Hyundai’s flagship Equus luxury sedan will get a little more luxurious for the 2014 model year. The Korean carmaker unveiled a refreshed model at the New York Auto Show.
On the outside, the 2014 Equus maintains, the old car’s generic luxury sedan looks, enhanced by a revised front fascia, standard LED fog lamps, and 19-inch “turbine blade” wheels. The overall look definitely says “luxury sedan,” but it’s not very original.
On the inside, the instrument panel and center stack have been redesigned to accommodate a 7-inch TFT gauge cluster (12.3 inches on the posh Ultimate model) and 9.2-inch touch screen, respectively.
In the back, passengers get their set of gadgets, essentially replicating the setup used by the driver and front passenger. There’s a rear center console with all of the necessary infotainment controls, and a pair of 9.2-inch monitors mounted in the backs of the front headrests.
As if that wasn’t enough to make the Equus the perfect limousine, there’s also a power rear door closing feature available on the Ultimate model.
If Equus owners do decide to drive their cars themselves, a phalanx of tech will keep them safe. The Hyundai’s active cruise control can bring it to a complete stop and set off again in stop-and-go city traffic. There’s also standard Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross-traffic Alert.
Mechanically, the Equus will remain pretty much the same. The only available engine is still Hyundai’s 5.0-liter Tau V8, which produces 429 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai is hoping to spice up the driving experience with some electronic tweaks. The Normal and Sport modes for the adjustable air suspenion are now a little more differentiated, with Sport offering a firmer ride and better handling. There’s also a snow mode for those who need it.
With its added features and the same low price we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, the Equus should continue to be one of the most compelling values on the luxury car market. Whether that will be enough to overcome the 2014 Equus’ generic styling and un-premium badge remains to be seen.
