About 45 thousand dollars — that's how much they'll ask for the Grandeur, and this amount will noticeably hit the family budget. Try telling your acquaintances after that: "Yeah, I recently got a Hyundai. Paid forty-five grand for it!" At best, they'll politely praise you, but what happens in the worst case — better not to specify.
It's unlikely a Russian with such a budget would seriously consider the Korean brand. The competitors are overwhelming: there's the squinting Toyota Camry, the cheeky Nissan Teana, and the elegant Peugeot 607. The choice is huge, even if you don't take used options into account! But the Koreans didn't miss the mark — they perfectly understood what they were getting into by bringing the Grandeur to Russia. Maybe the rivals aren't so strong after all? Or is the Grandeur really that good?
Walking around the car, you can't help but linger on the rear. Here it is — a real stroke of luck for the designers! Massive rear wheel arches, a neat edge on the trunk lid, LED taillights — all of this looks very attractive and noble. But the front end is a completely different story: it's plain and unexpressive. Not that it's ugly, but it's frankly boring. However, appearance is secondary. The main thing for a car of this class is size, solidity, and preferably black color. The Grandeur has all of this in abundance.
And what about inside? You settle into the very soft driver's seat and start turning all ten electric adjustment knobs (the passenger seat makes do with only four). And what's the result? After playing with the buttons, you realize: the seat would sooner flip over than adapt to your figure. Fine, let's assume it's due to my modest build. Shifting attention from the electric adjustments to the cabin, you notice its blandness and catch yourself thinking: why are Koreans so fond of green backlighting? No argument, many manufacturers are guilty of this. But in the Grandeur, the green glow of the center console evokes associations with children's Casio digital watches. Only now these memories evoke not nostalgia, but boredom.
The interior is a bit dull, but it's spacious, comfortable, and very well made.
But the instrument panel is a completely different story! The soft optronic backlighting pleases the eye and reads perfectly on the move: the numbers don't float or double. That issue is closed, now we feel the trim materials — at Hyundai, they usually don't shine. But with the Grandeur, the situation is different. Of course, the Koreans didn't exterminate rare animals for the seat upholstery, but the quality of materials is top-notch — not just by Hyundai's own standards. However, the plastic could have been better. It doesn't rattle, doesn't fall off, and is fitted impeccably, but you don't feel like touching it unnecessarily.
But you'll have to touch the handles and buttons, and more than once. And here the Grandeur is in order: even if they weren't made in the Pininfarina studio, it's immediately clear that AvtoVAZ had nothing to do with the interior's creation. Overall, ergonomics are at a very decent level, and you quickly get used to controlling all systems.
The green backlighting of the center panel looks old-fashioned, but the instruments "like in the six hundredth" are good.
It seems Hyundai decided to compensate for the not-so-outstanding plastic quality with the maximum number of options. For the mentioned amount, the future owner of the Korean flagship will get literally everything — from dual-zone climate control and eight airbags to electric front seat adjustments, rain and light sensors, as well as a decent 2 DIN audio system with eight speakers. By the way, about music: retro enthusiasts will be pleased by the now-rare opportunity to listen to audio cassettes (in addition to CD and MP3).
Impressed by the cassette player, having spent a lot of time searching for a vinyl player (which was never found), I completely forgot that the Grandeur can drive. Let's go!
The 3.3-liter engine with 235 horsepower is truly great! But, as it turned out, such an engine would be much more appropriate under the hood of some small hatchback like the Hyundai Getz. Perhaps it's just my imagination, but all the impressions of the technical characteristics are spoiled by the automatic transmission. The engine itself is excellent: the six-cylinder unit accelerates the car to 237 kilometers per hour and reaches 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. Its appetite is also moderate: the average consumption during the test was 11.7 liters of 92-octane gasoline (in the best Hyundai traditions).
The Grandeur is one of the few cars where "bulging" fenders look appropriate and harmonious.
But numbers are numbers, and in practice everything is a bit different. The large sedan, although capable of launching with wheelspin, drives leisurely. The five-speed automatic reluctantly responds to the gas pedal and shifts down just as lazily. Note, this isn't about sporting ambitions — the car clearly isn't for that. But a bit of briskness wouldn't hurt it.
But handling is in order. The Hyundai Grandeur confidently turns both left and right, and not just in the supermarket parking lot at low speed. At high speed, it doesn't make you grip the wheel with a death grip or break into a cold sweat. Staying on course even at speed, the car handles corners excellently, albeit with a slight tire squeal. An illusion? No, it's all real. Moreover, there's another trump card in reserve — informative brakes that do their job perfectly.
It remains to check the main thing — how comfortable the Hyundai rides. The multi-link rear suspension allows the car not to drive, but to float, softly swallowing every bump. It seems even speed bumps scatter to the sides — everything happens so smoothly. And this slight amorphousness starts to grow on you. The main thing is not to accelerate above 130-140 km/h: otherwise, you'll ruin all impressions, because at speed the Grandeur instantly loses its stateliness and starts shaking on all the defects of Russian roads. You feel every bump both in the body's rocking and in the vibrations on the steering wheel, so it's better to ease off the gas.
