2007 Hyundai Azera: What's It Like to Live With?

What do you want to know about?

• Introduction
• What? No Aux?
• Hyundai Azera Pretends to be an SUV
• Hyundai Azera 2,200 Mile Road Trip
• I'm So Spoiled
• 2007 Hyundai Azera Improvements
• Power Point Predicament
• Feeding a Seat Heater Addiction
• Desert crossing made easy
• 400 Miles and a Quarter Tank Left
• Tale of the Tape
• Somehow not as elegant with the light interior
• Details, Details
• An unexpected sign of refinement
• Be My Valentine
• An Azera State of Mind
• Finally, a night out for the Hyundai Azera
• Suspension
• This gas cap just wants to be held
• Hyundai Azera gets 56.1 miles per gallon
• Hyundai Azera Draws Last Cookie Duty
• An oasis in the jungle
• Uptown Aspirations
• Quiet time
• Hyundai Azera 2 AZ
• 2007 Hyundai Azera From AZ
• The art of comfort
• 85-percent approval rating
• Less expensive GLS trim
• It's the little things
• The trunk and the table
• What's it Capable of?
• Long-Term Hyundai Azera Beats Revised EPA Fuel Economy Estimates
• The downside to light-color interiors, or why all our editors are gross
• Takes the heat
• It's What's Inside That Counts
• Not Simple as 1-2-3
• Sticky Thump
• Volume Controls
• At One With the World
• Not Sold on the Quality
• Progress on Cleaning the Driver Seat
• Door Jambs Give You Luxury for Less
• 15,000-mile Service
• Hyundai Keeps Getting Better
• Trunk Release but Doesn't Open
• Hyundai's Response to Why the Lid Doesn't Pop
• The net
• Side Mirror Decides to Just Hang Out
• Flat-Pack Foray
• Road Trip
• Heated Seats
• Last Days in the Fleet
• A Soft Landing
• Wrap-Up

Introduction

You can't think of Audi without A4 instantly popping into your head or VW without images of the Beetle dancing through. In our collective psyche, the Hyundai Azera is on the same track. Like the Sonata, the Hyundai Azera is a harbinger of things to come for the Korean automaker and will propel the brand to new heights in the minds of most consumers — luxury or otherwise. In short, it will be the car most of us think of when we hear "Hyundai."

In our long-term test of the slightly smaller Hyundai Sonata, we found the car exceeded our expectations in many areas, and we expect the Azera to garner the same amount of praise. So far it's the car's luxury leanings that stand out as the Azera's defining characteristics. Office banter about the Azera frequently has included comments like "surprisingly comfortable," "decent acceleration" and "It's got a power rear sunshade!?" tossed around like fresh halibut at a Seattle fish market.

Defining moment
No matter how you slice it, it's obvious the Azera is a sedan that's of seminal importance for Hyundai, so we set out to find one that would offer the most car for the money. We came up with an Azera Limited equipped with the Ultimate Package. While the Limited already includes features like leather seats, curtain airbags, stability control, 17-inch wheels and automatic climate control as standard, the extra $2,550 for the Ultimate Package adds an Infinity stereo, power-adjustable pedals, rain-sensing wipers, a sunroof and memory function for the seats, mirrors and steering column. Also, our Azera came painted in Venetian Blue, one of the best-looking hues this side of Ford's Guardsman Blue from the mid-'60s.

In terms of driving dynamics and mechanical execution, no one will mistake the Hyundai Azera for a Lexus or even a Cadillac, but with features like that power rear sunshade, Infinity sound system and super-soft leather seats, most people would be hard-pressed to peg this car as a Korean brand that's built its reputation on low-priced, entry-level cars. In fact, a few editors made that very observation in the logbook.

Senior Automotive Editor Brent Romans said, "I'm impressed with the interior design. It looks upscale and the materials are high in quality. I suspect that if I removed all the badges and put the average American in it, he or she would guess it was a Toyota or even a Lexus."

Road Test Editor Brian Moody confirmed this by simply saying, "The Azera's seats are very soft and comfortable — even at a quick glance, it's hard to see this car as first and foremost a bargain" though that's exactly what it is. Our full test of a 2006 Azera Limited pointed out that a similarly equipped Toyota Avalon would be more than $3,000 higher.

Fade away
All Azeras are powered by a surprisingly smooth 3.8-liter 24-valve V6. The all-aluminum engine sends 263 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 255 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. And the combination creates some scoot.

After about 1,400 miles of break-in, we took our Azera to the test track, where it surged from zero to 60 mph in just 7 seconds flat and covered the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds. That's two-tenths of a second quicker to 60 mph than the Azera we tested back in March, which makes it almost a full second quicker to 60 than the last V8-equipped Buick Lucerne we tested. Our test driver Chris Walton noted "no torque steer" and said the upshifts were "quick and smooth."

Braking was another story, however. In our full test the Azera stopped from 60 mph in 118 feet — impressive for a sedan that weighs close to 2 tons. Our long-term car, however, took 132 feet and showed significant brake fade. In fact, after four runs the sedan's brake pedal went all the way to the floor. We suspect the brakes may not have been completely broken in, as the car had just over a thousand miles on the clock. We'll test them again in the near future and see if our gut is right.

Through the slalom, our Azera showed noticeable body roll but Chris Walton noted "more sport than expected" on the test sheet. Thanks to light steering and grippy 17-inch Michelin Energy MXV4 tires, we recorded an average speed of 62.6 mph, notably quicker than the last Toyota Avalon Limited we tested, which snaked through the same cones at 58.9 mph.

It's not perfect
Despite its "sportier than expected" performance, however, so far praise for the Azera is not unanimous. If you must have features like Bluetooth and navigation you'll have to go with a car like the Avalon. And while editor Romans was impressed with the car overall, he noted a few areas of disappointment, specifically styling. He said, "It's conservatively styled, which is fine, but even after driving it for days I can't really name a distinguishing feature about it. To me, the exterior look is bland and unassuming." Some editors also noted an unusually high or awkward driving position, which is something we also complained about in our long-term Sonata, and one editor said that while the Azera has a comfortable highway ride, it clearly "isn't athletic."

Hyundai would probably be the first to point out that the Azera isn't intended as a sport sedan, but with few versions available, that one car has to cast a net that's as wide as the appeal of the Nissan Maxima SE and Toyota Avalon Limited.

Seat time
This Hyundai, for better or for worse, is intended as a near luxury sedan for those who still cherish a good bargain — count us among them. We're off to a good start, but as we begin our year with the 2007 Hyundai Azera, only time (specifically, seat time) will tell if Hyundai can disprove the familiar "you get what you pay for" mantra or if the Azera will only reinforce our well-documented "less is just less" when it comes to luxury sedans.

Current Odometer: 2,482
Best Fuel Economy: 22.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

What? No Aux?

The first thing my fellow Edmunds.com editor said as he handed off the Hyundai Azera was, "There's no aux output." This was another way of saying, if you have an iPod you're out of luck. But we found that the Azera does have a throwback to earlier years — a cassette tape deck. We plugged in a tape adapter and had an eighth inch jack into our iPod so we could play it through the sound system on our 16 hour drive to Denver. With the iPod up and running we listened to my son's Christmas play list as we cruised through Western Colorado on Christmas Eve.

