2012 Hyundai Azera vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

The Lexus ES 350 has long been the pick for those who want the creamiest, most isolated luxury-sedan experience; but the Azera comes close in many respects—and it surpasses it, in our opinion, in design.

Meanwhile, the more affordable Toyota Avalon makes a straightforward appeal based around comfort, but with the Azera's more fashionable look and wider equipment, the Avalon can feel a little unexciting.

The Acura TL is quite exciting to drive and handles very well—even in its base form—but its back seat isn't as roomy.

There's also a higher-performance model with an excellent SH-AWD (all-wheel drive) system.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse gets an all-new eAssist mild-hybrid system, paired with a four-cylinder engine, and now achieves 37 mpg on the highway.

The Ford Taurus is the largest vehicle of this bunch on the outside, yet somehow its interior feels like one of the smallest; next year a new version of the Taurus is in the works, with a more efficient turbo four-cylinder engine as well.