Refreshed Hyundai Equus, New Assurance Program Debut

Hyundai uncovers the refreshed ’14 Equus large luxury sedan this afternoon at the 2013 New York International Auto Show.

The Equus, which debuted in the U.S. in summer 2010, receives a revised front-bumper fascia and grille, the latter now with thinner chrome bars; changed side-mirror and taillight graphics; and light-emitting-diode fog lamps as standard.

Also featured are a revised steering-wheel-control layout; new ivory leather interior; ultra-premium genuine wood trim; and redone rear center-console controls.

The car’s instrument panel and front-center console is totally new, Hyundai says, with “more premium materials and an ergonomically correct layout.” The Equus IP is leather-wrapped and French-stitched, with the headliner crafted of microfiber suede.

The car’s interior buttons have new icons to ease function recognition, and liquid-crystal-display screens are both bigger and more legible in all grades, Hyundai promises.

Convenience features added to the ’14 Equus include the capability for Ultimate-grade models’ doors to close automatically after approaching full closure manually, and a full 0-mph stop-and-start function new to the car’s cruise-control system.

Mechanical changes include the Equus’ dampers, which are retuned for better body control in Sport mode, and enhanced ride comfort in Normal suspension mode. A new Snow mode is added for the ’14 Equus, and front bushings are revised, as well.

Blindspot detection is added and standard for ’14, with alerts shown in either front-exterior mirror, while Ultimate-grade models receive a heads-up display with speed and turn-by-turn navigation information shown in a “high-visibility” format.

The Equus’ Tau 5.0L V-8, winner of a Ward’s 10 Best Engines award, carries over unchanged for ’14, making 429 hp and 376 lb.-ft. (510 Nm) of torque. The mill remains mated to Hyundai’s 8-speed automatic transmission, not the 10-speed AT Hyundai has coming and rumored to be targeted for the car.

Also continuing unchanged is Hyundai’s ownership program for the Equus: “Your Time, Your Place” vehicle demos and “At Your Service,” in which Hyundai dealers pick up and deliver the Equus to a location of the owner’s choosing when maintenance is needed.

As part of its refresh, the Equus now has the auto maker’s Blue Link telematics system, and Hyundai’s new 3-year complimentary Assurance Connected Care service, the latter also announced today in New York and effective May 16 on all new Hyundai models sold with Blue Link.

Free for three years, and transferable to a subsequent owner, Assurance Connected Care includes automatic collision notification and emergency assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and a monthly vehicle health report and recall notifications.

The Assurance name is derived from Hyundai’s popular program introduced in the U.S. during the economic downturn in 2009, which allowed a Hyundai vehicle owner to turn in his car, with stipulations, if he lost his job.

Equus sales rose 24.4% in the U.S. last year, to 3,972 units, WardsAuto data shows.

Hyundai U.S. CEO John Krafcik recently told WardsAuto the auto maker is keeping the Equus’ U.S. sales target at roughly 4,000 annually.

[email protected]