Hyundai Azera Pretends to be an SUV

When we headed for Denver for Christmas people kept saying, "Better take an SUV!" I would have taken an SUV if one was available. But it wasn't. So we took the Hyundai Azera and hoped for dry weather. Going east we hit heavy snow climbing out of Dillon, Colo., up to the Eisenhower Tunnel (or, technically speaking, the Johnson Tunnel for eastbound travel) at elevation 11,158 feet...

We were creeping along at from 5-10 mph and everytime we stopped I thought we wouldn't get enough traction to start up again. A tractor trailer truck in front of us lost traction and began to drift across our lane so I had to power through loose snow and dodge it. The whole thing was pretty scary and I could feel the tires slip and grab beneath us. But we finally got into the tunnel on dry pavement and had no further trouble.

A new storm blew in yesterday and this morning when I woke up this is what the Azera looked like (top photo). We drove it through snow that was at times a foot deep and kept going. The only problem was packing the front fascia and air dam with snow. The windshield and rear window defrosted and de-iced quickly and visibility was good. And here's one more benefit. When we took it skiing we folded down the left rear seat and put skies and poles through the opening.

Yeah, I would have preferred an SUV. But all in all, it proved to be a more adequate snow car than I ever imagined.

Hyundai Azera 2,200 Mile Road Trip

I went from the ocean to the Rockies in the 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited. Our road trip stretched from the desert to the mountains and back again — some 2,200 miles. About 32 hours behind the wheel. A drive like this should give me a pretty clear idea of whether I like a car or not.

Just south of Las Vegas we pulled off the interstate and had a picnic in the desert. I sat down and pulled my thoughts together about this car.

My initial impression was that the car was a bland imitation of other vehicles that succeeded in this near-luxury class. But as the days wore on and the miles ticked by my admiration for this Azera grew.

All the little things, the touch and feel of the controls, the muted tock-tock of the turn signal indicator, conveyed a sense of quality. If that wasn't enough, there was also the leather-wrapped and silky smooth polished wood steering wheel to remind me of the station to which this craft aspired. All that would be lost if the driving dynamics didn't back up those impressions. But they did.

There is plenty of power from the 263 hp V6. We took it to 11,000 feet and it never felt wheezy. Over the entire trip it yielded 25.2 mpg with four adults and luggage for four. With a 19.8 gallon gas tank this meant we could cruise for nearly 400 miles without a refill. The sport shift feature was a welcome addition for mountain driving but I found that it, when upshifting, the five-speed transmission overruled me, not allowing a higher gear until the revs were up. Still, for engine braking, it filled the bill.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, and as you see in this photo, we spent a lot of time in the snow. The P235/55R17 Michelin tires gave surprisingly good traction in deep snow. And being a heavy car (nearly 3,629 lbs) it felt stable even on ice. I'm sure that the stability control was working over time but it didn’t seem overly intrusive. One problem I ran into was that, there was little room in the wheel wells and when the ice built up in there, the tires rubbed noisily.

The interior was understated but not without a touch of elegance. Besides the comfortable leather seats and the generous rear seat legroom I liked the wood accent strip that stretched around the entire passenger compartment. In the late afternoon we even used the rear sunshade! And the trunk was deep enough for four suitcases, loads of Christmas presents and cold weather jackets.

My wife liked this car but she asked, “Why would someone buy this rather than other cars like maybe a Lexus?” Well, I had to use our Comparator to see what it competes with. It listed the Toyota Avalon and the Nissan Maxima as being a lot more expensive, and the Ford Five Hundred and the Buick LaCrosse as being about a thousand dollars less. You could also throw in a few other cars like the Lexus 330. My feeling is that if you cross-shopped these cars the Azera would do well in a test drive comparison test.

I'm So Spoiled

I drove the Azera last night. My first impression was that it was faux nice. The Sonata got away with it but the Azera seemed like a little kid playing dress up.

But after driving it about 40 miles, I realized it really is a nice car.

It's comfortable, roomy and filled with luxury features you would expect in a pricier sedan.

In fact, I drove a Cadillac a few days ago that had all the same interior features, like heated seats, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, seat memory controls, etc. But the Cadillac costs way more. And the Azera drove better too. Strong, smooth acceleration. Not at all scary in curves.

We drive so many cars here, that sometimes we lose sight of how much they actually cost. Our Azera stickers under $30K. Can't get a Caddy for that.

So, my apologies to Hyundai. Nice car.

2007 Hyundai Azera Improvements

Most everyone who has driven or ridden in our 2007 Hyundai Azera long term test car has come away impressed at the level of feature content. Even so, in my first stint behind the wheel of this year's model, I've noticed a few welcome improvements from when it was introduced last year.

As with our long term Sonata, the steering wheel mounted audio controls were a love/hate affair. We loved the fact that it had them, but hated the lack of any way to change the channel or skip a CD track.

The following shot from our 2006 Hyunda Azera full test shows that 3 of 4 buttons are devoted to volume:

But lo and behold, if you look at our 2007 long-termer, you can see that a couple of buttons have been added.

Sure it looks a bit like an accordian, but they fall neatly under the fingertips when needed, yet don't impede steering. And now those front-mounted arrow buttons allow me to step through station presets or change a CD track. If held down longer, until a beep is heard, they turn into seek buttons. And they're lit at night. Oh wonderous joy!

The other improvement is harder to photograph. It seems to me, and I'm the one who complained loudest about or 2006 full test car, that the front seat has been dropped a half-inch or so. No longer brushing the headliner with my hair or looking through the tint band, my eye-point through the windshield seems OK. I have not had Hyundai confirm that any change was made, but it would seem so. Or I've shrunk. I'll pass on any additional info I learn.

Power Point Predicament

Here's the scenario: I'm working at home (I know, I know - World's smallest violin) and the company cell phone goes dead. All I have is a cigarette lighter charge cord and my wits. What to do? Here's a hint...

Out I trot to my driveway, where the Azera is encamped, with power cord in hand. As I half-expected, there isn't any juice behind the cigarette lighter with the ignition off. But what about the others? No, that's not a Lost reference. I'm off in search of the Azera's other two power points.

Inside the center console box...

...and at the back of the console, facing the rear passengers.

But none of them, NONE of them, is hot with the key out. Since I just have to charge my phone, all I can do is seperate the key from the remote fob, poke it in the ignition and turn it to the required "accessory" position, lock the door and wait.

In just about any domestic, one or all of the power points is always hot. Most, but not all Asian companies, on the other hand, have tended keep them unpowered until the key is twisted. I've never heard of a cell phone or iPod charger killing a car battery, so why not make at least one of the powerpoints hot 100% of the time?

Feeding a Seat Heater Addiction

I love seat heaters. Even if the night is kinda warm for January, if I'm lucky enough to get in a car that has them I'll turn them on. Every single time. Not many cars in our fleet, at least in the ones that I have access to, have heaters in the seatbacks, usually just in the seat bottom

Not that I'm complaining. And looking at the controls for the Azera it looked as if it only had seat bottom warmers, too. But when I flipped the switch to "3" I was wonderfully mistaken as I felt a growing warmness comfort my back. Aaaaah! Love that!

