It's no longer news that Hyundai sells a full-size high-end luxury car. The Equus has been on sale in the U.S. since 2011, priced in the $50,000s and $60,000s, and has chalked up modest but steady sales totaling about 8,000 to date. But there remained an air of novelty as Hyundai unveiled the updated 2014 Equus Wednesday evening at the 2013 New York International Auto Show.
As radical as it still seems for Hyundai, best-known for mainstream affordability, to be selling a luxury car, there is little radical in the 2014 Equus update compared to the outgoing 2013. There are tweaks to the front and rear styling and new alloy wheels on the outside. Inside, the conventional gauges have been replaced with a digital LCD screen and the dashboard also sports a larger new display screen. The other instruments have also been redesigned, including the knob between the front seats that handles some controls, to good effect.
The Equus continues to be a rear-wheel-drive full-size sedan powered by a 5.0-liter V8 with 429 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It's rated for 15 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. The 2013 model starts at $59,250, with a fully-loaded model approaching $70,000; expect similar prices with the 2014, whose sale date isn't yet announced.
As noted in a review of a 2011 Equus, the car faces tough internal competition from Hyundai's mechanically related Genesis – itself a posh, sophisticated large luxury sedan. The 2014 updates do little to change the fundamentals of the Equus, but they provide a freshened appearance and a few gee-whiz features … and another reason to talk about this unusual Hyundai.
The changes to the 2014 Equus aren't likely to attract buyers who otherwise wouldn't consider a posh car with a Hyundai badge. But the improvements will make the car more competitive for those willing to cross-shop it against other luxury cars of its size or price.
See also:
Photos of the 2014 Hyundai Equus
Full coverage of the 2013 New York Auto Show
Coverage of the 2012 New York Auto Show
Review: 2011 Hyundai Equus Signature
Review: 2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec
All Cars Examiner reviews
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