Test drive: 2007 Hyundai Azera
First, I want to thank everyone who responded to Tuesday's blog entry (Comments wanted: Un-cool first cars). I don't think I've laughed so hard since I took this job! If you haven't told us about your un-cool first car, by all means, please do.
And now to the next matter at hand: Our most recent test drive, Liz Kim's review of the 2007 Hyundai Azera. Liz makes a good point about this car: It's time to stop judging Korean cars seperately from everything else. Liz thinks the Hyundai Azera is as good as its Japanese competitors, and deserves to be shopped against the best of the best -- specifically the Toyota Camry XLE. We've talked about this before, but I think it's time we bring it up again: Would you consider buying a Hyundai, or are you still wary of Korean cars? Click the "comments" link below to chime in. -- Aaron Gold
Read more: 2007 Hyundai Azera test drive and review
Photo © Liz Kim
Comments
Please, it’s still a Hyundai. I guess that’s where the first four stars come in. It’s the surprise factor.
Aaron, is Liz Kim your pseudonym.
The dealer auctions are filled with 2006 Sonatas for $10-11000. That’s coincidentally what the ultimate appliances…the Tauruses…are going for.
In spite of the reviews, the market still knows…
I drove one of these for about 400 miles (rental). I was pleasantly surprised. The only thing I didn’t like was the Buick like ride, way too soft. The acceleration was impressive. I’m not sure I would buy one, but I agree, definately worth checking out. Probably best as a used car due to the steep depreciation on a new one.
IGB, I assure you that Liz is a seperate person. I reviewed the Azera last year and liked it even more than Liz.
I drive a 2003 Hyundai Sonata and I think it compares nicely with the Toyota Camry (my previous car). Let’s see if I get 225,000 miles on it.
Like others, it’s the loss of value at trade-in time that concerns me. The nearest dealer for me is 40 miles – a minor annoyance. Plus, the reliability compared to Toyota and Honda has still not been proven.
Nothing wrong with a soft ride, if it’s also quiet.
I have had 2 Sonatas and they keep getting better. I bought the last one instead of a a Camry. I liked the Kia but said I will go with a winner.
KEEP BUYING THOSE [deleted] AND FISH HEAD CARS AND U WILL SOON BE OUT OF A JOB IF NOT A PRISONER OF SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY.
my question is… why would any one want to see AMERICAN companies fail? what is the point? other than a deep hatred for America. why buy foreign ? why not keep Americans working? what is the end result if we don’t? Their cars are no better than American cars.. probably not as good for the long haul.. that fellow earlier mentioned 225,ooo miles on a toyoata.. You think an GM product wont run that far? Just look around on the streets and see how many 20 to 30 year old GM and other American makes you see.. Besides who keeps a car that long in the first place? I think we should wake up before its too late.. We didnt wake up soon enough on immigration and now we are over ran by illegals..
Jakkkflash –
While the domestic automakers are closing plants in the US, Hyundai is opening new ones. Hyundai’s goal for 2007 is that 50% of the Hyundais sold in America will be built in America. Hyundai has also opened new R&D and testing facilities in the US. Meanwhile, you’d be surprised how many American cars are built in Canada and Mexico.
I own three Hondas and an old (1969) Dodge. Two of the Hondas were built in Ohio. The Dodge was built in Canada. If you’re interested in preserving American manufacturing jobs, then consider buying a Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, or a Honda. All build large numbers of cars in America. (And their plants, btw, are not unionized.)
PS — We are far from being “over ran by illegals”. The REAL problem is NAFTA, which allows American jobs to be moved south where labor is cheaper. American companies are moving jobs out of this country. Foreign companies like the aforementioned automakers are the ones bringing them back. How sad is that?
I’m certain Hyundai and Korea are improving rapidly. However, these cars are totally devoid of personality. I feel the same way (for the most part) about many Japanese vehicles, which I’ve always thought of as producers of boring, copycat vehicles. Hyundai seems to be a copy of a copy! These are just appliances on wheels. If you take no joy in driving, if it is just a chore to you, then I’m sure these cars are fine. If you are at all passionate about cars, look elsewhere.
Quit knocking it and just test drive one.The quality is better than the “American” cars that are made in Mexico and Canada. Read the JD Powers review for last year in quality. Lexus,Porsch and Hyundai, in that order, enough said!
