Best Used Luxury Car 2013: The Car Connection's Picks
Luxury cars offer a little more—of what matters to nearly everyone but the most dedicated... Read More
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a little bouncy and a little harsh
it falls well short of all-around composure
the car feels predictable and secure around turns and the steering has a slick, accurate feel
PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
a little bouncy and a little harsh
Kelley Blue Book
it falls well short of all-around composure
ConsumerGuide
the car feels predictable and secure around turns and the steering has a slick, accurate feel
Edmunds
The 2010 Hyundai Azera performs much as large American sedans used to: It accelerates nicely, but doesn't handle especially well, due to a very soft, pillowy suspension tuning.
The two models of the 2010 Azera—the GLS and Limited—come with different V-6 engines. As Cars.com observes, "the Azera GLS has a 3.3-liter V-6 that produces 234 hp and 226 pound-feet of torque." Meanwhile, the Azera Limited has a 3.8-liter V-6 that makes 263 hp and 257 pound-feet of torque. Cars.com reports that either engine comes with a five-speed automatic transmission that "incorporates Shiftronic for manually selectable gear changes."
Based on input from several reviewers, the 3.8-liter is well worth the $4,000 or so it will cost to buy a Limited rather than a GLS. Kelley Blue Book, however, reports that "the standard 3.3-liter V-6 may not be as powerful as the available 3.8-liter, but it does offer acceptable levels of performance and smoothness." Automedia finds much to like about the union of the larger V-6 engine and the automatic in the 2009 Azera: "They make a nice couple. The V-6 flagship sails easily down the highway, with plenty of power on tap for passing and on-ramp merges. The transmission gets from gear to gear smoothly, with a manumatic mode for do-it-yourselfers." Edmunds timed an Azera Limited to 60 mph in just 7.1 seconds—very quick for such a sedan—but notes, "Although this Hyundai never feels as athletic as cars like the Nissan Maxima and Chrysler 300, acceleration is brisk, and there's always ample power on tap from the V-6."
Fuel economy just isn't as good as you might expect in this class of vehicle, however. With the smaller of the two engines, the Azera gets 18 mpg city, 26 highway, while the 3.8-liter Limited hits 17/26 mpg.
There's not much to report about the way the 2010 Hyundai Azera handles. "The Azera's handling is on the soft side," Edmunds reports. "However, the car feels predictable and secure around turns and the steering has a slick, accurate feel." With a very soft suspension that's calibrated for isolation, not responsiveness, it's easy to anticipate that it's no sports sedan; if you want handling performance, you should be looking elsewhere.
Conclusion
The 2010 Hyundai Azera accelerates smoothly for freeway ramps and suburban stoplights, but it's not built for twists.
