The sketches suggest the new Azera looks markedly more upscale than the model currently sitting in showrooms. It falls in line with Hyundai’s new design language thanks to features like a sculpted hood, sharp headlights, and the cascading grille that made its debut a few weeks ago on the i30 hatchback. Styling cues like the belt-line creases are carried over from the current model.
The upscale treatment continues out back with a gently sloping roof and LED tail lamps connected by a light bar. The Azera appears to be quite a looker, but remember that cars often look much better in teaser sketches than they do in the metal. The cabin should borrow a page from the Genesis playbook and follow the rest of the car’s upmarket shift, though we will have to wait to find out what it looks like because photos have not been published yet.
The entry-level Azera is widely expected to ride the downsizing wave that is sweeping across the auto industry and offer a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Buyers hungry for displacement will have access to a tweaked version of the direct-injected 3.3-liter V6 engine that powers the current model. Front-wheel drive and an automatic transmission will come standard regardless of how many cylinders are under the hood.
The South Korean-spec version of the new Hyundai Azera will make its official debut in the coming weeks. Hyundai could introduce the U.S.-spec model in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but the company has a history of launching new products in its home market months before we see them on our shores.