The Azera is larger than a Camry and closer in size to a Toyota Avalon. I consider it a lower-priced alternative to the Avalon.
At present I think that it is a better car than the FWD V6-powered full-sized and large mid-sized American Cars that it competes with, but I’m cautiously hopeful that the new Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable with their new 3.5 liter V-6s will give it some competition.
I bought a NEW Korean car (early 2006 and sold already) and was not impressed with the quality. I traded it for a 2004 Cavalier and still lost money. I’m quite satisfied with the Cavalier. My Korean was the Chevy Aveo (Daewoo). A friend at work has a Hyundai which is much better.
The comparisons between Asian/European and American name plates are being overblown by people repeating what they hear without facts. Slightly off topic of Korean but probably applicable to this discussion is the following. I own a 1998 Mazda Millenia and my daughter owns a 1997 Buick LeSabre. Her car cost less (with more options), the paint is holding up better and the engine is larger but still gets better mileage (2.5L vs 3.8L). My Mazda has 118,000 miles and the Buick has 150,000 miles and I’ve spent twice the money (and more) keeping the Mazda up. Biggest problem is the use of timing belts that need replacing regularly for Japanese/Korean cars where GM uses chains that last 2 and 3 times longer (or more). Timing belts are expensive to replace every 60,000 miles. Don’t get me wrong. I like my Mazda. But when I look for another used car, it will be American nameplate first and foreign second.
For those who think today’s cars are better than the old days. My 67 Chrysler gets 13 miles to the gallon in town with a 6.2L engine. If I was able to fit a 4 or 5 speed automatic transmission in it like today’s cars have, it would get the same or better mileage than a 2007 large car (and some smaller cars like a V8 Mustang) with a lot more horses and comfort to boot. Granted the fit and finish wasn’t as good then but that has more to do with robotic ability than anything else. Not that I really care if my hood has a .02″ gap more on the left than on the right!
JD Power satisfaction surveys of NEW cars is a joke. EVERY NEW car should be perfect. They should interview people who have had their car 5 years and see how they do then.
For the Jakkkflash who says who keeps their cars 20 or 30 years? Some do. Besides the 2004 Cavalier and 98 Mazda, I also own a 66 Dodge and 67 Chrysler (both look and run as good as the newer 2). Granted that isn’t commonplace, but we are out there.
Last note… if either of my 60s cars had hit that Saab, there would have been broken windows and Aaron’s wife wouldn’t have walked away so easily. Damage to today’s cars can lie about how bad an accident really was because they crush so easily. Mind you, they are supposed to and that is probably a good thing to an extent. It sure keeps the body shops and insurance companies in business. Not to mention accidents that might not have “totaled” a car 30 years ago but today you have to go get another one which is also good for the car manufacturers, even if not so good for your wallet. But who cares about the consumer? It is all about companies making money.
Cars: my wife just bought a new Buick LaCrosse, according to the window sticker it is 90% American made. I know the foreign car makers have assembly plants in the USA but.. and its a big but.. assembly is the key word… very few parts are actually made here.. and even if they(the parts) are made here i have read that the japanese open their own parts mfg not employing american workers. the japanese think americans are for the most part fat and stupid. personally i don’t see how anyone can go wrong buying American. and for every horror story told about American cars there is an equal horror story about foreign cars of every make. Consumer reports names honda odor-sey as the best mini-van.. however research will show you honda odor-sey had about a 50% transmission failure rate in the early 2000’s. publications like consumer reports have absolutely no credibility.(only an agenda) and JD Power gives some kind of rating to almost every thing from a garden hose to a hair dryer.
BTW, “Cars” is me, Aaron Gold, Cars Guide, not sure why my name appears as “Cars”. Silly computers.
Anyway, Jakkflash, not so fast on the whole domestic parts thing. First of all, “domestic” parts content includes Canada (not sure if it includes Mexico; trying to find the NAFTA rules). Second of all, a part labeled as “domestic” can, I believe, be assembled from foreign components. Good chance a great deal of the bits inside your wife’s LaCrosse originated in Mexico and China. (This past weekend I met a man who owns a factory that makes power steering sub-systems at a factory in China for several clients, including GM; business is booming.) Second, part of the initiative of foriegn automakers building domestic cars here is using American suppliers. Think about it: Korean labor is generally cheaper than American labor. So why build Korean cars here? Answer: Save on shipping, import taxes, etc. Crating up all the parts in Korea and shipping them to the US doesn’t offer the kind of savings you need to stay competetive in this market (especially given the Koreans’ market position of offering good quality at a lower price).
