Hyundai Motor's flagship sedan Grandeur returns after about three years with a bigger body and the latest technology. The new Grandeur, which began official sales on the 14th, is a facelift of the seventh-generation Grandeur called "The New Grandeur."
The New Grandeur packs Hyundai Motor's latest technologies, including the next-generation infotainment system Pleos Connect and the second-generation hybrid system TEMDⅡ. The price rose by about 5 million won for the top trim. Attention is on whether the Grandeur, which sold more than 110,000 units two years ago and topped the best-seller list, can regain its former reputation.
Yoon Hyo-jun, head of Hyundai Motor's Korea Business Division, introduced the new Grandeur at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on the 13th and said, "We focused on defining what a premium sedan that customers want should have."
From the exterior, the overall silhouette of the new Grandeur is the same as before, but there are changes in details. The previously split front radiator grille is now connected, and a new mesh pattern has been applied to the grille design. The front headlamps and rear lamps are slimmer. Hyundai Motor explained that moving the turn signals to the top created a sense of unity.
The interior has been completely redesigned. The instrument cluster on the dashboard beyond the driver's steering wheel has been changed to a smaller 9.9-inch "slim display." In the center, a large 17-inch 16:9 display has been installed that can run Pleos Connect (Pleos).
Only essential information such as speed and fuel gauge is displayed on the driver's slim display. Simplified navigation information can be checked via the head-up display, while more detailed navigation and driving information is shown on Pleos.
Overall length is 5,050 mm, up 15 mm from the previous model. It also measures 1,880 mm wide, 1,460 mm tall, and 2,895 mm in wheelbase.
A Hyundai Motor Pleos Connect development official said, "We envisioned this layout from the moment we decided to apply Pleos," adding, "It is to keep the driver focused as much as possible on the road ahead and minimize distraction while driving."
Pleos will be installed across all Hyundai Motor models to be released in the future. The smaller the vehicle segment, the smaller the central display may be, and the driver-side auxiliary display may be omitted.
Through Pleos, passengers can use various functions not only for navigation but also for media and vehicle control. In particular, it comes with Gleo AI, an artificial intelligence based on a large language model (LLM).
It is relatively simple to use. Press the voice recognition button on the steering wheel and give a command. When we actually said "lower the window," it answered, "It is already down," and when we commanded "lower the rear-seat window," the window opened immediately, showing good responsiveness. Hyundai Motor said it is "an assistant that provides functions such as not only vehicle control but also knowledge search."
Another change from the previous model is the addition of powered air vents. Instead of adjusting the vents by hand, they can be controlled through the display. Hyundai Motor also said it added a premium touch by hiding the long, horizontal vents so they are less visible from the outside.
For the new Grandeur, Hyundai Motor chose a glass roof enlarged to about 200 mm by 88 mm instead of the panoramic sunroof with a powered cover. Han Dong-hyuk, head of Hyundai Motor's MLV Project Team 2, said, "We inserted a film between two panes of glass to block sunlight and prevent light transmission." The ability to divide the glass roof into six sections and turn them on and off also seemed like an advantage.
Enhanced driving performance is another feature. With this facelift, Hyundai Motor equipped the Grandeur with the latest hybrid system TEMDⅡ. It combines a 1.6-liter turbo engine with an automatic transmission and two motors.
This system integrates a drive motor responsible for propulsion and regenerative braking with a starter motor that handles starting and power generation. It delivers a maximum output of 239 horsepower and achieves a combined fuel economy of 18 km per liter. It takes 8 seconds to reach 100 kph from a standstill. The gasoline 2.5 trim produces a maximum output of 198 horsepower and a peak torque of 25.3 kgf·m. Combined fuel economy is 11.6 km per liter with 18-inch tires.
In addition, the preview electronic control suspension (ECS), previously available only with 20-inch wheels, has been expanded to 19-inch wheel specifications. ECS senses the road surface and controls body movement to improve ride comfort.
It also includes highway body motion control (HBC). In addition, there is a memory reverse assist function that remembers the driving path in a narrow alley and assists steering to follow that path when reversing. Trunk capacity is 480 liters. It holds four golf bags and two Boston bags.
The new Grandeur launches with four engine lineups: ▲ gasoline 2.5 ▲ gasoline 3.5 ▲ LPG 3.5 ▲ gasoline 1.6 turbo hybrid.
The starting price of the gasoline 2.5 (with a 3.5% special consumption tax applied) rose from 37.98 million won (previous model) to 41.85 million won. The gasoline 3.5 also increased from 40.45 million won to 44.32 million won, and the LPG 3.5 from 38.65 million won to 43.31 million won. The top trim Calligraphy climbed by about 5 million won, from 47.10 million won to 52.36 million won.
The hybrid model of the new Grandeur starts at 48.64 million won. Because the eco-friendly vehicle notification has not yet been issued, the price reflecting tax benefits has not been disclosed. The starting price of the previous hybrid model with tax benefits applied was 43.54 million won.