2010 New York Auto Show (2-11 April) Part 5

Hyundai Goes Upsale



If Hyundai's elaborate but well conceived plan to launch its largest, most luxurious sedan ever comes to fruition, replete with a game-changing customer service experience, it could very well become the new Audi or Lexus.

The Hyundai Equus is a full-size 4-door packed with all the frills and features people expect from an upscale luxury sedan, including a strong V8, a pampering interior and rear-wheel drive. It will go on sale in the United States this fall and carry a price tag somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000. That's a steep discount compared to the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS and Mercedes S-Class, which Hyundai stacks the Equus up against.

Having seen it up close, and sat in the Equus on display here at the New York Auto Show, there appears to be plenty of substance behind Hyundai's claims. The paint is high luster, the leather is supersoft, the design is elegant and the controls inside have a sense of quality and solidity.

Hyundai packed premium features into the Equus, including heated and cooled leather seats, suede-lined roof, heated steering wheel, massaging driver's seat, radar cruise control, parking cameras, reclining rear seats and electronic air suspension. While this list of standard features isn't unique in the category, Hyundai isn't trying to reinvent the luxury sedan. Instead, the company hopes to set the Equus apart with an unrivaled customer service experience.

Despite all of the efforts to go upscale, the Equus will hold true to Hyundai's high-value mantra. "It's not over-the-top luxury, but rather intelligent luxury," Zuchowski says. For example, despite costing less than the Lexus LS460, the Hyundai Equus is larger in every dimension. And where many European luxury sedans are designed to run on premium fuel, the Equus can use regular gasoline, albeit with a performance penalty. The 4.6-liter V8 engine produces 385 horsepower with premium fuel and 378 horsepower on regular.

With the Equus, Hyundai makes clear once again how serious it is about reshuffling the hierarchy of brands in the auto industry.

Next: 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon Debuts



Acura's TSX stable is about to grow again. Following the addition of a V6-powered sedan for the 2010 model year, Acura revealed the TSX Sport Wagon on Wednesday at the New York auto show.

While the sedan is available with the choice of a 2.4-liter I4 or a 3.5-liter V6, the Sport Wagon will be launched only with the four-cylinder bolted to a five-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Horsepower and torque figures haven't been released, but they should closely match the sedan's 201 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, the six-speed manual transmission will not be offered on the wagon.

The increased rear cargo space includes integrated under-floor storage bins and a removable side panel to allow the Sport Wagon to transport wider items such as a set of golf clubs.

As with its sedan brethren, the TSX Sport Wagon will be available with a host of technology features including navigation with a new 8-inch high-resolution color screen, real-time traffic updates and an ELS premium sound system. A moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seats and Bluetooth are standard.

The TSX Sport Wagon to roll into dealerships late this fall as a 2011 model. Pricing hasn't been announced, but expect the wagon to start at about $32,500.