2007 Hyundai Azera Test Drive

Luxury for Less

If you can do without a few frills, Hyundai's Azera rides with some heady competition in the near-luxury segment, but at a much lower price.

Performance

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The Azera’s all-aluminum 3.8-liter V6 engine operates smoothly and quietly, and it employs the latest technology like variable valve timing to generate a more-than-adequate 263 hp. The engine provides more muscle than many midsize sedans in the same price range and is only slightly less powerful and a bit courser in operation than the Lexus ES 350’s 275-hp V6.

A five-speed automatic is the only available transmission, and it performs admirably. It affords manual gear selection for added control while careening through twisty curves or for dropping a gear as you hit a highway on-ramp.

At an estimated 17 mpg city/26 mpg highway, the Azera is neither an economy car nor a gas guzzler. Depending on how you drive, you can expect those figures to be off by a few miles per gallon in real-world use, but not prohibitively so.

While the Azera is certainly no sport sedan, it behaves admirably in most respects, with ample comfort and relatively neutral front-drive handling characteristics. Front-drive vehicles have most of their weight over the front wheels, and so they don’t generally feel as nimble as many rear-wheel-drive cars.

We found the Hyundai Azera to be pleasant in our urban and highway jaunts alike. Its suspension is tuned on the soft side, but the car doesn’t wallow over bumps and pavement imperfections. The car’s speed-sensitive power steering applies more assistance at lower velocities to make parking and garage maneuvers easier, but it tightens up on the highway when a more-solid feel and higher steering effort are advantageous. The car’s turning radius is reasonably tight, so it requires little effort to parallel park, though unlike other models in its class, neither rear proximity warnings nor a backup camera are available to make the chore that much easier.

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The larger 17-inch wheels and all-season tires on the Limited (the SE comes with 16-inch rims and rubber) help improve the car’s ride and handling a bit, but not dramatically so. Four-wheel disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution are standard and help bring the car to a stop with reasonable authority and control. The Hyundai Azera does not have a brake assist function found on many luxury cars; this feature brings an added margin of safety in panic-stop situations by applying maximum braking force when a panic stop is detected.

Stability and traction control systems are included to help mitigate wheel slippage and prevent a loss of control in extreme handling situations and/or slippery surfaces. Both systems work well, though (as in most vehicles) you’ll want to switch the traction control off when attempting low-speed maneuvers, especially parking, in measurable snow when a certain amount of wheel slippage is otherwise unavoidable.

All in all, we think that the Hyundai Azera is a solid value and one worth considering for those who don’t care about brand clout or having the latest high-tech gizmos. Its amenities, quality and performance are at least equal to those of competing models in its price range and even stand up well to more-expensive models. Just bear in mind that if you like sporty driving dynamics, this probably isn’t the car for you.