- The seventh-generation Grandeur is getting a mid-cycle update.
- Aside from revised styling, it switches to Hyundai’s Pleos infotainment with a 17-inch touchscreen.
- The Hyundai Grandeur turns 40 this year.
Having been around since 1986, Grandeur is one of the oldest nameplates in Hyundai’s portfolio. Nevertheless, it’s one of the company’s lesser-known products, partly because it’s sold only in certain markets. While the first two generations were essentially Mitsubishi Debonairs with a different badge, the others were all-Hyundai efforts. Launched in 2022, the seventh-generation model is now getting a mid-cycle update.
Positioned above the Sonata in Hyundai’s lineup, the Grandeur takes the futuristic look even further with thinner, bezel-less main headlights positioned below a separate horizontal LED bar for the daytime running lights. Hyundai claims to have extended the hood to achieve a “shark nose” effect that BMW would likely beg to disagree with.
At 198.8 inches (5050 millimeters), the new Grandeur is slightly longer than before and comes with a redesigned front bumper featuring a mesh pattern. At the back, the taillight bar is even slimmer now. Rounding off the exterior changes is a fresh Artistic Burgundy body color that combines pearl and matte surfaces.
Photo by: Hyundai
While the exterior is more of an evolution, the cabin has undergone a revolution, switching to Hyundai’s new Pleos infotainment system with a 17-inch touchscreen. It runs on the Android Automotive Operating System and has a larger display than Europe’s new Ioniq 3, with which it shares the infotainment technology.
The old model featured a separate lower touchscreen (or buttons on lower-spec trim levels) for the climate controls, but not anymore. While the driver still has their own instrument cluster, it is now much smaller and sits higher on the dashboard, directly in the driver’s line of sight. The burgundy exterior theme continues inside, covering most surfaces.
Although some physical controls remain, the 2027 Grandeur features electric air vents controllable only from the touchscreen. Elsewhere, the stately sedan is Hyundai’s first production model to let those inside switch the panoramic roof from opaque to transparent. The facelift also brings upgraded ambient lighting and a sofa-like pattern for the door cards to match the seat upholstery.
Since it sits at the top of the lineup, Hyundai doesn’t skimp on materials. The new Grandeur combines metal accents with real wood trim, along with quilting patterns and knot piping throughout the cabin. It remains the company’s most luxurious sedan, tailored for those who don’t want to step up to a similarly sized Genesis G80.
Kia hasn’t given up on large sedans either. Although the biggest one in the United States is the K5, a handful of markets get the K8 and the even larger K9. It goes to show that large sedans remain relevant for Korean brands in an automotive world increasingly dominated by crossovers and SUVs.
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Source: Hyundai
Motor1’s Take: The Grandeur is an interesting offering, considering Hyundai also sells the Genesis G80 and G90 for those who want a large luxury sedan that doesn’t come from Germany. While full technical specifications have yet to be released, the pre-facelift model did offer something for everyone, including four- and six-cylinder engines, a hybrid powertrain, and even a V6 compatible with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The pre-facelift Grandeur offered a lot of bang for the buck, as prices in South Korea started at 37,980,000 won, which works out to a reasonable $25,700 at current exchange rates.
Attached below are photos of the 2023 Grandeur.
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