The Equualizer: We drive the 2011 Hyundai Equus luxury sedan

Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik is by all indications a brilliant car executive. His company is on a ramp-straight rise up through the car market in the United States, and he is poised to shepherd it into luxury-sedan territory next year with the impressively equipped Equus four-door we were driving.

But Krafcik is not quite as good at timing and scoring.

“OK, ready? Wait . . . three, two, one, GO!” he bleated, fingers operating the wristwatch that would give us what had to be the most unscientific 0-60 time ever recorded.

In fairness, it was our idea to get a 0-60 time using these crude means, and Krafcik was just playing along to humor us. But he was doing a humorous job.

We floored it; the car leaned into the race and pushed us back into our seats.

“Forty, 50, 60!” we yelled.

“What? Sixty? That was only four seconds,” Krafcik said, refusing to believe even his own good PR.

“Oh, wait, those are kilometers, aren't they” we said.

So we did the countdown again and . . . nothing happened. The boy wonder Krafcik looked up.

“Pedestrian,” we said, pointing out the jaywalker who had appeared from the shadows to wander across our path.

Krafcik looked pleased that we had not used one of the few Korean-spec Hyundai Equuses in the country to commit what surely would have been an act recorded in the local papers, maybe even in Automotive News. Heck, it would have made Jalopnik.

The next launch was with the Vehicle Stability Management System still on, so it didn't count, either. The one after that, though, was stellar, us calling out the 100 km/h point precisely and Krafcik raising his Korean wristwatch in victory.

“Six point five!” the prez said, holding the watch aloft for proof, as if we had any idea at what point on the sweep second hand he had begun counting. (Korean sales literature lists 0-100 km/hr at 6.4 seconds).

You won't have this much fun with Fritz Henderson.

Six-point-five (or maybe 7.5, or so) is in the confines of the class, the class being the BMW 7-series, the Mercedes S-class and the Lexus LS 460. Yes, those are heavy hitters to go up against. But Hyundai doesn't really have to equal those iconic cruisers to succeed.

While the feature-laden, technology saturated Korean-made luxury sedan will still get some tuning and packaging tweaks to fit it specifically to U.S. buyers, the car we piloted around Orange County, Calif., was in the same class as its competitors, particularly the Lexus LS 460.

The Lexus sits nearer the entry end of the big luxury-sedan class, starting at a mere $64,000 or so sticker price. Hyundai plans to insert its Equus under that price and somewhere north of its new $33,000 Genesis sedan. That means it has 30 grand to maneuver.

Can the Equus approach the best in class? After a short drive, we'd say, sure.

We would change a few of the things on the car that appeal to the Korean businessman that might not fly so well in the U.S. market. To eliminate any hint of floatiness, the suspension needs better shocks, stiffer rebound and even a little more stiffness in the jounce, especially in the comfort setting. We'd make the throttle response more linear. And we'd lose the headless moth hood ornament, or at least make it a dealer-installed option.

But otherwise, the car is close to U.S.-market demands.

On most roads at moderate speeds, the air-bag rear and air-shock front carried the car along like a sky hook. Acceleration from the 368-hp, 4.6-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 with CVVT was smooth and sure across the tach, whether at full throttle or partial. The six-speed automatic rolled up through the gears without a hint of shift shock, all smooth and even. Roll was well-controlled in our moderate suburban cornering. The electro-hydraulic power steering had the right amount of luxury-sedan isolation for the class. Balance for the 4,411-pound car is 52 percent front, 48 rear, which sounds promising if an owner should ever really push the car through corners.

But inside was where the Equus really showed its luxury-car cachet.

It has not been decided which of these features will be on U.S. cars, but Korean Equui get push-button start, an electronic parking brake, radar parking assist, a lane-departure warning system, radar cruise control, a 17-speaker Lexicon sound system with 7.1 channels, a parking guide system, a motorized power-door system and a headliner made from “top-quality, super-fine suede.”

In addition to all that, there is an extensive set of features meant to pamper the rear-seat passengers. In Korea, almost everyone--from middle management on up--wants to feel like a big wheel, so almost everyone has a chauffeur. Hence, the Equus back seat offers power-reclining heated and cooled seats with remote-controlled air massage, wing-out headrests, a flip-up wood table and a switch that allows you to move the front passenger seat up and fold it down just to show that guy up front who's in charge.

It's a nice setup. Krafcik thinks that in this country, it might appeal to families with teenagers, or empty-nesters looking to impress their friends. We'll see how HMA equips U.S. models.

But wait, you say, the Volkswagen Phaeton was all that, and when it arrived on the market, it just sat there. Car magazines loved it (and still do), but buyers stayed away. While the Phaeton was a truly great luxury sedan that performed every bit as well as its competitors, it suffered from a high sticker price and an overly large “VW” badge on the trunk. People wanted a “VW” to cost a lot less than the Phaeton's 60-something starting price. And buyers in this segment may not all be shallow enough to want to impress the neighbors with an established luxury badge, but enough of them are that badging matters.

The Korean-spec Equus we drove, just like a first-generation Equus we drove 10 years ago, had no brand badging on the outside. It just said “Equus” on the deck lid. Note to product planners: Leave the name “Hyundai” off the outside. And do away with the androgynous winged item on the hood. Once people get into this car, in the second half of 2010, they'll like it.

2011 Hyundai Equus

On sale: Second half of 2010

Base price: Less than $64,000, more than $33,000; likely in two models

Drivetrain: 4.6-liter, 368-hp, 333-lb-ft V8; RWD, six-speed automatic

Curb weight: 4,411 lb

0-60 mph: 6.5/6.4 sec (Krafcik-Vaughn method/mfr)

Fuel economy: 21.4 mpg (mfr)

By Mark Vaughn