Hyundai Equus - New for 2011 - Very nice!

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Originally Posted By: StevieC

As for the name.. This is the snob part again... It's all about status symbol.
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That's true, that why Honda has Acura division, Toyota has Lexus dealerships and Nissan has Infinity showrooms.

They knew that they could not sell cars/SUV's that cost 2-3 times their bread and butter cars in the same dealer showrooms. Their target customers would not step in their regular car showrooms, that is the fact of life.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: StevieC

As for the name.. This is the snob part again... It's all about status symbol.
smirk2.gif



That's true, that why Honda has Acura division, Toyota has Lexus dealerships and Nissan has Infinity showrooms.

They knew that they could not sell cars/SUV's that cost 2-3 times their bread and butter cars in the same dealer showrooms. Their target customers would not step in their regular car showrooms, that is the fact of life.


It's true. The fact is, you simply get treated better at an Acura dealer than you do at a Honda dealer. When I go to an Acura dealer, I am treated respectfully. Sales people are knowledgeable, service personnel are friendly and the employees actually work with you. I cannot say the same about the Honda dealerships that I have been to.
 
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"!
 
I am a fan of the Genesis, but paying over 50k for a Hyundia is a tough pill to swallow. Their quality has improved leaps and bounds in recent years, and is on par with that of most all automakers. That said, they are not really at the point where they can sell a car for 50k. Maybe in a few more years, but not today.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR


That's true, that why Honda has Acura division, Toyota has Lexus dealerships and Nissan has Infinity showrooms.

They knew that they could not sell cars/SUV's that cost 2-3 times their bread and butter cars in the same dealer showrooms. Their target customers would not step in their regular car showrooms, that is the fact of life.


It's true. The fact is, you simply get treated better at an Acura dealer than you do at a Honda dealer. When I go to an Acura dealer, I am treated respectfully. Sales people are knowledgeable, service personnel are friendly and the employees actually work with you. I cannot say the same about the Honda dealerships that I have been to.


And, also, when Honda/Toyota/Nissan appeared on these shores, they were desperate unknowns and signed agreements with importers and dealer groups they now regret. This keeps them from effectively "punishing" lousy dealers. Way around? New nameplates!
 
Around here, Hyundai dealerships are regarded as a bunch of bamboozlers, using fast-talking salesmen, bait and switch, and other questionable tactics. I personally know a woman who let herself be flim-flammed into an over-priced purchase, which she deeply regrets making.

Now don't get me wrong, their market penetration seems to be increasing handily from what I can tell. There are just alot of Hyundai's on the roads locally, and since people vote with their pocketbooks, I'd say they've got alot of good product out there.

If Hyundai really believes they are going to be able to successfully launch a true luxury brand on their existing, generally schlocky dealership network, I'd venture a guess that they have another Phaeton in the making.

My guess is they are testing that market with their Equus, to see if they should go ahead with setting up a separate luxury franchise. I hope they realize that almost anyone spending that amount of coin for transportation will not even consider walking into a Hyundai dealership. Yes they will sell some, but not in the volumes they want.

Phaeton anyone?
 
I'm going to write to Hyundai and suggest that they come out with a premium brand name like the others have so that they can market this fantastic new vehicle.
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If I ever owned one, I would put a bumper sticker on the back that said "YES IT'S A HYUNDAI"

When my Santa Fe reaches it's 500K KM (300K Miles) I will be putting a sticker on the back window that says "THAT'S RIGHT, THIS VEHICLE HAS OVER 500K KM ON IT, AND STILL GOING!"

I have every confidence in the world that this brand is building some of the best vehicles on the road and will eventually win more and more hearts of people.

Too bad that they don't have a separate brand name to market the EQUUS under. Also sad that they will probably have far less reliability problems than the German brands seem to have, but will be tossed aside as a choice for a "Premium Snob Mobile" because it doesn't bare the name BMW/Audi/LEXUS etc. or their overpricing too! *SIGH*
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
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.


Equus means any equine, could even be a donkey. Equus ferus caballus is Latin for horse. However, I strongly suspect the Hyundai marketing team thought the name Equus would allude to the car being "an equal." Dontcha think?
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Too bad that they don't have a separate brand name to market the EQUUS under. Also sad that they will probably have far less reliability problems than the German brands seem to have, but will be tossed aside as a choice for a "Premium Snob Mobile" because it doesn't bare the name BMW/Audi/LEXUS etc. or their overpricing too! *SIGH*


Whole bunch of baseless speculation there, bro.
 
Baseless I think not. I have worked on and driven many premium vehicles and have heard first hand accounts and read many other accounts of their poor reliability, especially in the electrical components area.

Maybe they ship all the lemons up here, or maybe they just aren't built to handle our driving conditions...
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Defintely another step in the right direction.

It does share alot of styling from other makes. Has alot of the new Buick LAcross on it...tailpipes, door feature lines and such. The hood ornament must go.

I do also question why Hyundai doesn't offer these new upscale type models under a new nameplate like Toyota did with Lexus, etc.

As for the discussion on fine leather stitching and snobs and all. Well, a lot of good points. For me, I do love my new CTS and it's got a leather stitched dash, doors, etc and while it doesn't get me from point A to B any better - it makes my car's value/bang for the buck better than the the Mercedes E350 I considered. Of course the 36 more hp and other offerings helped too.
 
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I won't be purchasing one... simply because I refuse to drop $50,000+ on transportation that deteriorates like any other vehicle as that makes no economic sense.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

You ask us to look in the jar, but get all jiggy if we find in it something different than what you want us to.


LMAO
 
If Hyundai wants to build a luxury car for $50K, they should create a Luxury brand like Toyota and Honda did. No one in their right mind would buy a Hyundai for $50k considering depreciation and the economic environment we are in. Hyundai's should keep pursuing building cheap vehicles and building them to be reliable as a rock.
 
Yaris / Benz sedan tails, and a special hybridized Lincoln MKZ / Benz front end with Audi-esque LEDs lined up along the bottom of the headlights. Can't forget the bootlegged i-Drive on the center console.....

They need a new design team. [censored], they probably need a design team with an original theme and badly so.

"Hyundai, you guys have so much potential and have made serious strides in quality and value, so why use randomizing digital graphics morphing software to rob design cues from other models? "
 
Hyundai has the most unimaginative stylist/designers. They basically copy whatever product they're competing with. The Sonata from a distance looks just like an Accord, and this new Equus has a front end that looks just like Lexus ES/GS models (the signature Lexus grill in particular).
 
Ya know, I watched Honda and Toyota throughout the 70's & 80's grow into these great car companies. They started out bulding small cars that shortly turned into rust and look at them now. These days Im watching Hyundai!...LOOK!...They really build some fine cars. I think that Hyundai is the car company to watch. Not perfect but neither is any other company. And their moving quickely. This is how Honda and Toyota became the companies that they are today.
 
As far as labelling certain expensive badges as "snob brands" well yes, they are...but their raison d'etre is quite powerful: people who can afford these generally extremely desireable vehicles want that bonus that comes with them: a great dealership experience. Yes not all are tiptop, but the treatment a customer gets at a Lexus dealership is one he// of alot better than getting one's teeth kicked in and eyes gouged out by the ignoramuses at a Hyundai//**name your brand** stealership.

Not to mention the quality of work, and experience and training of technicians being superior... overall.
 
Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
Hyundai has the most unimaginative stylist/designers. They basically copy whatever product they're competing with. The Sonata from a distance looks just like an Accord, and this new Equus has a front end that looks just like Lexus ES/GS models (the signature Lexus grill in particular).


I said the same thing not to long ago. calling Tim H
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