The Grandeur holds the high-speed straight perfectly, not straining the driver even at high speed. And it behaves confidently in corners too.
And it's best to switch places with a colleague who seems to have dozed off on the rear sofa. Not even a minute passed, and I'm already sitting in the second row of the Korean flagship. Here it is, the revelation! Only now do you understand what the smiling manager at the Hyundai dealership will shake out of you for $45,000. The soft and very comfortable leather seat slowly turns you into a jellyfish melting in the sun. You don't want to do anything; you just want to drive and drive, anywhere. Of course, this isn't the vaunted German business class: sound insulation isn't perfect, but there's definitely comfort for your $45,000 here. Especially considering the high ceiling and the ability to stretch your legs…
The rear is very spacious. And getting into the back seats is very easy.
When I returned the Grandeur to the dealership parking lot, it surprised me one last time. I open the trunk and start taking out my things: a backpack, a couple of bags with something unclear, a huge camera bag, a tripod, a second tripod, a box, a small dog… Well, okay, except for the last two items. But even if they were there, there would definitely be enough space, and access to the trunk is limited only by imagination.
The Grandeur is a very worthy car. And its price is corresponding. Its only problem is its Korean origin. Few would risk paying such a substantial amount for a car with a Hyundai badge.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Body type | Sedan |
| Engine | Petrol 3.3 DOHC |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | V6 |
| Displacement, cc | 3342 |
| Number of valves | 24 |
| Power, hp | 235 |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Drive | front |
| Front suspension | independent, double wishbone |
| Rear suspension | independent, multi-link, with anti-roll bar |
| Tires | 235/55 R17 |
| Front brakes | 16" ventilated disc, with wear indicators |
| Rear brakes | 15" disc, with wear indicator |
| Curb weight, kg, min-max | 1664—1713 |
| Gross weight, kg | 2220 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 237 |
| Acceleration time 0—100 km/h, s | 7.8 |
| Fuel consumption, urban cycle* | 15.1 |
| Fuel consumption, extra-urban cycle* | 7.4 |
| Fuel consumption, combined cycle* | 10.2 |
| Fuel tank, l | 75 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length, mm | 4895 |
| Width, mm | 1865 |
| Height, mm | 1490 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2780 |
| Track, front / rear, mm | 1580 / 1565 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 162 |
- ABS
- EBD
- TSC
- ESP
- 8 airbags (2 front, 4 side for front and rear passengers, 2 curtain airbags for front and rear passengers)
- active headrests (front)
- power steering with variable assist
- power-adjustable steering column for reach and tilt
- leather steering wheel with wood trim
- interior trim with wood and aluminum inserts
- leather-wrapped center armrest
- storage compartment in front armrest
- leather-wrapped center console
- 2 cupholders in center console
- power windows (front — one-touch open and close, safety mode)
- heated windshield in wiper rest area
- heated rear window
- fabric-wrapped sun visors
- illuminated vanity mirrors in visors
- visor extenders
- fabric headliner and pillars
- chrome grille
- body-colored bumpers
- chrome moldings
- mud flaps
- body-colored mirrors with power adjustment and heating
- wide-angle zone on driver's mirror
- power folding
- automatic adjustment when engaging reverse gear
- leather seats
- interior color — black, beige
- power front seats (driver 10-way, passenger 4-way)
- driver's seat height adjustment + lumbar support
- full recline of front seats
- heated front seats
- pockets on front seat backs
- memory for 2 settings (driver's seat, steering wheel, exterior mirrors)
- on-board computer
- rear seat folds in 60:40 split
- height-adjustable headrests
- center armrest with cupholders
- ISO Fix anchors
- front seat belt pretensioners
- height-adjustable front seat belts
- load limiters
- seat belt reminder
- rear 3-point seat belts
- front fog lights
- rear fog lights
- additional brake light
- interior lamp (center)
- front map reading lights
- footwell lighting
- rear reading lights
- trunk light
- door lights
- 2 power outlets
- map pockets in front doors
- lockable glove box (flocked)
- rear parking sensors
- digital clock
- light sensor (automatic headlights)
- immobilizer
- steering wheel audio controls
- antenna integrated into rear window
- cruise control with steering wheel controls
- dual-zone climate control
- air quality sensor
- air filter
- outside temperature sensor
- rain sensor
- full-size spare wheel
- reinforced suspension
- body-colored door handles with chrome trim
- rear door child locks
- central locking with remote control
- automatic door unlock in case of accident
- remote trunk release
- trunk release handle inside
- trunk net
- tool box
- cigarette lighter with light (front)
- ashtray with light (front)
- additional rear ashtray
- 17" alloy wheels
- tires 235/55R17
- xenon
- automatic headlight leveling
- headlight washers
- power sunroof
- optitron instrument panel
- auto-dimming rearview mirror
- athermal glass
- power rear sunshade
- high-class 2 DIN audio system (radio, cassette, CD+MP3, equalizer)
- external amplifier
- 8 INFINITY speakers
Test car provided by
CJSC "Karnet-2000" — exclusive importer
of Hyundai cars in the Russian Federation.
