Seoul - With its blocky front end inspired by the Staria MPV and a swoopy shape with a few hints of Ford Sierra at the back, the new Hyundai Grandeur is one strange looking sedan.
Its bold new design is sure to prove polarising, but one thing’s for sure we actually can’t stop looking at it, and with an increasing sense of admiration we must add.
Revealed in South Korea this week, this is the seventh generation of the Grandeur luxury sedan. It wears Azera badging in some other markets, and the fourth-generation model was actually launched in South Africa in 2006, although it didn’t last for very long because South Africans just don’t seem to dig large sedans at the best of times, especially when there’s no prestigious badge on the boot lid.
For this reason it’s unlikely that the new Hyundai Grandeur will ever come to South Africa. However, the sedan remains highly popular in its home market of South Korea.
Hyundai hasn’t released any technical details as yet, but like its long line of predecessors, it is likely to be based around a front-wheel drive platform, rather than the more premium RWD architecture that the Genesis models use.
The current Hyundai Grandeur, for the record, is offered with two normally aspirated direct injection petrol engine options, with the 2.5-litre GDI producing 148kW and the 3.3 V6 unit offering 216kW.
The new Grandeur’s outlandish design was partly inspired by the earlier models in the series, particularly the first generation variant that was released in 1986.
“The seventh-generation Grandeur expresses our respect for the past and commitment to move on to the future,” said Hyundai Design Centre Head SangYup Lee. “We are creating a new standard for the premium sedan market through emotive design and a refined customer experience.”
Hyundai describes the cabin of the new Grandeur as an oasis for relaxation and recovery, with a wrap-around design, trimmed in premium and sustainable materials.
While a large screen stretches across most of the dashboard, there are some retro touches too, such as the single-spoke steering wheel that’s a clear throwback to the 1980s.
Would you like to see the new Hyundai Grandeur in South Africa?