Hyundai Azera vs. Toyota Avalon

Check out how the 2006 Hyundai Azera compares up against the 2006 Toyota Avalon

                                                  

2006 Toyota Avalon Limited Sedan

2006 Hyundai Azera Limited Sedan

Toyota Avalon
Hyundai Azera - Buy your new car online at GaryRomeHyundai.com
General Information    
Estimated Market Price $31,597.59 $26,109.65
Invoice $29,888.00 $24,151.00
List Price $33,965.00 $26,835.00
Vehicle Class Midsize Midsize
Overall Satisfaction Rating 88 out of 100 N/A
Performance    
Engine 3.5L 6 Cylinder 3.8L 6 Cylinder
Drive FWD FWD
Transmission 5 speed Automatic OD 5 speed Automatic OD
Compression Ratio 10.80:1 10.40:1
Horsepower 268 hp @6200rpm 263 hp @6000rpm
Torque 248@ 4700 255@ 4500
Bore 3.70 3.78
Stroke 3.27 3.43
Fuel Capacity 18.50 gallons 19.80 gallons
Fuel Type Unleaded Unleaded
Fuel Delivery EFI MPFI
MPG City 22 18
MPG Highway 31 27
Convenience Features    
Air Conditioning Std Std
Power Windows Std Std
Power Door Locks Std Std
Tilt Steering Wheel - -
Cruise Control Opt Std
Leather Seats Std Std
Power Seats Std Std
Tachometer Std Std
Rear Defroster Std Std
Full Spare - -
Premium Wheels Std Std
AM/FM Radio Std Std
Cassette Player Std -
CD Player Std Std
Sunroof - PIO
MoonRoof Std -
Dimensions    
Wheelbase 111.0" 109.4"
Overall Length 197.2" 192.7"
Vehicle Height 58.5" 58.7"
Vehicle Width 72.8" 72.8"
Seating Capacity 5 5
Cargo Capacity (Cars) 14 17
Front Headroom (Cars) 38.8" 40.2"
Front Legroom (Cars) 41.3" 43.7"
Rear Legroom 40.9" 38.2"
Payload Capacity (Trucks) Not Applicable Not Applicable
Gross Weight (Trucks) Not Applicable Not Applicable
Towing Capacity (Trucks) 1000 1000
Final Assembly Location USA RK

Legend
GRP Not Available for individual purchase RET Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
STD Standard equipment for this model DLR Dealer installed
PKG Available as part of an option package N/C No Charge
N/R Status not provided by manufacturer N/A Not Available
OPT Optional Equipment PIO Port Installed Option
 - Data Not Available * Note applies to this vehicle

Jim Mateja - Chicago Tribune

Azera takes Hyundai upscale in all but price

Hyundai made a name for itself in the U.S. by promoting its low cost. Now it has opted to go high fashion.

Hyundai added the Azera sedan for 2006. It's not only larger and $1,000 more expensive than the XG it replaces, but it also boasts woodgrain trim and fancy metal accents just like entry-level luxury cars.

"We've elevated our game with a new flagship, a more upscale sedan for those who want affordable luxury," as Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson puts it.

Upscale also means more profit potential from a $25,000 Azera than a $13,000 Accent.

The XG appeared in the 2001 model year as a rival to the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima.

For 2006 the midsize Sonata, redesigned and now built in the U.S., will battle that formidable trio. Azera goes up against the bigger and more well appointed Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima among imports, the Buick LaCrosse and Ford Five Hundred among domestics.

XG was offered in base and L versions, Azera comes in base SE and Limited. We tested the SE.

For starters, Azera is a weird name. Rolls off the tongue like a log. Hyundai justifies it by saying it makes people think about A to Z--or some such nonsense.

Dumb name but smart styling. XG had large round headlamps and a horizontal chrome grille that made it look like a Mercedes wannabe. Azera looks more like an Infiniti wannabe with a trio of small, horizontally mounted front lamps and thin horizontal chrome grille.

Azera also is an inch longer and wider and 3 inches taller than XG. A 1.1-inch longer wheelbase provides more cabin space and better road manners.

But the big change is that Azera comes with a 3.8-liter, 263-horsepower, 24-valve V-6, up from the XG's 3.5-liter, 194-h.p. V-6.

In addition to more passing and hill climbing power, the 3.8 is rated at 19 m.p.g. city, 28 m.p.g. highway, versus 17/26 with the 3.5. That's 2 m.p.g. better in city and highway mileage despite the dramatic boost in power.

Yet, while much more spirited than the XG, Azera at times suffers a split-second hesitation before you leap forward after standing on the gas.

Compared with its rivals, Azera has more muscle than the 3-liter, 203-h.p. V-6 in the Five Hundred. But the 3.5-liter, 268-h.p. V-6 in Avalon and 3.5-liter, 265-h.p. V-6 in Maxima, in particular, deliver quicker off-the-line and into-the-passing-lane movement.

And Avalon's V-6 is rated at 22/31; Maxima's 20/28; and Five Hundred's 21/29, all topping Azera.

Azera comes with fully independent double-wishbone suspension upfront, multilink in the rear plus front and rear stabilizer bars and 16-inch all-season radials.

The suspension focuses on smooth ride more than pinpoint handling. Azera does a good job of minimizing body lean in corners and turns, but Avalon and Maxima handle much better, Five Hundred about the same.