Desert crossing made easy

Went from L.A. to Phoenix yesterday in our Hyundai Azera. I hadn't driven it more than a few blocks prior to the trip and I came away pretty impressed with the Azera's level of refinement, performance and comfort. Anyone who thinks Hyundai is still a second tier brand compared to Toyota should drive the Azera.

Its V6 is as smooth as anything out of Japan and the shifts from the five-speed automatic are flawless. Throttle response is still a little slow, but once it downshifts the car really takes off. It's also quiet at 75mph and the seats felt fine after six hours behind the wheel. It averaged around 26mpg along the way and it made the entire 410 mile trip on a single tank. Its biggest flaw is an overly soft suspension although I'm guessing that most buyers would probably find it perfectly acceptable. It's a good deal for $30K.

400 Miles and a Quarter Tank Left

After an impressive first leg from L.A. to Phoenix two days ago, the Azera completed the return trip as smoothly as the first. I didn't go light on it, yet when I made it home I realized there was still nearly a quarter tank of gas left after the 408-mile trip. According to the computer, the Azera could have gone another 80 miles or so. That's some serious range. I did note, however, that when the tank does get nearly dry the "miles to empty" reading goes to a couple dashes instead of counting down to 0 miles. Lame.

Other things I noticed: the radio doesn't have any individual bass and treble functions that I could find. There are preset equalizer settings that sound Ok, but I find it hard to believe you can't fool with the settings yourself. This is especially annoying when the bass on the "Rock" setting starts rattling the rear deck.

The rain sensing wipers work great. For a car in this price range it's a nice feature that I didn't expect. Along with the automatic headlights I did expect, the Azera definitely feels like an upscale sedan. Tighten up the suspension and this sucker would be really good.

Tale of the Tape

In past entries, I have bemoaned the unnecesary technological advancements, noise makers, bells and whistles and assorted geegaws that take away the simple pleasure of driving, the fact that one needs to refer to the manual simply to start and drive a car. To me, for someone who has been driving for 20-odd years, it should be fairly simple to take a car for the weekend and enjoy it without needing to refer to the manual for the most basic features. I'm not talking nav and DVD and all that. Listening to the radio, turning on the lights, putting the car in gear, that sort of thing... Basic things.

Thus I was blessed to drive the 2007 Hyundai Azera. The controls were simple and well laid out, the dash was easy to read, and all the controls were right at the reach of my fingertips. Too cold? How about that "Temp ^" control? It even had a TAPE DECK. I was in heaven.

It was glorious. Fast-forward, rewind, seek. And the Infinity sound system was great. I made a quick and spirited drive up the PCH to Malibu on Sunday, accompanied by Jimmy Page's exquisite guitar solo on the live version of "No Quarter." Heaven. Sunroof open (simple rocker switch), transmission in D due to a simple lever, tasteful wood accents throughout the cabin and comfy leather seats. Just drive and smell the ocean and let Jimmy do that voodoo that he do so well. Bravo Hyundai.

Somehow not as elegant with the light interior

I wrote our full road test on the 2006 Hyundai Azera. I found that car truly luxurious with its black leather seats and rich-looking faux maple trim. But our long-term Azera, while quite nice, doesn't feel nearly as upscale — and I think the lighter color leather and darker, cherry-type faux wood are to blame.

Once I get over the aesthetic hurdle, our Azera is easy to like. While stopped at a traffic light late last night, I was struck by how quiet it was. The radio was off, there were no other cars around, and the engine was idling so peacefully I glanced at the tach to see if it was still running at all.

Details, Details

Power folding side mirrors - granted, they don't make the Hyundai Azera as luxurious as a box of See's candy but it is a nice feature on a sub-$30k car. Those mirrors plus the power rear sunshade makes me think the car is more like a Hershey's bar... with almonds. Hey, don't mock me, Hershey is good stuff.

Ahhh, the pampering of a Mobil automatic car wash, now the Azera is ready for her close-up.

You can't underestimate color choice when it comes to new cars...

Think about it, isn't "What color did you get?" like the first or second question most people ask when you get a new car? Our Azera is Venetian Blue and I think that color only adds to the car's near luxury persona.

An unexpected sign of refinement

Headrests rarely get any respect. Face it, you don't even notice them until you get rear ended and they save your neck from some serious whiplash. That's why I was surprised to actually notice the head cushions in the Azera. Not only are they easily adjustable and soft on your noggin, their visible stitching gives the Azera the look of a legitimate luxury sedan. It's one of those little things you would expect in a high-end Toyota or Buick, but certainly not a Hyundai.

Be My Valentine

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

OK, you've found me out, I was just looking for an excuse to post Nicholas' picture. Still, we did use the Hyundai Azera to get mommy a nice gift.

I also dropped $72 on the car's first scheduled service interval then took it for a wash - It's sort of my gift to the Azera. Yep, you guessed it, I'm a giver.

A curious thing happend at the dealership. I was told the 7500 mile service was $79.99 - just for fun I asked if it would be cheaper to pay for the oil change, warranty inspection and tire rotation separately. His reply "You'll save about $10."

Maybe automatically asking for the so called service interval isn't the way to go. Hey, 10 bucks is 10 bucks.

An Azera State of Mind

While waiting for another editor at the post office, I sat with our long-term Hyundai Azera enjoying this view of a West LA chemical plant. Driving the Azera is a bit like having a beer after work, and I mean that in the nicest way. This car is easy to drive, smooth-riding, instantly comfortable. I don't mind running around the city in it, and when other motorists grate on my nerves, its torquey 3.8-liter V6 gets me out of that situation quickly...

That said, I could do without the abrupt throttle response off the line, and the five-speed automatic transmission isn't always ready when I am — similar to comments we've logged on the Kia Sedona , which has a version of this drivetrain.

Finally, a night out for the Hyundai Azera

Recent blog entries might have given the impression that our long-term 2007 Hyundai Azera does little more than putter around town and go to the car wash. Last night, though, the big sedan and I both got a life, motoring to LA's Melrose district to take in the nightlife. Naturally, I liked the fact that the Azera's light yet precise steering made it easy to park. The car's turning radius felt a bit large to me, but the specs have it at 37.4 feet, so I guess I've just been spoiled by driving smaller cars lately.

On the way home, both driver (me) and passenger (Production Editor Caroline Pardilla) were entertained by the V6's deepening exhaust note past 4,500 rpm. Merging onto the freeway took on an unexpected level of excitement.

Caroline also liked the design of the Azera's vents, as she was able to close their sturdy louvers completely when I flipped on the climate control.

Suspension

Everyone has heard by now that the Hyundai Azera is a good deal. You get a lot for the money, etc., etc.

But I'm not crazy about driving it. The suspension is too soft for my tastes.

The ride is quiet, the transmission is smooth, acceleration is quick, but boy, does it lean in curves.

Its double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension are kept soft for a comfortable ride. But sporty driving is out of the question. It's not designed for that, I know. But "comfort" in corners has a different meaning for me. I like to feel secure.

This gas cap just wants to be held

Among its many fine points the Hyundai Azera offers a clip to hold the gas cap during fill ups. These were once found only on premium cars, but they are becoming more common every year. Still, I'm surprised how often I pull open a fuel door, untwist the cap and then find there's nothing to do with it but let it bang and slide along the car's paint. Not on the Azera.

