HYUNDAI GRANDEURTiming chain or Belt?

The Hyundai Azera / Grandeur is a high-end car (E-segment in Europe) manufactured by the South Korean marque Hyundai Motor Company. It has a total of 7 generations to date.

The first Hyundai Grandeur dates back to 1986, being at that time a rebadged version of the Mitsubishi Debonair. It was equipped with the same engines as the first generation Hyundai Sonata. The second generation, known as ‘New Grandeur‘, continued the same path, although Mitsubishi had poor sales and ended up withdrawing its version from some markets prematurely.

The third generation Grandeur / Azera was launched in 1998. This model was indeed entirely designed by the Korean brand. In 2005, the fourth generation shared a platform with the Sonata. The brand bet heavily on this vehicle, introducing it in virtually all international markets. In addition to its wide range of gasoline engines, this car also had a diesel engine.

The fifth generation Azera debuted both engines and visual lineup. It was one of the most expensive developments in Hyundai’s history. From 2013, hybrid versions of this model began to be sold.

The sixth generation of the Grandeur / Azera was introduced in 2016. The original model used the Y6 platform. However, the facelift used the N platform. Although both models belong to the same generation, they look like totally different vehicles. However, the shift made a lot of sense: now that Hyundai had bet on its premium brand, Genesis, the brand preferred to bet on this car in markets like the United States instead of betting on the Sonata. The strategy worked out well, as the Grandeur did very well in sales thanks to its avant-garde design.

The seventh and current generation of the Azera / Grandeur was introduced in 2022. It uses the Hyundai-Kia N3 platform. Once again, it increased in size. It is also marketed in hybrid engine versions.

Some of Hyundai Azera’s competitors are the Ford Taurus, Dodge Charger, Chevrolet Impala, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon and Chrysler 300.