The fact is that this is a global market. You can’t even make the argument about “profits staying here”, not when Chrysler is owner by the Daimler, Mazda is owned by Ford and Daewoo is owner by GM. Henry Ford’s dream of the River Rouge plant — raw materials go in, new cars come out — is long gone. Today it’s all about cutting costs and “increasing shareholder value”.
Aaron Gold: i notice you didn’t address the issue of 50+ failure rate of honda odor-sey transmissions… however had that been an American brand the network news would have ran it as lead story for days on end..
I’m sure jackkkflash’s racist/bigoted comments were well noted by Ms. Kim (extremely common Korean name)…but his whole argument, uneducated as it was, went into the toilet when I got to fishheads and japs…this forum with the exception of this intellectual cretin is for sensible discussion by reasonable people. I suggest Mr.”jakkkflash” espouse his opinions in the future at a site more compatible to his intellectual counterparts…CRACKER.COM
to hi waw yun don.. i may not be politically correct.. in fact thats a major problem ,, say what you mean and mean what you say..
hi waw yun don: so you’re an auto expert are you? i have questions for you if you are..
Jakkkflask — So far as I know, Honda doesn’t make a car called the “odor-sey”. When I can figure out what you’re talking about, I’ll comment. But how did you not notice all the media buzz about Toyota’s massive number of recalls in recent months, or all the coverage of the Saturn Aura winning North American Car of the Year? Perhaps you just ignore things that don’t fit into your view of the media — or the world.
Don — I like to give people the chance to put their own ignorance on display.
aaron: odor-sey… that’s the smell coming from a inferior transmission,, hence…. honda odor-sey
Jackkk — Don’t quit your day job.
They still make Buicks? Why?
My wife loves her 2005 spectra5. When my ‘98 malibu is done, which should be any day now – it’s got 160,000 (would I get an award from GM for that?), I’m planning on a Honda Fit. Of course, if an american, and I use the term loosely, company comes up with a small car that I can realistically expect better than 30mpg in the city and that depreciates at the speed of a honda or toyota, I look into it. Are there any american cars that one can reasonably expect 30mpg in city, up to 50 mph, driving? And I won’t even ask about the safety. That’s always a big add on for american car makers.(it’s standerd on the fit). I sat through a safety talk about the Hyundai Azera at the Minneapolis Auto show this last weekend. I was really impressed with all that the Koreans have done, from the Brake Assist that’s part of the anti-lock brakes to the Active Head Restraints. Plus it was very comfortable to sit in. And from what Liz Kim says, it all works together very well. If there is a little Korean wagon, Rio or Accent, coming out for 2008, I will definately check it out.
Jimmy, actually, I really think that the Buick is one “American Car” that is truly an extremely well built,good value,durable for the long haul that I would buy in a heartbeat…for my dad. As to your comments on the Honda Fit if it’s the interior space management that you like, or it’s off the wall stying…go for it, but the Civic delivers real 40 mpg highway numbers (higher than the Fit)and I consider it a better more sophisticated car for the money… yes it is a couple grand more.
Jimmy.. 160,000? The Buick my wife traded had 273,000+ miles.. 3800 v-6.. named one of the 20th century’s best.. Never spent a dime on it other than routine maintenance.. As far as a Honda mis-fit.. did you ever think about being in a crash in one of those? You will be ok if the other vehicle is a non-motorized wheel chair.. other than that.. i dont think that phony 5 star rating will save you.
By the way.. those Buicks equipped with the outstanding 3800 V6 (which most are), achieve over 30 mpg highway, 35 mpg driven at 65 mph.
Jakkkflash — One of the things Honda showed us at the launch of the 06 Civic was a Civic sedan that had been run head-on into a 2-ton Oddysey minivan. Saw the video and saw the actual car. The outside was folded up and the passenger cell was completely undamaged, which is exactly what you want. (The less a car folds up, the more energy is passed on to the occupants. You *want* a car to deform in a crash.) Honda designs their cars SPECIFICALLY to survive accidents with larger vehicles. I have a 1969 full-size Dodge and a couple of Hondas, and if I was going to drive into a tree, I’d take my chances in the Hondas.
One thing I won’t argue with is the 3800 V6… one of the best engines ever created.