Add this to the car's "quiet, smooth, comfortable and quick" list of accolades.

Hyundai Azera gets 56.1 miles per gallon

The little-known "marsupial hybrid" can net tremendous gains in fuel economy. In the Azera, this was achieved by keeping the engine in a minimally consumptive mode and by slashing aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance and heat losses for a large portion of a 404.1 mile trip.

Actually, we needed ballast for an upcoming towing test. It needed to be easily portable, narrow enough to fit inside the 8.5 x 39' trailer yet usefully heavy.

The Azera's 3,840 lb turned out to be shaped just right. As a bonus, it's nose-heaviness allowed us to place the weight closer to the trailer's axles, minimizing the effect on tongue weight.

If you're thinking that a trailer that big plus an entire Hyundai equates to a lot of weight, you're right. Stay tuned for a full test of our marsupial hybrid's front end.

Hyundai Azera Draws Last Cookie Duty

Girl Scout cookie season ended this past Sunday, but before they closed the gates to the "Cookie Cupboard," our troop needed to pick up one more box. Our Brownie troop sold 1,499 boxes of cookies, so I went back to the cupboard one last time to even our score.

The long-term Kia Sedona tackled the initial run to the warehouse, swallowing 98 cases of cookies, but for one box, I decided our Hyundai Azera was up to the task.

One box of Samoas looks awfully lonely resting in the Azera's 16.6-cubic foot trunk...

An oasis in the jungle

Facing my "nightmare-covered-in-molasses" 6-mile commute home (it typically takes 30-40 minutes), the Azera proved soothing.

The power tilt/telescope wheel, plush yet still supportive seats, refined powertrain and quiet cabin maximize comfort and minimize the stress of driving in a grossly overpopulated city like L.A. Even the Azera's map pockets pivot out to ease access to things like our fuel log.

And I've gotta give props to the 315-watt, 10-speaker Infinity stereo (included with the Ultimate package). A great stereo can make a commute, dare I say, enjoyable. While dealing with 10,000 maniacs on the road, I listened to a CD of the band of the same name. I highly recommend their album titled "In my tribe".

Although I'm more of a sports car guy, I can definitely see the appeal of a luxury car. And Hyundai makes a damn fine one for under 30 grand.

Uptown Aspirations

This weekend I spent some time in our long-term Hyundai Azera, and I am impressed by its interior. I like the polished wood trim that wraps from the front around the doors, the tasteful wood accents and steering wheel, and the fine stitching in the leather seats and on the door.

One of the big news stories from our comprehensive coverage of the 2007 New York Auto Show was the Hyundai Genesis concept, which represents Hyundai's strongest push into Lexus/Toyota Acura territory. I would say that if the Azera is any sort of starting point, Hyundai is on the right track.

However (and there's always a however) I was a bit overwhelmed by the car's bounciness. Admittedly, I am a bit of a leadfoot so at times when the car's going 80 it feels like 50. This could certainly account for some bounce over rough roads. As it turns out, the tires are actually overinflated. The recommendation is 30 psi, and the tires are all approaching 40. We'll have to adjust the pressure and check again. Stay tuned.

Quiet time

As I stepped out my front door on the way to the carport this morning, my ears were assaulted by the sound of power saws. It turns out that city workers were doing some tree-trimming about a half a block down. I got into our Venetian Blue Hyundai Azera and closed the door — and was instantly enveloped in silence.

It was so quiet in there, I was sure the workers had taken a break. I rolled down the windows to check if they were still going at it, and sure enough, they were. But with the windows up, the value-priced Azera was as still as a reading room. Pretty impressive.

Hyundai Azera 2 AZ

We had Friday off this week apparently in observance of Earth Day (that's not a joke), although it's hard not to think it's really because of another holiday that happens on 4/20 (that is). Either way, I decided to pay my parents a visit in Phoenix to say hello and to check that they haven't turned my bedroom into an indoor driving range or something. I had a few choices for my 300-mile journey. I immediately nixed our brand-spanking new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited since I was planning on driving their via roads, not on the "dodging Saguaros" off-road desert trek route. After several a few minutes of pondering and intense discussion with Keymaster Mike Schmidt, I chose the Azera over the Audi Q7. It was Earth Day after all and I figured Mother Nature would appreciate the 8 to 10 additional mpgs. I also hadn't driven the Hyundai yet.

As I set out through Los Angeles, I immediately discovered that water was falling from the sky. Isn't that weird? From the faucett, sure, from a sprinkler head, definitely. But from the sky, what sorcery is this? Either way, I found the "wind shield wipers" as they are called in the Hyundai manual, and discovered their automatic function worked quite well. Making my way through the concrete jungle listening to Frosty, Heidi & Frank discussing 4/20 and Alec Baldwin, I began to notice how surprisingly uncomfortable the Azera's driver seat is. I figured it would have cushy, Buick-like buckets with tons of legroom and posterior enveloping foam. But the seat doesn't travel back far enough, nor the high enough for a lanky dude like me. I felt like I was sitting on top of the interior, which is great for visibility, but makes the full-size Azera feel like a compact. Worse, there is an odd pressure point in the upper back rest, almost like sleeping on a bar in a pull-out couch. I just couldn't get comfortable enough, which I definitely wasn't expecting from a vehicle that competes with the Toyota Avalon, Chrysler 300 and Ford Five Hundred or Taurus or LTD or whatever the heck they're calling it this week.

Nevertheless, the Azera is a pretty good road trip car. I was expecting a rather floaty barge, but discovered a well-connected car that felt more like a midsize. The engine is plenty powerful, the interior very quiet and the materials top-notch. It really feels like you're in a previous generation Lexus — the HVAC controls are dead ringers. I do find it odd, though, that the white/blue electroluminescent gauges contrast with the green lighting elsewhere (pictured). I shall have more observances after the trip back, including the audio system and the trunk's ability to carrying three loads of laundry.

Have a Happy Earth Day, and remember that each of us can make a big difference.

2007 Hyundai Azera From AZ

Turns out there was a NASCAR race in Phoenix this weekend — that made my drive home just lovely. I've never seen so many RVs on a stretch of road in my life, and I saw four towing Saturn VUEs, which led me to believe there was a promotion going on a Bob Rohrman's RV Park. The drive back was therefore more than an hour longer than the drive there, but I did get to fine-tune the acquired (but loathsome) skill of passing on the right, whilst dodging house-sized vehicles driven by senior citizens.

And speaking of older folks, I must admit that I found myself at one point driving through Palm Springs, in a Hyundai Azera and listening to Dean Martin's Greatest Hits. To make matters worse, my turn signal was blinking for a good 5 minutes (it's awfully quiet and hidden behind the wheel rim). Come to think of it, my back was also a little sore and I had a nagging urge to watch "Jeopardy!" I must be aging in dog years.

Anyway, last post I mentioned the Azera's good visibility due to its low-beltline. Well, I discovered a more literal belt line — a horizontal black line presumably caused by too many belt-wearing drivers. Larry King obviously hasn't been driving it much.

