Hyundai Equus

2012 Hyundai Equus

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Shopping for a 2012 Hyundai Equus? MSRP: $59,000 - $66,000

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If the Genesis Coupe is Hyundai's pony car in some ways, the Equus is its war horse—a powerful, plush flagship that pushes the boundaries for the brand ever upward, into a segment of the market in which others (like VW, with its ill-fated Phaeton) have failed to pass muster.

In features, value, and design, the $58,000 Hyundai Equus puts this brand in the big leagues, taking on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S Class, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ, and Lexus LS—or even the Infiniti M56—while undercutting most of them by about $10k. If the story sounds familiar, it's largely the same path that Toyota, Honda, and Nissan took with their flagship luxury cars a couple of decades ago, only Hyundai is selling the Equus as, well, a Hyundai.

The Equus looks like it might be a sub-brand of its own, though. It takes off in a completely different design direction compared to the rest of the current Hyundai lineup at its best; and at its worst it feels more like a cobbled set of details and cues from other models—from Lexus and Mercedes, especially. But its interior is well-designed and exceptionally roomy; the shorter-wheelbase version that we get in the U.S. isn't quite right for being chauffeured, but adults will have plenty of space. In back, the right-side seat includes massage functions and an extending footrest. The Equus is common in South Korea as a livery vehicle or limo, and it's easy to see why.

Over several drives, we've found the Equus to feel as much like a more refined, sophisticated version of classic American sedans like the Lincoln Town Car—or Lincoln LS—than a bargain-priced version of those top-tech luxury-performance flagships. The 385-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic provided confident acceleration, but handling was hardly confidence-inspiring in the way that those other models are, and the suspension's fore-and-aft lift and squat under hard acceleration and braking could be a little disconcerting.

Since the Equus is sold at the same dealerships that move Accents and Elantras in high volume, Hyundai has been offering “ultimate customer service” with the Equus—essentially meaning that dealers will come pick up the vehicle from owners for servicing. At launch, the Equus was the first model with its full owner's manual in tablet form, and each vehicle included an iPad.

The Equus includes many of the same safety and comfort features you'd find on those other models—including adaptive cruise control, ventilated front seats, plush leather upholstery, an impressive navigation system, and a rearview camera system. Newly optional for 2012 was a lane-departure warning system.

Also for 2012, a new 429-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 engine was introduced in the Equus, bringing a somewhat lower, brawnier engine sound and quicker acceleration, while knocking EPA ratings down slightly to 15/23 mpg.