You don't always feel the tar marks in the road but you often hear the radials slap over them in the cabin, which could use a tad more insulation to better block out the noise.

Avalon is more whisper quiet and delivers a softer, smoother ride. Maxima is more performance oriented, with a little stiffer ride but more precise handling.

Azera has electronic stability control as standard, a system usually found in higher-priced luxury sedans. It applies the brakes to individual wheels to prevent slipping or sliding in corners and turns and adjusts throttle input to help keep the vehicle on its intended path. Traction control and four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard as well.

The cabin is upscale. Fit and finish are excellent. You don't see screw heads and fasteners and the metal track under the front seat is covered so it doesn't stick out and look unkempt. And the well-cushioned cloth seats offer excellent comfort and keep you in place without sliding around in corners and turns.

The cabin also is spacious front and back. Those in back enjoy exceptional leg and head room. Even with the front seat far back, there's room to stretch your legs.

Nice touches include a power plug and pull-down armrest with dual cupholders for those in back, and a power plug plus a pair of storage compartments under the center armrest upfront. There's also an overhead compartment for eyeglasses upfront.

Controls are easy to see and use; a dash compartment holds CDs; a cell phone holder is in front of the gearshift lever; and rear seat backs fold flat for more storage.

The trunk is wide and deep and the lid opens high for easy loading and unloading. The audio speaker under the rear parcel shelf, however, limits the height of objects you can carry.

Azera SE starts at $24,335, the Limited at $26,835.

Standard equipment includes front and side-impact air bags plus front/rear side-curtain air bags, dual automatic climate control, power driver and passenger seats, AM/FM/CD/MP3 system with steering-wheel controls, power windows with pinch protection so they stop and retract if a hand is in the way, power locks and mirrors, cruise control, automatic headlamps and remote keyless entry.

Limited adds 17-inch radials, heated leather seats, power rear-window sunshade and power tilt/telescoping steering wheel as standard.

Options for the SE are bundled. That makes them costly because you have to take a bunch of items to get the few you want.

The $2,500 ultimate package adds power sunroof, Infinity sound system, power pedals, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers and memory settings for seats/mirrors/steering wheel.

The $1,700 premium package adds the power sunroof, Infinity sound system and heated front seats.

Hyundai chose to rival Avalon and Maxima with more size, more power and more amenities, but still falls a bit short in terms of smooth and quiet ride and handling precision. The cabin and creature comforts are first class, but suspension tuning and low range engine performance needs work.

Of course, Azera might not meet Avalon or Maxima standards, but it still costs $2,000 to $8,000 less than an Avalon and $3,000 to $6,000 less than a Maxima, the reason for the "affordable" luxury tag.

Because this is only its first year, a few tweaks to the suspension and low-range engine performance can only make Azera better

Hyundai hopes to capitalize on the latest J.D. Power and Associates buyer retention study. Hyundai finished fifth among those who would buy the brand again.

Its 56 percent retention rate put it behind Toyota and Lexus, tied at 63 percent; Honda at 60 percent and Chevrolet at 57 percent. But it was ahead of Ford at 54 percent, Mercedes-Benz at 53 percent and BMW at 50 percent.

The study shows consumers don't feel they have to apologize for or rationalize buying a Hyundai.



Gary Rome Hyundai In Western Massachusetts

Gary Rome Hyundai is located in Western Massachusetts in Holyoke, which is in Hampden County. We are just minutes away from Route 91, 20 minutes outside of Springfield, MA and under an hour from Hartford, CT.  Holyoke is home to the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, one of the biggest shopping malls in New England.

Holyoke also contains the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, which has won numerous awards and recognitions and is claimed to be one of the top banquet facilities in New England.  

On February 9, 1895, William G. Morgan invented volleyball at a YMCA in Holyoke. It is also sometimes claimed that basketball shares volleyball's Holyoke origins, but, nonetheless, the credit goes to neighboring Springfield.

Holyoke is also the home of the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the United States. Held annually on the Sunday following St. Patrick's Day, the parade draws thousands of people from across the region and nation.

The beautiful, idyllic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts used to be one of the world's best kept secrets. But now, more and more companies are choosing to expand here creating jobs, and increasing opportunities for all. Simply telling the good news of this region's lower costs and great quality of life to the right corporate decision makers, is attracting strong interest.

Western Massachusetts in the Connecticut River Valley. Bordered by West Springfield on the south; Westfield, Southampton, and Easthampton on the west; and separated from South Hadley and Chicopee by the Connecticut River on the east. Holyoke is 90 miles west of Boston; 34 miles north of Hartford, Connecticut; and 142 miles from New York City.

Massachusetts is known as the Bay State because of the several large bays that give its coastline its distinctive shape:  Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay on the state's east coast, and Buzzards Bay to the south. A few cities and towns on the Massachusetts–Rhode Island border are also adjacent to Narragansett Bay. The name Massachusetts comes from the name of an Algonquian tribe that means "at or about the great hill" or "land of the blue hills."

Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley also contains a wealth of historical attractions, including the Dickinson Homestead, where American poetess Emily Dickinson wrote many of her poems. Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord preserves several sites that relate to the battles of the American Revolution. The Berkshires (or the Berkshire Hills) region in Western Massachusetts is a favored resort destination with several attractive villages and attractions such as the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket are filled with many classic seaside towns whose architecture has been emulated worldwide.

Massachusetts is the most populous of the New England states of the Northeast United States. It is bordered by New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.