It's been a while since I've driven a car without either satellite radio or an MP3 auxiliary jack. Not a huge deal (I became reacquainted with my CD collection), but it seems like a glaring omission in the Azera's otherwise ample feature content. My parents are in the Azera's demographic and I know they would miss the presense of satellite radio and an iPod connection.

As a fun side note, I couldn't help but notice that the A in the Azera's font seems to be inspired by the symbol for Earth in the Stargate movie and TV shows.

These are just some of the things I think about on a 6-hour, non-stop, RV-filled solo road trip. I also came up with a solution to gun control, figured out the plot to "Ocean's Twelve" and developed a recipe for orange bundt cake. Unfortunately, I've run out of room.

The art of comfort

After sitting in the back of our long-term Hyundai Azera recently, I realized why rear-seat comfort is a reason why someone should consider buying a family sedan instead of the increasingly popular choice of a crossover SUV. Thanks to plenty of thigh support and legroom, decent lumbar support and contoured cushions, the Azera's seat passes my personal, "can I foresee myself falling asleep back here?" test.

In contrast, many crossovers share a dirty little secret. Their second-row seats, in meeting the modern goal of folding/flipping/packaging nirvana, are flat, hard, and as figet-inducing as wedged-up underwear...

The Azera might not have all-wheel drive and a boxy cargo hold, but for a vehicle that frequently transports adults for extended periods, I'd glady choose Hyundai's flagship.

85-percent approval rating

We've been blogging about our long-term 2007 Hyundai Azera for about four months now. Overall, it has been garnering considerable praise. (Using a bit of office downtime, I tallied the car's critical blog posts. I counted 18 positive, 3 negative.

Our Ford Edge has to be jealous.)

If Hyundai would tidy up the suspension tuning, get the transmission to downshift a little more quickly and add an auxiliary audio input jack, the Azera would really be a no-complaints car.

Less expensive GLS trim

Though most of us here at Edmunds.com feel that our long-term Azera Limited (with the optional Ultimate Package) packs plenty of value, there is a less-expensive way to get into Hyundai's flagship. Specifically, the company recently announced a mid-2007 introduction – the new Azera GLS.

Rather than the 263-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 in the Azera SE and Limited, the GLS has a 234-hp, 3.3-liter V6. (This is the same engine that's used in the Sonata V6.) The GLS also doesn't have as many features or available options, but its $24,895 MSRP is $3,100 less than the Azera Limited's most up-to-date MSRP

It's the little things

Little details can play a big part in shaping overall impressions. Hyundai has these little details working in its favor with the Azera. Hyundai's full-size sedan is very affordably priced, but it offers a few styling cues and features that sneak into your subconscious and whisper "Luxury car, luxury car" in a pretty convicing way.

The faux cherry wood on the steering wheel is one

This convincing-looking faux wood makes another appearance on the door. The adjustable pedals (part of our car's optional Ultimate Package) are also a nice touch. The Azera has a high, potentially awkward seating position, and this option makes things much more comfy.

The trunk and the table

With 16.6 cubic feet of room, the Hyundai Azera has one of the larger trunks in the full-size sedan category. I had to lug home a small table after a trip downtown to a warehouse furniture sale this weekend. A small table in a large trunk? Sounds like a no-brainer.

Brimming with optimism, I anticipated that the Hyundai Azera's lushly sized hind parts would be more than capable of meeting this challenge.

Um, not quite. Huge as the car's trunk is, the table was a bit too tall to allow the trunk to close securely once inside. I could have taken advantage of the Azera's split-folding rear seats and tried placing the table lengthwise on its side, but I was worried that doing so might cause it to roll around and get scratched. In its favor, though, the Azera's rear seats were really easy to fold, falling face-down with just a gentle nudge forward.

What to do? Fortunately the Azera has spacious back seats and I had no passengers traveling in rear. The table easily fit in the back seat, allowing it to enjoy scenic vistas of depressed, graffiti-ridden downtown Los Angeles neighborhoods as I made my way home.

While it's not quite as accommodating as an SUV or hatchback with fold-flat seats, the Azera does pretty well for itself in the utility department.

What's it Capable of?

I have a friend here at Edmunds who recently drove the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and became obsessed with getting the best fuel economy possible.

"So," I said to her, "You've discovered how good it feels to save gas?"

She thought about that for a long time.

"No... Not really," she said...

"Then why do you do it?"

"I like winning."

"Winning?"

"Yes."

"You mean, it's just a video game to you?"

"Exactly."

Okay. Well, however you get there it's still a good thing. And I know what she means about playing video games. I've developed my own video game and I played it this morning in the 2007 Hyundai Azera. If I'm driving a long term car that has an average miles per gallon calculator, I zero it out at the beginning of my morning commute. My goal: to try to get to work — 31 miles away — on one gallon of gas. Since I took a long trip in the Azera last Christmas, and averaged 26 mpg, I knew I had my work cut out for me.

Here's my strategy. First, I leave a little early so I can take advantage of cooler temperatures and less traffic. Then, I watch the lights on my way to the freeway so I never have to stop. On the freeway I use cruise control (which is easy to use in the Azera since they are big fat buttons under your right thumb) to vary my speed. If I see brake lights in the distance I hit the cancel button on cruise control and coast until traffic picks up again. And, by the way, I keep pace with the traffic ahead and try not to annoy other drivers.

At first, the reading on the average miles per gallon gauge bounces around a lot. But as you get more miles figured into the average it begins to smooth out. Still, when you hit a red light even later in the drive, you can still see a few tenths of a mile drop off the average. One thing about this game is it makes you really aware of what factors affect fuel economy.

As you can see, I didn't quite reach my goal of making it to work on one gallon of gas. I averaged 30.1 mpg. But I stretched it over 30 mpg which is a benchmark for me. Not bad for a big powerful car like the Azera.

Long-Term Hyundai Azera Beats Revised EPA Fuel Economy Estimates

Buyers who choose the 2007 Hyundai Azera may get more than they bargained for — in a good way, of course. Why? Based on our observations so far, our long-term sedan doesn't just match the EPA's combined fuel economy ratings — it beats them.

Revised EPA ratings give the Azera an estimated 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 20 mpg. With 13,155 miles on the odometer, our Azera has a combined lifetime average of just over 21 mpg.

This impressive figure no doubt owes much gratitude to the fact that the Azera has logged plenty of highway miles thus far, with a couple of trips to sun-baked Arizona and a mad Christmastime dash to the snowy peaks of Colorado.

Big round of applause for the EPA, for finally giving us ratings with real-world usefulness. Read our story Explained: 2008 EPA Fuel Economy Ratings to get the scoop on the new ratings system.

The downside to light-color interiors, or why all our editors are gross

I don't think I've ever seen a leather seat look so grimy after just over 13,000 miles. I went at it with some Meguiar's leather wipes and saw no improvement. Next step is to use a more serious leather cleaner — the kind that comes in a bottle and requires elbow grease.

We didn't happen to have any on hand or I would have tried this first.

Takes the heat

As summer rolls around, the Azera is proving itself to be a pretty decent warm-weather companion. Driving around town this weekend, the car's air conditioning was on full blast, and it did a great job of keeping things pleasant in the cabin.

Did have one gripe with the controls, though. The car's HVAC controls have a single "mode" button that controls how the air flow is delivered.

