We mistakenly called this the 2010 Hyundai Azera. It’s in fact the 2012 Kia Optima. Please click here to read the full update.In its current form, the Hyundai Azera (known as the Grandeur outside the U.S.) has been around since 2005, and despite the new Sonata’s push upmarket, Hyundai apparently still sees the need for another model to slot in between its new Camcord competitor and the Genesis Sedan.
The four-wheel independent suspension is sure to remain, and Hyundai is likely to continue offering a choice of V6s – a 263-hp 3.8-liter or a 234-hp 3.3-liter – each mated to a six-speed automatic. We’d expect a small bump in output when the all-new Azera debuts late next year as a 2012 model.
Hyundai Motor Co. released renderings this week of the redesigned, fifth generation Grandeur -- sold in Korea -- that is expected to arrive stateside as the next Azera for the 2012 model year.
Like the Hyundai Sonata and new Elantra, the new Azera features Hyundai's slippery “fluidic sculpture” design language. Details about the vehicle's powertrain and features were not released.