I hate to burst jackkkflsh’s bubble, but on march 12 2005 I was t-boned in my 2001 honda civic by a Toyota Higlander suv travelling at 50mph. That car had 232,000 troublefree miles on it. I’m alive and well to tell you about it…and proceeded to buy another exactly like it(2005). The only thing that I came away with from that accident is a tatoo with that date on my wrist. It’s not necessarily how big the vehicle is, but often how it’s engineered to sustain impact…check out the civic’s A.C.E. impact engineering on line…it’s impressive!
After all, I’m alive!!!
well im not impressed but the crumple theory all that much… after all an aluminum can will crumple fairly easily but if theres a roach inside it i dont think she will be laying any more roach eggs.. as far as being t-boned at 50mph i agree you are lucky.. however folks have went over niagara falls in a woooden barrel and survived.. get my drift?
Jakkkflash — Whether the “crumple theory” impresses doesn’t matter; crush zones still save lives. Try jumping off a second or third step– your natural reaction is to flex your knees on landing. Now try the same jump, landing with your legs stiff. Hurts, doesn’t it? The flexing of your knees is the same as the crumpling metal of the car — the more the metal crumples the more energy is absorbed and the more gently the passenger cell can decellerate. That softens the “second collision” (occupants hitting seat belts/airbags, or, if they are stupid enough not to use seat belts, the steering wheel/dash/windshield). Today’s cars are designed to absorb as much energy as possible at the extremeties of the car, then pass the energy around the passenger cell. You may not believe it, but I’m gonna gander that all those automotive engineers are a bit better informed on the subject than you are.
jackkkflash is right on this one Aaron…when you’ve got a head as thick and hard as his, nothing can penetrate it…not engineering, nor common sense, nor the front bumper of a H2 hummer at 100MPH!
after reading your comments and looked at other websites to convince my self to test drive the car that is allways been on the bottom list of choice, i agree and support what you said. the noticable thing i found was the engine noise, as an automotive engineer i know this is an easy fix and am disapointed with hyundai engineers for not doing something about it. it is the thin wall exhaust and lack of sound proofing the cabin compartment from the engine and road noise. it would cost the OEM less then $$ you think .
MY final comment— BUY AMERICAN—– You are AMERICAN aren’t you? real AMERICANS don’t drive foreign cars.. The height of hypocrisy is a japanese/korean car with one of those SUPPORT OUR TROOPS magnetic bows.. Makes me want to slap the hair out the drivers nose.
Jakkflash –
Which is more American — a Ford Focus built in Mexico, or a Hyundai Santa Fe built in the United States?
cars: im trying to get through to you…. they aren’t built here… they are assembled here.. they get parts… from korea………. put them together here and call them AMERICAN built..toyota “builds” toyoata tundrae in san antonio… with on site suppliers… japanese… they aren’t built here.. that’s a play on words..a farce.. the reason ford builds cars in mexico is for cheaper labor in an attempt to compete with cheap foreign cars.. you did know that until foreigners invaded the USA that Ford did not build cars in Mexico? except for sale in Mexico…Like old ross perot said.. i hear that suckin sound…
Jakkflash –
You’re wrong about assembly vs. building. When Hyundai started building cars in America, a big part of the initiative was using American suppliers. Think about it: Labor in the US is more expensive than labor in Korea. Shipping is the issue. How much do you save by shipping a car in parts vs. shipping the whole thing? Many of the Korean and Japanese cars are built here, using US-sourced parts, and in many cases were designed in the US.
As for Ford: You’re referring to “foreigners invading the USA”. As I understand my history, that happened in the 15th and 16th centuries, and Ford wasn’t in business then. As it happens, Ford, GM and Chrysler have been building cars in Canada and importing them for US sales for years. As I think I’ve mentioned before, the only American-branded car I own – a 1969 Dodge – was imported from Canada.
hey AARON… sorry i haven’t contributed lately.. wife and i have been gone on a trip in that fabulous BUICK LACROSSE… averaged 29.5 mpg on a 4000 mile trip.. mostly with a/c running.. but let me say one thing… i’m an astute observer of most things important.. while gone i noticed Chevrolet Impala.. a great looking car… although toyoata claims to outsell everyone truthfully i watched and i saw at least 5 Impala’s to every toyoata..and that was in a 10 state trip… maybe some one should check their numbers for accuracy???