Quick!  Let’s play first impressions!  What do you think of when I say Hyundai?

If you said economical and compact, then you would say what most people say.  However, if you said full-size premium luxury sedan, you would be in a minority of a few very knowledgeable people.  Welcome to the 2012 Hyundai Equus, the powerful and very dependable full-size luxury sedan that will have you changing your opinion about Hyundai vehicles.

Do you still have doubts?  Then let me tell you that the main competition to the Equus comes from the BMW-5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lexus LS, BMW 7-Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.  Now let’s be honest, those are some heavyweights we are talking about, and yet the Equus is serious competition for them and costs less.

The 2012 Equus comes in with a more powerful engine, a 5.0-liter V8 that is capable of 429 horsepower.  It is teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, and it has an EPA rating of 15/23 and 18 mpg combined.  In testing it went from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, average for this class of car.

Safety is assured with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, and active head restraints, and it comes to a stop from 60-0 in 131 feet, just a bit longer than average.  It also received the highest rating from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety.

Standard features include cruise control, a 17-speaker audio system, 19-inch wheels, a lane-departure warning system, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, foglights, and a rearview camera to name a few.

Against the competition it comes up a bit short in terms of interior quality, and the exterior is a bit boring and bland, but what you do get is excellent craftsmanship, a very comfortable ride, and a wonderful price that will have you thinking twice before committing to one of the big luxury top dogs.

Even before Hyundai came out with the Equus, we considered it one of the up-and-coming car manufacturers because of their insistence on crafting a fine car, and a wonderful warranty that outshined anything else on the market.  Now that the Equus is out and improved, our view of Hyundai has only improved.

For all Hyundai replacement parts, turn to All Import Auto Parts, your Fort Worth salvage yard where customer satisfaction is our legacy and our promise.  No matter what your needs may be, you can count on All Import to take care of you quickly and professionally.