I'm fickle. Sometimes I like to feel the Arctic nip of frigid air on my face. Sometimes it's my feet that need the love, and sometimes I like to split the air flow between both places. The Azera's single-button setup means I had to shuffle through a host of modes to get to the one I wanted, which doesn't seem like the most user-friendly way to approach things. Would've been nice to have a series of unique buttons for each mode instead. Just a thought.

One another note, the Azera was rewarded for keeping things cool this weekend with a soapy rub-down at our favorite car wash.

It's What's Inside That Counts

I thoroughly enjoy driving the Hyundai Azera Limited in our stable, infinitely more than the Camry. They are similar cars (four-door midrange sedans) that seek similar audiences, but to me, the Hyundai is an infinitely nicer car. The thing I like the most is its sight lines, which are so much better than those in the high-waisted, big-butt Camry. Because being able to see around the sides and rear of a car while you're driving is a fundamental safety issue, something that, presumably, the target-buyer-parent-with-kids would hold as a concern...

But I also really enjoy the Hyundai's look, from the big tough-looking exhausts to the tasteful wood accents on the steering wheel, center stack and sides. I really enjoy this cabin.

The seats are so comfortable and nicely trimmed in leather, the cabin is warm and inviting, the gauges are easy to read, and the controls and knobs and buttons are all well laid out and clear. It may take awhile for Hyundai to get to where Toyota is in terms of reputation, but the Azera's a great start.

Not Simple as 1-2-3

All of a sudden, I don't know how to drive stick. And I'm not blaming it on the Hyundai Azera by any means. It was just the car that I tried driving in its manual mode. I love driving stick but remember when I first had to come to terms with that "extra pedal" and how much I sweated every time I stalled the car...

So I figured that driving a manual mode in an automatic car couldn't possibly be as difficult, but, boy, was I wrong. (With all the cars I get to drive, I rarely try the manual mode.) I just can't figure it out but it seems that unlike a regular manual, you can't just downshift 4-3-2-1 without braking. And after watching the other more experienced drivers handle the mode, I had wanted to try using engine braking instead of the actual brakes to slow down.

I was rolling to a stop and tried to downshift all the way to 1st gear but it only went down to 2nd gear, so I gave up, switched back to "Drive" and hit the brakes. Boo. I know it'll take practice but I don't feel a pressing need to figure this out. Paddle shifters, yes. Automanual? Not so much.

Sticky Thump

Last night I noticed that the Azera's accelerator was starting to feel a bit sticky. When I drove it last (possibly May), I recall it being nothing but smooth and happy to dig into those 263 horses. On the stickymeter, it's not that bad, but anything that starts to remotely feel like the crap can Chevy Cavalier I had to drive in driver's ed makes me perk up with concern.

I also noticed a rattle emanating from the rear parcel shelf.

It doesn't happen a lot and seems to be caused by the odd deep note from the subwoofer embedded in the parcel shelf. Mind you, I guess if I was listening to Xzibit rather than talk radio it would've been slightly more problematic. I'll check back when I can find some X to the Z to cruise in the A to the Z with.

Volume Controls

The Azera is a very quiet car, almost hybrid-style hushed. This allows for a better music-listening cabin.

I like the Azera's steering-wheel mounted volume controls. Instead of a button on the face of the wheel, there are little levers you pull toward you to raise or lower the tunes.

So when Henry Rollins' Harmony in My Head gets a little too loud, you don't have to look, just flick and lower Mad Stan's voice a notch or two.

The only audio controls I like better are Audi's little roller balls that you can operate with your thumb.

Which ones do you prefer?

At One With the World

Although my tastes have veered toward higher-strung cars lately, somehow the type-B Hyundai Azera never disappoints me. When I got into it last night, I was coming off a stint in a modified Mazdaspeed 3 (story coming soon), probably the meanest front-driver on the market and a car that would try to devour the Azera whole if given the chance. Yet, I was immediately content in the Azera.

I've decided it must be because although this car isn't without flaws, the people who built it took pains to ensure that its various components functioned harmoniously.

Its steering ratio, for example, seems perfectly matched to the capabilities of the chassis — it never feels too slow or too quick. The brake pedal calibration is similarly ideal — it doesn't bite hard at the top of the travel (Infiniti G35) nor does it make you press all the way through to get substantive response (Ford Edge).

These little things make all the difference: Because I feel confident in how the Azera will react to inputs, I can sit back in its wide, well-cushioned seats and relax all the way to my destination — in this case, Abbot's Pizza. Not all big sedans put me at this level of ease.

Not Sold on the Quality

The value of long-term vehicle testing was reaffirmed during my weekend with the Azera. I was impressed by the '06 model that was part of our full road test — and although our '07 shares most of its virtues, I've noticed some quality issues that weren't apparent during a single week of testing.

-For starters, our long-term Azera has some very obvious dash/door panel misalignments.

-There's also the leather staining issue we reported in a previous entry. We've seen no improvement after three cleaning attempts, so it is almost certainly a defect. We'll likely seek a remedy under warranty at the car's 15,000-mile service visit.

-Even when the bass isn't turned all the way up (I put it at +5 on a scale of 10), the speakers reproduce lower frequency tones with much buzzing and sludginess. I would expect this in a Kia Spectra. In an Azera with the optional Infinity sound system (part of the $2,550 Ultimate Package), this poor performance is unacceptable.

-The suspension loses some composure when you travel above 80 mph and allows the car to bob up and down over highway expansion joints. One could argue this isn't a problem since most U.S. speed limits are lower than that. However, for this kind of money ($29,770), you could buy a sedan of German lineage that would feel more solid and secure during those rare opportunities for high-speed travel. I'm thinking Chrysler 300 or Volkswagen Passat.

Progress on Cleaning the Driver Seat

During my visit to the car wash today, I asked the guys if they could take a look at the Azera's stained driver seat. They went to work on it with their industrial-strength cleaner and got about half of the gunk off.

So the seat looks better than before — but arguably it should still be pristine in a car with less than 15,000 miles.

Also, now the seat is super slippery and my jeans smell like the cleaner the car wash employees used. Great. We'll keep you updated as this exciting saga unfolds.

Door Jambs Give You Luxury for Less

Take a look down as you open any of the 2007 Hyundai Azera's four doors and you'll get a nice surprise:  refined-looking door jambs. They're shiny. They're also helpfully embellished with the name "Azera," just in case you've forgotten which car you're in. 

It's a swank, high-end touch from a car whose price is anything but.

15,000-mile Service

Our Azera Limited recently visited Cormier Hyundai in Carson for its 15,000-mile prescribed maintenance.

After an hour in the waiting room the Azera was ready. We paid $57.44 for fresh oil, a new oil filter and new air filter. Cormier also performed a tire rotation at our request.

Hyundai Keeps Getting Better

About 83.7 percent of reviews and road tests concerning a new Hyundai starts out with something to the effect of "Hyundais used to be garbage back in the 1980s, but have gotten progressively better ever since. This [insert model name] is yet another example of exponential improvement." Much has been said on this blog hailing the Azera's interior design and quality, but after driving it back-to-back with the all-new Veracruz SUV, I must say that yet another improvement has taken place.

