Automakers sure do love funky names. No disrespect intended, but come on: if your car is named after a coffee - as in Verona - or after a naval officer's title - consider the Commander - perhaps a visit to your advertising agency is in order. Worse yet is the numerical sequence name game, where automakers choose an obscure rationale, attach some numbers to it and slap it on the back of a car.
Yep, that there is the XD456.
Hyundai is one of the worst at the name game, and a perfect example is the recent debut of its new flagship, the 2006 Hyundai Azera. Yes, it roles off the tongue a little - Ahhhzeerah - but it could be anything from a far-away news outlet to the name of a new jungle creature. But at least Azera is better than the non-descript moniker given to the outgoing XG350, the vehicle it replaces. Not that it really matters - if the car is good enough, you can call the thing anything you want - people will get used to it. If that happens with the Azera, a likely result will be plenty of smiles that have nothing to do with names, and everything to do with a nice ride, ageless styling and a great interior.
As the replacement for the XG sedan, Hyundai hopes that the Azera will compete with the big boys on the luxury block as a lower-end luxury choice. Their optimism isn't far off, judging from the initial reaction at the 2005 New York International Auto Show.
