When I reviewed Hyundai's flagthip two years ago, I concluded that it would only fool those who wanted to be fooled. Though the XG350 was very well equiped, it neither looked nor felt like a contemporary premium sedan.

For 2006 Hyundai has replaced the XG350 with the all-new Azera. Essentially a stretched Sonata, the new car has two inches more wheelbase and four inches more length. Is the new car any more credible as a competitor to the Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse? I took the top trim Limited for a test drive to find out.

Styling

The Azera is much more tastefully styled than the frumpy XG350. Unfortunately, although there is more than a little resemblance to the 1998 Audi A6, the Azera looks more like an enlarged Elantra hatch than a premium sedan. The body is overly round; more current designs have considerably more edge to them. Though the semi-fastback roofline makes it look as though the Azera is a hatch, it does not. The trunk cutline mimics everyone's least favorite stylistic detail of the BMW 7-Series. Overall, the Azera is hardly an ugly car, but it could hardly have less "presence."

The Azera's interior resembles that of a pedestrian midsize sedan--think Sonata--just with lots of obviously fake wood and stitched vinyl trim. The instrument panel's center stack is made of hard plastic and, in beige at least, looks somewhat downscale. (The dark interior looks more upscale.) Once again I get the sense of a car pretending to be more than it is.

There are some bright spots of the interior. The gauges mimic those in a Lexus. And the seat and door panel stitch patterns lend some distinction to the interior.

Interior fits, especially those between the doors and instrument panel, could be far more precise.

Accommodations

You sit quite high relative to the instrument panel in the Azera; you'll sit considerably lower in most competitors. This affords very good visibility, but further detracts from the premium feel of the car. The driving position can be fine-tuned using a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel--rare in this class--and power-adjustable pedals.

Both the front and rear seats are well-shaped, moderately soft, and comfortable. The front seats lack lateral support, but then I don't expect it in this sort of car. The rear seat is comfortably high off the floor, and rear legroom is abundant. Then again, the same can be said of the Sonata, which is only slightly less roomy.

The trunk is on the high end of average in size. Unlike many premium cars, the rear seats fold in two sections.

On the Road

The Azera's 263-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 drives the front wheels. Though the big Hyundai weighs nearly 3,700 pounds, the engine moves it enthusiastically. An Avalon feels quicker still, though. Thankfully, torque steer is nearly absent--I just felt the slightest tug a couple of times. Nothing is special about the sound of the engine. The five-speed automatic can be manually shifted, though the point of this is unclear in a non-sport sedan.

At this point my evaluation takes a turn for the worse. Unlike the best in this class, the Azera doesn't feel "tied down" in moderately aggressive driving. It floats a bit, and on-center the steering is overly light and vague. The Kia Amanti is much worse in each of these areas, but that's no excuse. The Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse both feel more poised. Sometimes the steering firms up a bit as you turn it, sometimes not. The quickness with which the car responds to the wheel also seemed to vary. In hard turns the car leans a moderate amount and slightly understeers, but generally behaves well enough. Though not the performance variety, the tires grip fairly well and don't squeal unless terribly provoked. The stability control kicked in a couple of times, but didn't seem overly intrusive.

You do feel the road a bit through the steering wheel and the seat of your pants, but this isn't so much road feel as an imperfectly isolated, insufficiently rigid body structure. Though the ride is fairly soft, I noted much more busyness than I expected over minor blemishes in the road surface. Noise levels are similarly not up to the class average, much less the best. At highway speeds wind noise could be more hushed.

Hyundai Azera Price Comparisons and Prices

Even after adjusting for over $900 of additional content on the Avalon Limited, the Azera Limited with "Option Group 4" (315-watt Infinity audio, CD changer, sunroof, heated seats with memory, power tilt-and-tele wheel, power-folding mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers) runs about $4,500 less when comparing MSRP, and $3,100 less when comparing invoices. You get a lot of car for $29,995, just not the best car.

Compared to the LaCrosse the Azera gets the adjustment, for $1,000. This gives it a $2,100 advantage MSRP to MSRP, and a nearly $2,900 advantage at invoice.

Finally, Hyundai's own Sonata costs about $5,500 less after a $2,500 rebate and $1,000 feature adjustment in the Azera's favor. I can see $3,000 extra for the Azera, but $5,500 seems a bit much.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Azera:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Azera.php

Last Words

The Azera is a definite improvement over the XG350. It includes a strong engine, long list of features, and a hint of luxury car ambiance for less than $30,000.

Yet, as with the XG350, I never felt as if I were driving a luxury car. Instead, the Azera feels like a middle-of-the-road midsize car with extra features and trim. Granted, middle-of-the-road midsize cars these days perform far better than those in the past. But the special feeling I expect from a premium car just isn't here.

Then again, it doesn't have a premium price. For someone who simply wants a lot of stuff in a roomy, powerful, somewhat plush sedan, this one gets four stars. Otherwise, just three. If the Azera had a $2,000 rebate like the Sonata, and it likely will before the year is over, then I'd likely add a fourth star.

A Note on Hyundai Azera Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy an Azera rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Hyundai Azera reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Azera--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

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Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Buick LaCrosse review
Ford Five Hundred review
Hyundai XG350 review
Kia Amanti review
Nissan Maxima review
Toyota Avalon review