Hyundai Azera – Brian Chee’s Opinion of the Design:
Bah – the Hyundai Azera is more boring than a Camry. Some may call it polished or professional, and perhaps it is, but the Azera seems so carefully designed that much of the thrill is ironed out of the sheetmetal, so as not to upset anyone’s carefully-coiffed sensibilities. This sedan is, after all, designed to take sales away from the Toyota Avalon, so it will take few chances when it comes to the design. Inside, the interior is very well executed, with the use of quality materials throughout. Climate, audio and secondary controls are nicely finished and exactly where you would expect them – within easy reach of the driver, and the trim inside the cabin created a nice, upscale feel.

Hyundai Azera – Ron Perry’s Opinion of the Design:
The Hyundai Azera’s exterior design convincingly projects the image of an upscale sedan. With styling cues borrowed from the BMW 7 Series at the rear, a re-worked version of the Bangle rear deck lives on under the Hyundai nameplate. Handsome taillights and chrome trim lend to the upscale design, as do painted, chrome-trimmed door handles. Up front, a chrome-trimmed grille and bumperettes finish out the look.

Inside is where the Azera really shines. Open any door and you are greeted with nice textured metal sill plates engraved with the Azera name, a nice touch that accentuates the car’s upscale look and feel. Door panels and seats are trimmed with soft leather, while faux wood and textured metal are used as accents throughout the interior. The luminescent gauge cluster looks like something right out of a Lexus LS and works well with the rich feel of the interior. The biggest flaw, though they’re still functional, is the tired looking climate and radio controls. Something more up-to-date with a modern flair would have really set off the Azera’s interior design.

Hyundai Azera – Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion of the Design:
Inside and out, the Hyundai Azera blends elements of several different kinds of cars into a handsome if derivative whole that convincingly fakes luxury. Up front, the shapes and proportions say Lexus ES, but with headlight clusters that look like a Mazda 6. The multi-spoke wheels remind me of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and the flared rear haunches recall a classic Buick design cue. At the rear, there’s a bustle like a BMW 7 Series, and a steeply raked rear window that unfortunately gives the Azera the look of a five-door hatchback. The wide taillights remind me of the 2003-05 Honda Accord.

Inside, the target is clearly Lexus. The Azera features a clean design, tasteful décor, and a simple control layout with everything logically located. I think that Hyundai wasted space below the climate controls, where there’s a small covered cubby that could have been much larger like what you find in a Honda Accord. The asymmetrical gauge cluster is also a bit off-putting, and I was a little frustrated by the fact that I couldn’t cycle through the radio station pre-sets using the satellite radio controls on the steering wheel. Otherwise, the Hyundai Azera is a simple but luxurious, upscale and appealing sedan.