A few days ago, an online advertisement for the Hyundai Azera got me rather curious. I read quite a few reviews on it; Consumer Reports even rated the car a 8.3/10 and the only "disappointment" was fuel economy on the Limited model. Finally decided to check it out in person the other day.
I was extremely impressed. The build quality was above and beyond anything in its price range. To top it off, the top of the line 3.8L DOHC V6 Limited, fully loaded to the nose, is going for $20,170. projector HIDs, electroluminescent instrumentation, dual power seats with lumbar, Infiniti sound system with 6 CD/MP3/WMA and USB, rain sensor, GPS, Bluetooth, Park Assist with camera - you name it. The best had yet to come, however - a 10 year/unlimited mileage warranty!
Obviously, this thread is about a newer, better Hyundai...but if they can do so well with the Azera, they probably did better with the Equus.
Having said that, they could have come up with a better name, IMO, than the Latin word for "horse"...especially with it being an upmarket luxury sedan. Although it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to start a luxury division. But in order to do that, they have to establish a solid name for the Hyundai brand first, before they can establish one for an upmarket brand. Hyundai has certainly come a long way from where they once started, and their products reflect this. I think all they need is time to form a solid brand image...even Toyota didn't have the reputation they had today when they were new to the game. But the Lexus nameplate was built upon the Toyota brand's reputation - sort of like an endorsement so to speak.
People can be so blinded by brand names that they cannot see past it. For instance, I was shocked to walk into a Toyota showroom here and see the freaking Corolla priced at nearly $22,500 USD! Considering all the cars I've looked at in the midsize category in this price range, who in their right mind would pay that for a Corolla, right? Wrong - it's selling like hot cakes because it's "Toyota quality"!