Hyundai Grandeur 2005 Review

The rear end looked odd, the interior appeared cramped and the styling, well, it was interesting to say the least.

But the opportunity to test the car on a road proved that first impressions are not always the best.

From the side the Granduer looks almost like the BMW 6 Series with a fast-back style rear end that, at first glance, appears unfinished. The front is rather unassuming, if not a little bland compared to the particularly bold rear end with slightly less pronounced front guards and smallish grille.

Inside the Grandeur is very comfortable and, quite stylish.

The wood grain is minimal, almost understated, which is a refreshing change to some of the lesser-priced luxury cars which over-use wood grain and end up looking cheap and nasty.

The centre console area is finished in a silver (almost dappled chrome-like) finish which is actually funky.

The test drive involved accelerating up and down a huge concrete strip. The suspension and handling was tested through a slalom course.

There was an opportunity to test both the domestic and European suspension packages. Australia, thank goodness, was not getting the softer, almost pillowy, domestic setting. The European setting was noticeably firmer, and the car handled better around the slalom with a lot less kickback through the steering when cornering hard.

The brake pedal is a little spongy but does the job when pushed hard at speed while the new Lambda engine gives a throaty note not previously experienced in most Hyundais. In automatic the gear changes are smooth. Using the manual shifter, the gear is not held at redline but the box does allow it to reach the 6500rpm before automatically changing for the driver. It appears to be a good package, but final judgment will be made with a longer test on some Aussie roads.