The Veracruz's materials are even better and the overall design more stylish — I particularly like our test car's Black/Saddle two-tone interior. Maybe it's because I drove a 2000 VW Jetta VR6 for six years, but I'm also a big fan of the Veracruz's cobalt blue dash lights (that are also found in the Santa Fe and Elantra). The Azera's lighting is a color mix-and-match, with the center stack in particular harkening back to the last generation of Toyota and Lexus (much like the rest of the Azera).

Trunk Release but Doesn't Open

I had my arms full when I made my way to our long-term 2007 Hyundai Azera last night, so I was happy to see on the key fob that it had a trunk release button. Unfortunately, when I pressed it while walking toward the car, nothing happened. I pressed it again. The trunk lid didn't even budge...

But when I dropped my bags to try and open the lid, it was already open, just barely.

So the trunk release only unlocks the trunk, it doesn't pop it open for you. I guess I'm really spoiled, but most cars I've experienced that have the trunk release button usually at least open the trunk lid for you, even a little bit. All I need is a little opening so that I can fling it open with my elbow or foot if my hands are full. Can't do that if the lid is still closed. Might as well just get rid of that extra button on the key fob since the unlock button will do the same thing.

Hyundai's Response to Why the Lid Doesn't Pop

So remember that post I did complaining about our 2007 Hyundai Azera's non-popping trunk lid? Well, Hyundai PR called me up to explain that the key fob's button is designed to do just that: unlock and release the trunk lid. He said that the lid doesn't "fling open" because that's how it is in "refined cars." "Well, I'm not expecting it to fling open...nowadays cars can pop the lid even a little bit," I responded. But he reiterated how since it's a "refined" car it's not going to "fling" the lid open and hit you in the chin, like car trunk lids used to do in the old days.

Also, he said it's a safety issue, as Jaymagic had mention in the comments of the other post, if you do hit the button accidently, the lid won't fling open leaving all your cargo exposed to the world. So there you have it.

The net

Here's a simple device that made grocery hauling (not shown) better this weekend. It kept my milk from floating around in the trunk.

Why don't all cars have one of these?

Side Mirror Decides to Just Hang Out

On Saturday morning, the passenger-side mirror on our 2007 Hyundai Azera decided to take a more relaxed approach to its role in life. A week or two ago, an editor mentioned that the side mirror had come loose while the car was in her care; she told us that she'd remedied the situation by popping the mirror back into place. We huffed and puffed and slammed the door really hard a few times, but we weren't able to duplicate the problem.

However, the issue returned on Saturday.

It seemed to have taken place overnight; I noticed it first thing in the morning. Maybe the mirror just wanted to take things easy over the weekend.

I was able to nudge the mirror back into place. It's power-adjustable, and that feature wasn't compromised. The issue will no doubt surface again, though; we'll have the dealership take a look during our next service visit.

Flat-Pack Foray

This weekend we found ourselves at the local Scandinavian furniture retailer (you know the one) looking for furniture that would make us appear more stylish and organized. Alright, so we went for the cheap hot dogs and pickled herring. But, as luck would have it, we also ended up buying some furniture.

As expected, everything we bought came in a series of flat-pack boxes.

Upon wheeling the cart full of boxes out to the car, I realized that I might have made my life a little bit more difficult by bringing our long term 2007 Hyundai Azera along for the ride. Because the boxes weren't that bulky I was sure I could fit everything in the car, but I wasn't sure I could fit all that Scandinavian sensibility in the trunk. These days, trunks just never seem to hold what you think they should what with all their braces, sound equipment and wheel arches taking away a lot of usable space.

It's not the end of the world, but I'm not real big on having nearly 200 pounds of unsecured fiberboard and glass furniture floating around inside the cabin with me, but I didn't think I'd have a choice.

I figured I'd start with the trunk and once that was full, I'd stuff the rest in the back seat and hit the road. When I stopped I was surprised to see that there was still a little room left in the trunk. I thought about going back into the store to get some more herring, but decided to shut the trunk before it all fell out and headed for home.

The trunk in the Azera is enormous. Whatever the engineers did to keep the rear suspension and chassis odds and ends from robbing valuable cargo space really worked. There's tons of room and there's no need to be a Tetris wizard to pack the trunk full of stuff. Kudos, Hyundai.

Road Trip

I just spent a week with our Long Term Azera, capped off with a road trip from Long Beach to Las Vegas. It's a very good highway car. The engine is smooth and willing which makes hills and passing a breeze.

The stereo is also very good but there's no AUX jack - I had to use a cassette adaptor to listen to my iPod...

Other than that, the long stretches of open road flew by smooth and silent.

Heated Seats

Once in a while my back likes to play tricks on me and stops bending. That's one of the reasons I like seat heaters so much.

All this week when I woke up in the morning, my back has been nice and inflexible. But the 5-level seat heaters in the Azera really help.

They warm the seat backs as well as the cushions. So by the time I get to the office, I feel a lot better.

I wish my desk chair had seat heaters. And my couch. And my kitchen chairs. And...

Last Days in the Fleet

Our 2007 Hyundai Azera is finishing up its stint in our long-term fleet. We've had some tangles with a hard-to-clean leather seat and a fallen-apart mirror but for the most part we've had warm thoughts about this car. A lot of us were surprised by its lux features "for a Hyundai" — seat heaters, refined door jambs, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and a wood-accented interior — and how comfortable it was to drive. While others felt like there were some quality issues that still needed to be addressed... Keep an eye out for a future wrap-up to see if this car will be missed.

A Soft Landing

With so much emphasis put on sport sedans, their big wheels, short sidewalls, and impressive slalom speeds approaching, and in some cases, eclipsing those of outright sports cars, I found more than a little comfort driving the Hyundai Azera home last night. Sometimes, a pillowy ride is just the right thing. Remember when a cushy, all-smothering ride was once the thing that separated a good car from a cheap car? Tastes do change, but maybe we took a wrong turn.

Don't get me wrong; I love a 70-mph blast through the cones. It absolutely amazes me what's possible these days. Yet I couldn't help but notice how my shoulders relaxed, my grip loosened, and my attitude changed within about five minutes behind the wheel of the Azera. I then realized the Azera isn't about how stiff a car can be and still get away with a decent ride, but how comfortably the car rides while still achieving decent handling numbers. The last time we tested this car, it weaved through the cones at 62.6 mph. That's still better than a bunch of current sedans and even a couple sporty coupes.

Maybe we've taken this sport sedan thing too far.

Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe I should be quiet now.

Wrap-Up

Edmunds.com spent 12 months and 18,000 miles with the 2007 Hyundai Azera Limited. This is the most luxurious car from Korea yet, a front-wheel-drive sedan equipped with the kind of luxury amenities that used to be the exclusive signature of Lexus. The Azera looks the part, thanks to voluptuous sheet metal that makes you forget all about Hyundai's cheap-and-cheerful image. And yet the story of the Azera is all about value, just like every other Hyundai. Our long-term test taught us that there are both good and bad things about value.

Why We Bought It
Hyundai first introduced the 2006 Hyundai Azera as a replacement for the XG, the Korean company's previous luxury sedan. Based on the platform of the Hyundai Sonata, the Azera represented a kind of breakthrough in prestige for Hyundai. And when the 2007 Hyundai Azera arrived with a number of minor updates, we took the opportunity to add an example to our long-term fleet.

