The Hyundai Equus is a very interesting car. It is easily as luxurious as the big Mercedes-Benz S500 and Lexus LS460-L, yet it costs thousands less and offers something neither rival can match – low-key luxury that is nearly anonymous. In today’s economy, invisible luxury is very appealing to some owners, and the Equus delivers abundant luxury without the baggage of a luxury “brand.”
This category of car is known as the “personal limousine.” Since stretch limousines these days are for proms and bachelorette parties, large luxury sedans like this are the preferred luxury transportation for executives and affluent households.
Equus features Hyundai’s most powerful engine ever, the 429-hp direct-injected 5.0-liter Tau V8 engine, and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Equus offers first-rate ride and handling characteristics, thanks to its electronically-controlled air suspension that gracefully tackles the wide variety of road surfaces drivers face every day.
As expected for a car of this caliber, the Equus is technically advance and it contains every cutting edge automotive gizmo. But the real treat is inside the car – where every occupant is surrounded in pure luxury and top-quality materials. It’s an easy car to feel right at home in – for the busy executive as well as the couple heading out on the town. The leather upholstery, Microfiber suede headliner, natural wood trim and leather-wrapped French-stitched instrument panel showcase the richness of the Equus interior.
The seats are fully adjustable with plenty of width and support. Thermoelectric devices located in the seat backs and bottom cushions provide control for heating, cooling and humidity. There is ample leg and head room for drivers more than six-feet tall and a massaging driver seat. In fact, Equus has more leg, head and shoulder room in the front and rear seats than the Lexus LS460.
Equus is offered in two configurations, Equus Signature and Equus Ultimate (tested), both are lavishly contented. Equus Signature features the 5.0-liter Tau V8 engine, a 608-watt Lexicon audio system with 17 speakers, electronically controlled air suspension with continuous damping control, Vehicle Stability Management with pre-collision warning, Smart Cruise Control, HID headlamps, front and rear parking assistance system with rearview camera, premium leather seating, Microfiber suede headliner, driver seat massage, heated and cooled front seats, wood and heated leather steering wheel, and numerous other premium technologies and features.
The Equus Ultimate adds features typically found only in low-volume special-order luxury sedans with six-figure price tags, including a forward-view parking and cornering camera, power trunk lid, reclining rear seats with powered headrests, cooled rear seats, passenger side rear seat massage and leg support, rear seat refrigerator and a rear seat entertainment system.
Equus Ultimate takes the luxury foundation of the Equus Signature and enhances it with a package of high-end amenities in this price class. In the rear, the power-adjustable right-side seat provides the passenger with a generous 84 degrees of leg support, with the capability to move the front passenger seat forward and out of the way for full leg extension.
The best seats in the house are in the back of the Equus Ultimate, further upgraded by an eight-inch LCD screen, which plays DVDs for rear-seat passengers, as well as demonstrate audio features and report on HVAC status. The monitor can be controlled from the rear console, which also houses the remote control seat massage function. These controls activate the heated and cooled rear seats and the rear console refrigerator.
Pound-for-pound, the Hyundai Equus is a difficult package to beat. Pricing starts at $59,250 Rivals are the Mercedes-Benz S550 and Lexus LS460L. For more information, see your local Hyundai dealer or visit HyundaiUSA.com
