2015 Hyundai Equus – The Smart Money

The classy 2015 Hyundai Equus continues to attract and satisfy money-wise customers.

The Equus is a full-size luxury sedan with a V8, rear-wheel drive, and a long list of features. This makes it not just an economical luxury car, but it may be the ultimate Hyundai.

Competing with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Lexus LS, the Hyundai Equus matches up well, and does so costing thousands of dollars less.

Hyundai uses the traditional luxury sedan formula of using a bold grille and sheer size to give it presence. The wide stance and large wheels blend with the soft bodylines to create a pleasing, if conservative, appearance.

Where the Equus earns the most praise is the cabin. The interior is roomy and opulent. Leather upholstery, suede headliner, and genuine wood trim comfortably transport all five passengers.

Everything about the cabin of the Equus was designed for comfort. The seats are fully adjustable offering plenty of width and support. They also provide control for heating, cooling and humidity.

Those in the rear seats were not ignored, quite the opposite in fact. The Equus is regularly used by high-profile executives in Korea, and with generous legroom, climate-controlled seats, shaded windows and power lumbar support, it’s not difficult to see why.

To further coddle its occupants, the ride of the Equus is plush thanks to air suspension that absorbs all but the harshest road imperfections. Highway commutes are quiet and relaxed.

Powering the Equus is a sophisticated 5.0-litre V8 with variable valve timing and direct injection. The 429 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque is adequate in moving the big-body Hyundai, but nobody will accuse it of being too sporty.

The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic with SHIFTRONIC manual mode, but the Equus is not available with all-wheel drive. Also, while its fuel economy is not bad, it can’t compete with the diesel powertrains from Audi or BMW.

Maintaining Hyundai’s emphasis on safety, the Equus boasts world-class active and passive safety features. These include nine airbags, a lane departure warning system, smart cruise control, and a blind spot monitoring system.

To make purchasing easy, the Equus is only available in just two trim levels and no factory options. The Signature in the base trim, but it is far from Spartan. Standard equipment includes heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, a 9.2-inch control screen, a navigation system, and three-zone climate control.

The upgraded Ultimate trim adds a multi-view camera system, heads-up display, a 12.3-inch TFT LCD instrument panel, cooled rear seats, and a rear seat entertainment system with dual 9.2-inch monitors.

What do you think about the 2015 Hyundai Equus? Does it deserve to steal some attention away from the stalwarts in the luxury sedan segment?