata and mix it in a healthy dose of the luxury found in the Genesis.
Based on the same platform as the Sonata, the 2014 Hyundai Azera is 3.5 inches longer and an inch wider than its midsize sibling. While its height is the same, the Azera's wheelbase is longer by 2 inches while its curb weight is 406 pounds heavier.
As the Azera's interpretation of "Fluidic Sculpture" requires it to be a bit more conservative than the current-generation Sonata, up front the grille is trimmed in bright chrome on only three sides, while the horizontal grille bars, themselves, feature a brushed charcoal chrome finish. And while the headlight enclosures, themselves, are every bit as sleek as the Sonata, they contain projector beam lamps surrounded by smaller LED lights with "waterfall" LED lighting flowing across the upper portion of the enclosure and terminating at the lower inboard corner.
Unlike the arched eyebrow look of the current Sonata's taillamps, the Azera's stretch the entire width of the trunk and are trimmed with a narrow band of chrome.
The Azera's cab-forward look is further enhanced by a steeply raked windshield. Along the sides, a soft character line beginning just forward of the front door gently sweeps upward along the side of the body to just above the rear taillight. A second and more distinct character line begins just forward of the rear door handle where it begins to sweeps slightly upward until it reaches the trunk lid where it forms upper trailing edge of the trunk.
Further down the sides, a prominent swage line can be found between the highly-flared front and rear wheel wells that, on our test vehicle, housed aggressive 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in P245/40R19 Hankook Optimo tires.
Completing the theme, a chrome trim strip begins just above the upper edge of the headlamp enclosure and follows the beltline until it terminates at the lower rear corner of the greenhouse.
Interior
Every bit as striking as the exterior, the Azera's airy interior (with an EPA passenger volume of 106 cubic feet) makes liberal use of leather, and soft-touch surfaces. Fit and finish is outstanding with a mix of materials and finishes that would look at home in a vehicle costing thousands of dollars more.
Instead of cheesy-looking fake wood, Hyundai has chosen a dark carbon-fiber-like trim it calls "3D carbon" as an accent around the dashboard vents, center console and door latches. Adding to the luxury look, brushed metal is used to trim both the steering wheel and center dash controls.
Front seat occupants will find firm, supportive seats (covered in perforated leather and both heated and cooled with a power adjustment for the lower lumbar area as well as an extendable lower cushion for more thigh support on Limited models) that are nicely bolstered and provide excellent lateral support. The intuitive dashboard and console controls are large, easy to read, and within easy reach of the driver, while the switchgear is buttery smooth.
Our Limited tester featured the optional $2,150 Premium Package which includes such amenities as 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, power rear window sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades.
For 2014, base Azera models receive a new standard 6-inch color display along with a rear backup camera, while those in Limited trim feature an 8-inch navigation system, electroluminescent gauge cluster and power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.
Despite the high beltline and cowl, the view out the front, sides and rear three-quarters is excellent thanks to a large expanse of glass, a narrow A-pillar and a third side window set in the C-pillar. There's also a standard rearview camera with dynamic guidelines that automatically compensate for the vehicle's steering angle.
Equipment
For 2014, the Azera is available in two trim levels – base and Limited with the only option being the Limited's Premium Package.
Standard features, given Hyundai's penchant for including practically everything but the kitchen sink even on entry-level models, are more than complete on even on base model Azeras. They include auto-up/down power windows, locks and heated outside mirrors. A leather interior, tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated cruise, audio and phone control, leather-wrapped shift knob, cloth roof and A, B and C-pillar trim, remote keyless entry with proximity sensor and push-button start also come with all Azeras.
Wrapping it all up are heated power front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a cooled glovebox compartment.
The Limited trim level adds HID headlights, power folding outside mirrors, an electroluminescent gauge cluster, navigation system, Infinity sound system, 2-position driver's seat memory, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, heated rear seats, ventilated front seats and interior ambient lighting.
The optional Premium Package includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, rear window power and side window manual sunshades and a rear parking assistance system.
Safety equipment includes a full complement of 9 airbags, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control and vehicle stability control.
Engine
All Azeras are powered by the same engine and transmission combo – Hyundai's all-aluminum Lambda II 3.3-liter direct-injected V6 that produces 293 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. It's mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode and featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The combination provides for a smooth and quiet drivetrain that shifts both smoothly and nearly imperceptibly
The EPA rates the Azera at 20/28/23 city/highway/combined which seems to err a bit on the conservative side. My own driving elicited an observed 25.8 mpg in mixed city and highway driving.
On the road
The Azera's MacPherson Strut front and multi-link rear suspension did a nice job of soaking up road imperfections – even some of the larger potholes found in Michigan this time of year. There's also very little body lean in corners. The Azera's brakes were also excellent and easy to modulate with plenty of feedback to the driver. But while there's a nice weight to the steering, it felt detached from the road with very little in the way of feedback to the driver.
On the freeway the Azera feels well planted and it was unaffected by either crosswinds or pavement irregularities. But even after getting used to the lack of steering feedback I found that sometimes I either under or over-corrected its path. The lack of feedback also contributed to a feeling of insulation from, and disconnect with, the road.
On the other hand, the cabin sound level is one of the high points of driving an Azera as very little in the way of engine, wind, road or tire noise intrudes into the interior.
Pricing
Manufacturer's suggested retail pricing for 2014 was actually reduced by $1,250 for the entry-level model that now starts at $31,895, while a Limited model with all the factory options can top out at $38,350.
Our Limited tester was very close to the top and, with the Premium Package and carpeted floor mats, had an MSRP, including an $895 delivery charge, of $37,905.
The Bottom Line
The 2014 Hyundai Azera has a lot going for it – good looks and plenty of power from its V6 engine plus a quiet interior that would look at home in a vehicle costing thousands of dollars more.
But all is not perfect. The handling, though secure, is a long way from sporty and the lack of steering feel really detracts from a vehicle that has so many other good things going for it.
So the bottom line is this: drivers not interested in a sporty ride but rather a high-quality vehicle, with a great warranty that offers a lot of bang for the buck, even those considering a higher end Sonata, should really check out an Azera - its' equally stylish but larger, more luxurious, more powerful and slightly more conservative big brother.
