Hyundai announced in 2008 that it was going to be entering the luxury sedan market with the introduction of the Genesis model. This took a few people by surprise and while some were skeptical other waited with baited breath to see what a $40,000 Hyundai would look like. Forward to 2010 and Hyundai, riding on the success of the Genesis model, which even after two years still shows increasing sales, have decide to move further up the market in terms of style, offerings and class.

Enter the 2011 Hyundai Equus, which Hyundai is marketing to buyers of traditionally known luxury cars the Mercedes Benz S-class and Lexus LS. According to sources at Hyundai, the unabated increase in sales of the Genesis proves that the Hyundai brand is now viewed differently by consumers in America and they are not afraid to progress farther up the luxury car ladder.

This bold target comes with a provision though. Keeping in mind that the Equus was primarily designed with the South Korean buyers as their main target, as buyers there are very loyal to national car manufacturers it is unsurprising that Hyundai is the leader in the market With the launch of the Equus Hyundai has been successful in attracting businessmen and government officials out of their traditional Mercedes Benz S-class cars, which are the regular vehicles that are the norm for the elite of the world.

Looking at this it would be unfair to say that Hyundai is looking at the American market as an aside, although they are still very aware that they will not penetrate the American market as much as they would want to. This is why Hyundai has decided to realistically set a conservative target of around 2000 to 3000 vehicles per year.

Performance

Hyundai has stuck to its guns with the new Equus and has used the tried and tested V8 engine that currently sits in the Genesis model. Since both are cars in the luxury sedan segment using the same transmission and rear-wheel-drive, Hyundai has used the same marketing strategy, that has allowed it to gain an increase in its brand recognition, providing more for a lot less money as its nearest competitors.

With an expected starting price of around $55,000 the new Equus includes a whole host of features and luxury standards that are only normally found in other cars as additional options. For example, if you were to buy a Lexus LS460 and require the same features then it would easily cost you upwards of $10,000 in add-ons. The strategy of Hyundai with the Equus is simple, you get everything with the car as standard as they do not offer any options.

There are only two models available with the Equus – the Signature and the Ultimate. Offering these two versions is the only diversification strategy being used presently by Hyundai although the differences are not major. The Signature is marketed as a driver’s vehicle while the Ultimate is tailored to meet the demands of a chauffeur driven vehicle with added rear seat comforts and space.

The Equus come with a single wheel set the 19 inch chrome wheels with broad Continental all-weather tires. Buying an Equus means getting all that the luxury car has to offer in is base price. This is way more than can be said of Mercedes Benz, BMW or even the comparatively moderately priced Lexus.

The Equus has a longer wheel base than the already large Genesis, but what may come as a surprise to many is that it is just shy of the wheel base of the long Lexus LS and is also less than an inch narrower then both the BMW 7 Series and Lexus.

Power in the Equus is generated by the finely tuned 4.6 liter V8 engine which puts out 385 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. This lets the large Equus get from 0-60 in a commendable 5.9 seconds. Figures for power and torque come down slightly when regular gas is used instead of premium to 378 and 324 respectively. The power is passed on through the usual six-speed ZF automatic that is also used in the Genesis and according to Hyundai; EPA ratings for the Equus should be around 16 mpg in the city and around 24 mpg for highway driving.

Although the power figures for the Equus are not that great and fall about mid range for other cars in its class, the Equus has surprisingly better power than Audi’s A8 which is powered by their V8 engine and puts out 372 horsepower. In order to better compete in this niche segment which already has its so called big boys, Hyundai is planning on introducing a new drivetrain, transmission and engine. Hyundai hopes to combine an in-house developed eight-speed automatic with a new 5.0 liter engine based on the present 4.6 liter Tau version as well as offering all-wheel-drive for owners in colder climes. Hyundai hopes that these changes will increase horsepower to upwards of 420 hp and allow it to compete better with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz.

Styling and Features

The 2011 Hyundai Equus is a big luxury sedan with two trim levels. The Equus Signature seats 5 passengers and comes with the standard 19-inch wheels, air suspension (adjustable), cruise control, bi-xenon headlights, lane departure warning system, rain sensing wipers, dual parking sensors at front and rear, sunroof, auto dimming powered side mirrors, keyless entry and start and probably the kitchen sink as well although in the model we tested we could not find it.

We even tried looking on the inside for the all elusive sink, but were only treated to another list of creature comforts that would make the Queen of England quite envious. These include temperature controlled front seats, driver massage seat, heated steering wheel, 60:40 split foldable rear seats, auto-climate control, leather upholstery, navigation system with real time traffic updates, Bluetooth connectivity, Lexicon audio system with 17 speakers and iPod connection, six CD changer and satellite radio. Hyundai has also included an Apple iPad as part of the owner’s interactive manual.

The Equus Ultimate is the chauffeur driven version and replaces the rear bench seat with two individual reclining seats which are temperature controlled and the passenger side also features a footrest and massaging function. The seats are divided in the center by the console which includes a mini refrigerator, storage bins as well as climate controls and DVD entertainment system placed in the rear seat.

The 2011 Hyundai Equus is also fitted with standard safety features like traction control and stability, ABS, rear view camera, fully array of driver and passenger airbags and front and rear parking sensors.

The cabin of the Equus is filled with almost every conceivable feature that is found in premium badged luxury sedans. Another surprising fact is the quality of materials and design implemented in the interior which is supreme and matches up to anything you can find in the Infiniti, Lexus or Acura. Unfortunately it still falls a bit short when compared to other European models like the Jaguar, Audi or Mercedes-Benz.

Pricing and Recommendations

The Hyundai Equus is hoping to be priced at around the $55,000 mark and is a bargain as compared to an S-class or LS. We would recommend the Ultimate as it includes all the state of the art features that you would normally have to take out a home loan to pay for.

The individual rear reclining seats in the Ultimate are temperature controlled and feature a massage option. The rear passenger side seat also has a powered footrest that is more for show than functionality as taller people will find out. The drive is very comfortable and silent as the Equus is fitted with noise reduction glass all around.

Hyundai has introduced an innovative feature that may very well turn out to be their winning factor. They call it ‘Your Time, Your Place’ buyers program. What this is is a customized buying and servicing program that allows potential buyers to test and purchase the Equus without having to step into a Hyundai showroom. One call and a sales agent is at your required location with a test vehicle. The same goes for the servicing bit where a technician will come and pick up you car from wherever you require and leave you with a loaner vehicle. On completion of service, Hyundai will replace the loaner with your fully serviced Equus.

Hyundai will not find it very hard to sell their requires units per year as there will be buyers out there willing to sacrifice some amount of brand imagery for a few thousand dollars saving. Additional features like the iPad manual, personal product demonstration, and customized servicing should allow Hyundai to carve out a decent position in the market.

2011 Hyundai Equus Specs