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Mar 03, 2025

Hyundai's Forgotten Premium Sedan Is A Bargain In 2025

When people think of Hyundai, they rarely think of luxury. While the brand has been able to increase its reputation in recent years, it's still mainly known for nice, affordable, entry-level products

When people think of Hyundai, they rarely think of luxury. While the brand has been able to increase its reputation in recent years, it's still mainly known for nice, affordable, entry-level products more than anything else. Sure, there was that brief time when it offered a Genesis with a Hyundai logo, and the even more obscure Equus before that, but those feel like blips on the radar more than a genuine culture shift.

However, if you can believe it, there was actually another model that offered a refined, premium ride, ample space, and luxury features that flew under the radar: the Hyundai Azera. Remember this car? It's okay; no need to lie, we know you don't. Aimed to compete against models like the Toyota Avalon and Buick LaCrosse (also two models that have kicked the bucket), it never achieved the same recognition, but we think it deserves a second look due to its great feature set and extremely affordable used prices.

This article evaluates the Hyundai Azera, taking a look at its features, depreciation, and value in 2025.

Before Hyundai launched Genesis as a separate luxury brand, the Azera was the company’s first real attempt at competing with premium sedans. Introduced to the US in 2006, it replaced the XG350 (another car you forgot about), but technically, it was just the XG350's successor, just with a different name. While that model was solid, the generation we want to look at for our purposes is the generation that followed: Technically, the fifth-generation Hyundai Grandeur sold abroad and the second-generation Hyundai Azera here in the States.

The interior is a brilliant blend of old and new.

This generation arrived in 2012 with significant styling changes compared to the previous model, particularly in the looks department, because the model now sported the brand's "Fluidic Sculpture" design language and a more potent version of the brand's Lambda V6 that sent 293 horsepower to the front wheels all while returning 23 mpg combined.

It was meant to be a bridge between the brand's more mainstream models and the true luxury offerings it had, but still, others gravitated to more established offerings before it bowed out in 2017. This means there's five years' worth of underappreciated Azera stock floating out there in the market, and its feature set makes it a heck of a bargain, with pricing for a model with well under 100,000 miles on the odometer hovering around $12,000 (but more on that later).

While we wouldn't call the Azera a luxury vehicle, it sits firmly in the premium segment, offering features and performance that were impressive for the time. One of its biggest strengths was its smooth and powerful V6 engine. As we mentioned, the powerplant produced 293 horsepower, but it backed that up with 255 lb-ft of torque, a six-speed transmission, and FWD.

The Palisade offers feature you won't find on pricier luxury SUVs.

The model wasn't blisteringly quick but it could get you to 60 mph in around the mid-6 seconds, and it would cruise quite comfortably at highway speeds with enough power left for passing. Reviewers noted it had effortless power and it returned an impressive 19 city/ 29 highway / 23 combined mpg despite that grunt. The engine gave the car an effortless feel, perfect for its comfortable, premium focus exemplified by its interior.

A leather interior came standard, with a 10-way power driver and eight-way front passenger’s seat with driver memory function. Also, standard were heated front and rear seats, Bluetooth audio, dual automatic climate control, second-row air vents, and a cooled glove box. The car even came standard with a 6-inch screen with navigation and a back-up camera and the best front legroom and headroom in its class, with later models adding blind-spot monitoring.

Historically, Hyundai and Kia haven't always kept their eyes on their own paper.

If you opted for the Limited model, it came with extra goodies like larger wheels, a 14-speaker sound system, an electroluminescent gauge cluster with color LCD trip computer, a larger screen, and power-folding side mirrors, plus an optional Premium package that added window shades, a sunroof, different wheels, and parking sensors.

If this sounds like a lot and that's because it is, and it's nearly everything most people need in today's day and age. Sure, the screen and infotainment system aren't going to have the functionality and snappy reflexes of a brand-new car, but for the price, it's crazy hard to beat.

When the Azera was on sale, the model started at around $32,000 with the top Limited trim starting at around $35,000. Both received a bit of a discount halfway through their lives, but neither was particularly expensive, and many reviewers noted that the vehicle was honestly a great deal compared to the other options on the market. However, if the Azera was a good deal when new, it’s an absolute steal today, as you can see below:

Year

Mileage

Price

Location

Sale Platform

2015

78,849 mi

$10,977

Bethlehem, PA

Cars.com

2017

70,776 mi

$10,995

Mooresville, IN

Cars.com

2013

70,439 mi

$10,500

Quakertown, PA

Cars.com

2012

63,827 mi

$10,944

Sturtevant, WI

Cars.com

2013

61,482 mi

$11,990

St. Island, NY

Cars.com

2016

65,956 mi

$16,998

Jersey City, NJ

Cars.com

2016

59,033 mi

$13,724

Mason, OH

TrueCar

2012

52,318 mi

$9,955

Uniontown, PA

AutoByTel

2014

50,900 mi

$16,998

Norwood, MA

TrueCar

2014

42,605 mi

$12,499

West Chester, OH

Cars.com

*Models compiled by AutoTempest.com

The Azera is cheap, really cheap, honestly. You can grab a car with fewer than 100,000 miles on the odometer for a little over $10,000, and even the best examples don't even crack $18,000. If you're willing to go for higher mileage, you can even find many that cost around $6,000. Just make sure routine maintenance has been done and double-check the health of the engine, particularly looking for excess oil consumption, but it's known for being pretty reliable and isn't a part of the infamous mass recall of the brand's engines.

For comparison, a used Toyota Avalon from the same era costs at least $5,000 more on average, and while many are willing to pay that given Toyota's famed quality, that doesn't make sense for everyone. What's even more surprising is that even a Hyundai Sonata or Honda Accord from the same years often sells for the same price as a well-equipped Azera. Again, people just don't know about these cars, and that's something you can use to your advantage.

Look, the Azera may not have the name recognition or prestige as the other vehicles in its class at the time, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this quality product cheaply in 2025.

For the price, this could be one of the best used sports car bargains out there.

It's a refined sedan that will easily accommodate your changing lifestyle because it offers extra room that will make road trips or taking extra passengers a breeze. In a time when used car prices have skyrocketed for many models, the Azera remains one of the few genuine bargains still out there and should be on your shortlist of options if you're considering a used sedan in 2025.

Sources: Hyundai, AutoWeek, AutoTempest

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

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I had an Azera and was absolutely blown away with its quality and durability. I ended up getting over 200,000 miles on it with no major parts being replaced other than the front axle. If you can find an Azera with low mileage it will be the deal you will ever get when it comes to buying cars.

They didn't sell very well alot were in rental fleets. The Genesis are probably a little better bet. They were also in alot of rental fleets but also sold better. The xg350 are kinda rare but sell for nothing.

Worked at Hyundai during this time period. these were great cars introduced into a shrinking segment. Sold great to retirees, ie my parents. The touch screen is a pain point for failure, and that makes changing things nearly impossible. Finding parts is a challenge!

Maybe the best used deal on the market right now is this millionaire's car for a working person's budget.

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