Hyundai Azera – Brian Chee’s Driving Impressions:
Call the Azera’s ride creamy, like whipped peanut butter. And to think – it’s from Hyundai. You’ve come a long way since the Excel, Chairman Mong, though you’re not really riding in an Azera luxury sedan right now, are ya? Take some solace in the fact that you brought about the Korean automaker’s first real American-ready luxury sedan, one so good that it stands toe-to-toe with the best luxury offerings from Toyota, of all companies.

Yes, Toyota, not Lexus, so let’s not get too excited. The Azera may not be in the same class as the actual luxury nameplates out there, but it sure drives nicely and will outperform like-priced cars, such as a fully-loaded Camry, otherwise and also known as an Avalon. But back to smooth. The Azera is all that and a jar of jelly, with a whisper-quiet ride and enough power to empower its driver at stop lights and when passing Avalons. You’re not in this car for its torquey ride and great handling character, mind you, and you do get some body roll while taking corners. The Azera’s ride is a bit too soft for some, though it’s important to remember that this is basically a Korean Buick. When it comes to a nice luxury cruise, however, the Azera hits the mark right on target, and does so with some decent power off the line. Stopping, however, takes a little more pedal pushing than I’d like. The steering feels good, though I found that it lost some composure at higher speeds. The transmission is set for cruise, yo, so don’t expect to rev this car. It doesn’t deal well with that type of aggressive driving.

The distinct impression here is that, in normal day-to-day operation, the Hyundai Azera is a mannerly gentleman who serves up a quiet, smooth ride and gets you to your destination in comfortable fashion. Get on it a bit hard, however, and that gentleman will start sucking brew from a beer hat and screaming like a banshee, ultimately putting the drive in jail, which, come to think of it, would give him something in common with the Chairman of Hyundai.

Hyundai Azera – Ron Perry’s Driving Impressions:
Yes, I knew what car I had just slid behind the wheel of, but I was caught off-guard by the look and feel of the new Hyundai Azera. Had I not known what car I was getting into, I would have guessed it to be one of the “upscale” manufacturer cars – the Hyundai Azera’s interior feels and looks that good. The multi-adjustable leather seats and the tilt-and-telescoping wheel make finding a proper driving position easy while the design and layout of the dash and controls allow easy reading of gauges and access to all functions. Starting the Azera brings the 263-horsepower V6 to a smooth purr. The engine’s power and torque work well together to provide sufficient and smooth acceleration at all speeds, including launches from a stop. Add to that the seamless shifts from the five-speed automatic and you have a sedan that is nothing short of impressive. The steering has a solid feel and feedback is excellent. The brakes are good but feel a bit vague at times. Inside, the cabin is quiet with slight tire noise intrusion and the ride is best described as supple and luxurious. Large side mirrors allow exceptional outward vision as does the rear view mirror. The Hyundai Azera is an example of what can be done when a manufacturer sets its sites on the competition, and from my point of view the competitors better raise their standards or get out of the way.

Hyundai Azera – Christian Wardlaw’s Driving Impressions:
Engine power is strong, the V6 sounds good, and the transmission behaves most of the time. It kicks down for passing, and shifts smoothly, but the Hyundai Azera is geared to feel strong off the line and short-shifts to second gear in an effort to save fuel if you don’t have the accelerator planted to the carpet. This, combined with the lengthy delay between first and second gears, is off putting. I averaged 18.9 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving.

Brake pedal feel and modulation is terrific, but at first you can really feel the Azera’s heft sloshing forward as the nose dives, and this makes you feel like you need more brakes to get the car stopped. Other than this disconcerting feel upon initial application, the brakes are fine. Steering heft, on-center feel, the wood-and-leather rim, and the turn signal clack immediately recall a Jaguar. This is impressive if you’re familiar with Jaguars. If you’re not familiar with Jaguars, you might think off-center effort levels are too high, but you’ll like the solid on-center feel.

The Azera doesn’t track down the road like a Jaguar, and while it attempts to waft along like an older XJ, the suspension ultimately proves too busy to pull off that impression. Indeed, the suspension is the worst aspect of driving the Hyundai Azera. The shocks are too stiff and the springs are too soft, so the car ends up with excess body float combined with sharp wheel motion. And that sharp wheel motion isn’t soaked up by the suspension; it’s transferred to the cabin in the form of impact harshness and occasional snapping sounds that make it seem as though the components are loose. Put the car across diagonal railroad tracks or bridge joints, and it dances beneath you while the suspension tries, and fails, to control body and wheel motion. The car just doesn’t feel connected on any kind of irregular pavement. Hyundai should take a look at what its corporate sibling, Kia, is doing with suspension tuning to get an idea of how to get it right.

I didn’t take the Azera on a twisty road – what would be the point? – but around town, taking corners and freeway ramps with speed, body roll is kept in surprisingly good check. However, the tires give up pretty easily, and squeal. Plus, the car always feels heavy, in part due to the steering feel but also the way the suspension attempts to handle body motion.