Our full test of the Azera made it clear that this sedan is the best bang for the buck in its segment. Of course, we've become accustomed to Hyundai's ability to deliver more for less in almost every vehicle category. The important question here for us would be to evaluate whether this strategy could be effective in a luxury vehicle. Could the Azera provide everything we expected of a luxury car, from features to ride quality? Reliability and durability are also part of the luxury-car equation, as the success of Lexus has demonstrated.

Would the 2007 Hyundai Azera lose its edge over the competition after its affordable-luxury recipe had been tested daily for 12 months? We would find out.

Durability
We wasted little time putting our new Hyundai to the test. High altitudes, desert heat and cold-weather testing were added to the driving agenda alongside daily commuting.

Senior Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed was first in line. He set off across the desert and mountains from Los Angeles to Denver in the Hyundai over the middle of December. Snow fell heavily as he ascended to an elevation of 11,000 feet in Dillon, Colorado. Reed reported on the long-term blog pages, "We were creeping along at 5 or 10 mph when a tractor-trailer in front of us lost traction and drifted across our lane. I had to goose the 3.8-liter V6 and get into loose snow on the roadside to dodge it. It was pretty scary."

Reed made further notes in the logbook when he reached his destination. He wrote, "We spent a lot of time in the snow. The Michelin Energy MXV4 tires offered surprisingly good traction over the white stuff and felt unexpectedly poised on the ice. The Azera's stability control was working overtime, but didn't seem too intrusive. Ice built up in the wheelwells and made the tires rub noisily, but that's my only complaint. The Hyundai proved to be a more adequate snow car than I ever imagined."

Now that our Hyundai held its own in the cold and at high elevation, we sent it into the desert. Senior Editor Ed Hellwig was at the helm for this trip. He noted, "After an impressive first leg from Los Angeles to Phoenix, the Azera completed the return trip as smoothly. I didn't go light on it, yet when I made it home there was still nearly a quarter tank of gas left after the 408-mile trip. According to the computer, the Azera could have gone another 80 miles. That's some serious range."

Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton is one of our drivers who specializes in instrumented testing, so he spends much of his time pushing the limits of vehicles. He is also a well-documented enthusiast of sport sedans and believes in car design that makes performance a priority. Yet after a long-distance drive in the Azera, Walton noted: "After a night in the Azera, I couldn't help but notice how my shoulders relaxed, my grip loosened (on the steering wheel) and my attitude changed within about five minutes. Maybe we've taken this sport sedan thing too far. Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe I should be quiet now."

Luxury details are strewn about the cabin of our Azera. From the faux-wood accents to top-stitched leather upholstery, the Hyundai Azera clearly is out to make an impression. At the same time, none of the practical aspects of luxury travel are forgotten, so there's a gigantic trunk and even a sunshade for the rear window.

There were hiccups in the presentation of the interior cabin, but the problems came as the result of our own lapse in judgment. Our decision to choose a beige interior was a mistake for a car that must endure daily abuse from a wide range of drivers, especially since the circumstances rarely encourage respectful treatment.

Significant wear on the floor mats and carpet was noticeable soon after the Azera arrived, and persisted throughout our term with the car. The interior was just too difficult to keep clean, and this went for the leather-upholstered seat as well. What began as a mysterious black smudge across the back of the driver seat (believed to be from someone's belt) resisted three attempts at cleansing with leather care products.

The stained interior also drew our attention to some other cosmetic issues we had with the Azera.

Beyond the questionable choice of leather, we noticed some flaws in the dashboard, and door panel misalignments were also apparent. Stereo buffs among us were further disappointed by the performance of our Infinity sound system. For all its luxury, the Azera apparently remains a value-driven vehicle. The selection of lesser, slightly more affordable interior materials no doubt is cost-effective, but our test showed that these choices compromised our expectations of quality. The 2007 Hyundai Azera was far from the Toyota Avalon-style car the Hyundai XG had been, yet it didn't seem capable of being the Lexus from Korea that we had hoped for.

Yet however much we critiqued the quality of its presentation, the Azera never faltered mechanically. Prescribed maintenance called for service every 7,500 miles. We averaged a mere $65 per visit to our preferred dealer, Cormier Hyundai in Carson, California. Our only unscheduled visit followed the passenger side mirror falling off. To this day we don't know the cause, though we spent more than $600 to replace it.

Total Body Repair Costs: $642.93
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 12 months): $130.27
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: Door molding replaced under warranty
Non-Warranty Repairs: Broken passenger side mirror assembly replaced
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 1
Days Out of Service: 1
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

Performance and Fuel Economy
The Hyundai Azera performed with consistency, recording nearly identical results from its first test at 1,000 miles and its final test with the odometer showing more than 18,000 miles. We recorded a stopping distance of 123 feet from 60 mph during its final test. This marked a 9-foot improvement from a year earlier and the only significant change across the gamut of performance evaluations.

All things considered, the Azera's acceleration from a standing start was especially strong. We reached 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 93.8 mph. Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton mentioned following the test, "It's not difficult to spin the front tires on an aggressive launch. Upshifts are quick and even feel as if the throttle is momentarily closed between gears to smooth out the surge of power."

As usual, dynamic tests consist of laps around the skid pad and a run through the slalom. On the skid pad, the Azera developed 0.78g of lateral force with significant understeer at its limit. This is a good number for the segment. Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot tested the sedan during its final visit to the track. Upon recording 61 mph through the slalom, he proclaimed, "61 mph is slow. But man, the Azera isn't about being fast. No, it's about being smooth, like a fat man who can dance. I like this Korean Buick."

We entered the test expecting 19 mpg around town and 28 mpg on the highway. After 18,000 miles our 20-mpg average was on the low end of that range. On multiple occasions we reached 32 mpg, which exceeded any claims on the window sticker and showed it was possible to drive the Azera efficiently. We just didn't drive that way very often.

Best Fuel Economy: 32.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 20.2 mpg

Retained Value
Edmunds' TMV® calculator values the Azera at $21,838 after 18,530 miles. This equates to 27 percent depreciation from its original MSRP and ranks it just behind its competitors in resale worth.

Our Toyota Camry depreciated by a similar 26 percent margin at the conclusion of its long-term test, although it had an additional 3,000 miles on the odometer.

True Market Value at service end: $21,838
Depreciation: $7,932 or 27 percent of original MSRP
Final Odometer Reading: 18,530

Summing Up
A year with the Azera reminded us that there are two sides to value. The bright side offers features unexpected from a car in this class, like rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and a rear window shade. On the dark side we find misaligned panels, material choices of questionable quality and poor stereo performance.

Nevertheless, the Azera's noteworthy performance and high feature content ultimately outweighed the evidence we found of the car's relatively inexpensive nature. It offers an affordable touch of luxury to the average four-door family sedan, not to mention a strong engine and comfortable ride. Twelve months of flawless mechanical performance also influenced our willingness to forgive its cosmetic flaws.

The 2007 Hyundai Azera made a positive impression on us, yet we're still not willing to think of it as a premium car. It's attractive and certainly as reliable as a Hyundai Sonata, but it doesn't yet have a character to call its own.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.