Is North America Ready for a $55,000 Hyundai?

[Rex]

It will be in dealerships this month. Personally, I have been impressed with what they have been offering the past couple of years, but this is a little too much. Of course, it's out of my price range anyway, but I know some of you could afford a car like this. The question is, would you?

Hyundai Equus Review.

Discuss.

[orbitz]

Never. A car for me is simply a way to get from point A to point B. I currently drive a Honda Civic. My next car will be a Honda Fit. Yeah, I'm kind of cheap , but I honestly don't get the thrill of owning an expensive car.

[deltask8er]

CBS Sunday Morning had a report on Hyundai's success this year.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6253092n

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n6252476.shtml

Krafcik gave Teichner a sneak peek at the Equus. "This is our new flagship," he said.

The super-luxurious Equus, due out sometime this fall, is intended to be the next chapter in Hyundai's success story.

"This will go against BMW, Lexus, cars that typically cost $60,000-100,000."

"Yours will not cost that much?

"We stand for something different," Krafcik said.

[attyfan]

Never. A car for me is simply a way to get from point A to point B. I currently drive a Honda Civic. My next car will be a Honda Fit. Yeah, I'm kind of cheap , but I honestly don't get the thrill of owning an expensive car.

ITA! There are just so many other things that I would rather spend my money on. My husband drives a Toyota Prius; I drive the 1999 Avalon that I inherited from my mother.

[Anita18]

Never. A car for me is simply a way to get from point A to point B. I currently drive a Honda Civic. My next car will be a Honda Fit. Yeah, I'm kind of cheap , but I honestly don't get the thrill of owning an expensive car.

Fits are usually less expensive than Civics, but everyone I know who has a Fit said I made the better choice going with the Civic instead. (And I think Fits are really cute! So many cupholders! ) I think the driving experience is better with a Civic. In the end it didn't matter to me since I got a great deal with my Civic and it ended up about the same price as a Fit.

[KikiSashaFan]

Every person I know who has or had a Hyundai has nothing but bad things to say, so I've always been a little nervous about them.

I'm with the majority about function/cost. I drive a Toyota Echo that I got for my HS graduation and I love it. Great gas mileage, reliable, cute and it does the job. It's now 6 years old with 130k kms on it and I plan on driving it for a good long time. We recently bought a Chevy Silverado, but when we're not using it for a purpose, the Echo is all we use.

[silverstars]

People generally buy Mercedes, BMWs, and the like because they're status symbols--they're pretty, fast, and everyone knows their big pricetag. Hyundai just doesn't say anything that people will want to put down $55,000 for.

I personally love my Civic, but if I had $55,000 to blow on a car, it wouldn't be a Hyundai.

[Rex]

No one expected the Genesis to be successful, but it is, but I too am a little over a 50K+ Hyundai.

[cygnus]

Every person I know who has or had a Hyundai has nothing but bad things to say, so I've always been a little nervous about them.

I'm with the majority about function/cost. I drive a Toyota Echo that I got for my HS graduation and I love it. Great gas mileage, reliable, cute and it does the job. It's now 6 years old with 130k kms on it and I plan on driving it for a good long time. We recently bought a Chevy Silverado, but when we're not using it for a purpose, the Echo is all we use.

We've had 3 Hyundais in a row, (Elantra, Elantra wagon and now Sonata) and no problems at all. They are very good value for the money. And we get good service at the dealership.

But I wouldn't spend 55k on ANY car

[my little pony]

I'm more intrigued with the decision to name the car after a play about a guy who wants to bang horses.

[myhoneyhoney]

Heck no! I'm like Orbitz, a car is something you jump in to get from a to b. I want it to be comfortable and reliable but higher price doesn't always mean that. Then again, my hubby and I believe in paying for our cars in cash, absolutely no financing, so that price tag is out of our price range, that's for sure!

[michiruwater]

I'm more intrigued with the decision to name the car after a play about a guy who wants to bang horses.

I am so glad I am not the only person who thought this first.

[IceAlisa]

I'm more intrigued with the decision to name the car after a play about a guy who wants to bang horses.

I am so glad I am not the only person who thought this first.

Me three.

[Rex]

Me three.

Hyundai, always horsing around.
Whoever names their cars can't be very stable. da-BING!

[NeilJLeonard]

Had a Hyundai once. Loved the design, but it was junk at 50K miles. I've heard the newer models are much, much better but I'd hesitate to buy one. As for buying a $55K Hyundai? Never. A Bimmer 1 Class or 3 Class or a Cadillac CTS would be more desirable in that price range.

NJL (..and, since I consider a car to be more than a transportation module, a much less expensive Mini Cooper S or a Fiat 500 Abarth would be even better......)

[love skating]

We have three Hyundais - Sonata, Entourage (minivan which I believe they don't make any more) and a Genesis. We love them all and really haven't had a problem with them.

[Rex]

I lurve the new Sonata - it's totally gorgeous, even if it doesn't have a V-6. The Azera and Genesis are handsome, if unoriginal-looking. Ditto their Sante Fe and Veracruz. The Elantra and Tuscon are fug, however. The Equus looks expensive, but kind of dated.

[Andora]

Come on now, the new Elantras aren't so bad. The colours suck, though. I have a dark grey one because it was the only shade that wasn't somehow too bright or lacklustre. And it hides dust well.

I paid well under $20,000 after fees and taxes for my 2010 Elantra, and wonder if I over-paid sometimes. I can't imagine paying $55,000 for a car that didn't come with some big, big perks, like the self-parking Lexus or some seriously tricked out entertainment system on board. But I'm new to car ownership, so I'm the wrong one to ask.

[Rex]

Come on now, the new Elantras aren't so bad. The colours suck, though. I have a dark grey one because it was the only shade that wasn't somehow too bright or lacklustre. And it hides dust well.

I paid well under $20,000 after fees and taxes for my 2010 Elantra, and wonder if I over-paid sometimes. I can't imagine paying $55,000 for a car that didn't come with some big, big perks, like the self-parking Lexus or some seriously (and useless) tricked out entertainment system on board. But I'm new to car ownership, so I'm the wrong one to ask.

The interior color choices, as with most cars, seem limited to black, grey and beige.

I think the article says that Equus has most of those big, big perks.

[IceAlisa]

I think the article says that Equus has most of those big, big perks.

Images from Equus the play flash through my (perverted) mind.