HYUNDAI EQUUS | STARTING PRICE: $61,000

Equus is the halo car of the Hyundai brand. Indeed, it is a full size luxury sedan designed to challenge the elite of the world. In essence it’s a modern day attempt at doing what Toyota did when it introduced the Lexus LS to the world in 1989. It’s a daring plan that just might succeed.

Not all luxury car buyers are the same. For some, luxury cars are a corporate perk or a business expense where the driver is shielded from the expense of the vehicle. There are also luxury car buyers who care deeply about cost. This is the group that the Equus will appeal to. Why? Because they can get a vehicle that competes very well with the world’s best at a fraction of the price.

The Equus is a full size sedan powered by a 5.0 liter V8 engine and rear wheel drive. Dimensionally, it’s nearly identical to the Lexus LS and the Mercedes S class. It’s sleek, substantial, elegant and has presence.

The interior is outstanding. It’s spacious, well designed and sumptuous. It’s also a placid place where the din of the outside world has been suitably filtered out. My test model, the Ultimate, had luxury items like power rear seat side window sun shades, power up/down head rests on all seats and even rear heated and cooled seats! There is also a 360 degree camera system, dual rear entertainment displays, a 17 speaker 7.1 surround sound audio system and even haptic dial controls on the steering wheel. The oversized trunk has a power opening and closing lid and the car’s doors will automatically cinch themselves shut. No door slamming required.

The 5.0 liter V8 that powers the Equus is a totally modern direct injection device that produces 429 horsepower. Routed through its 8 speed automatic transmission, it will propel the 4,600 pound sedan to 60 miles an hour in a very swift 5.5 seconds. The driving dynamics and road holding ability of the vehicle are also surprisingly good. The car has a three mode air suspension system which allows an outstanding balance of ride, control and handling. The Equus is both a superb long range cruiser and surprisingly maneuverable road car. My test vehicle posted a real-world 18 mpg average fuel economy matching the EPA estimate.

It seems like Hyundai put nearly every luxury feature known to man in the Equus which makes the price even more compelling. Whereas Lexus, BMW and Audi’s comparable models are in the $72,000 to $140,000 range, The Equus ranges from $61,000 to $69,000. Even the midsize, front wheel drive V6 Cadillac XTS can cost more than the Equus and the Mercedes S Class’ starting price is 50 percent higher.

The Equus is the value proposition in the large luxury sedan segment. Not only is it tens of thousands of dollars less, it’s also an immensely enjoyable car to spend time in.
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By Kelly Foss, MyCarData.com

KIA SOUL | STARTING PRICE: $15,000

The Kia Soul was introduced to the world in 2009 as a quirky yet fun little vehicle. It was an immediate hit and has grown in popularity over the past several years. Yet the shortcomings of the vehicle remained and consumers wanted features that the original car couldn’t deliver. The new 2014 Soul is a vehicle reborn.

Kia did a skillful job of retaining the uniqueness and fun of the original Soul while adding substance and refinement. The changes will significantly increase the demand for the car. Not only has the essence of the vehicle been preserved but the starting price has also remained low. Kia has reconfigured the vehicle to allow a huge array of options to be added. The beauty is that if you want the base version of this greatly improved vehicle, the price is still attractive. But if you want a Soul full of options, you can now have that too.

The fundamentals of the new Soul are impressive. Regardless of which model you buy they all have a 5 star safety rating, which includes full suite of air bags, 4 wheel disc anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, a side door steel beam, tire pressure monitoring system etc. The impressive ride quality and handling is the same on all models. The interior roominess, comfort and quietness are also found on all models.

As you add options to this very nicely designed vehicle, the price goes up. My test Soul was the top of the line “!” model which carried a sticker price of $26,195. Kia cleverly offers premium options on this small economy priced vehicle. My Soul had leather seating, a panorama sunroof, navigation plus an Infinity audio system with a sub-woofer in the cargo area. It also had a power driver seat, a hidden storage area in the back and lighted speakers with glowing colored rings around them. Uniquely, my Soul had a keyless entry/push to start ignition with proximity sensors that would automatically fold the outside mirrors in when I left the car and fold them back out as I approached it. It also had luxury items not available on vehicles costing twice as much like heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel and most impressively, ventilated/cooled front seats!

The car is a joy to drive either in the city or on the highway. The 2 liter engine with the 6 speed automatic transmission is a perfect match for the vehicle. It has more than enough power and delivered an excellent real-world 26.8 miles per gallon of fuel economy in a week of driving.

With the Soul, what Kia is offering is a vehicle that is substantial enough to be safe, poised and refined enough for cross country trips, nimble enough to happily live in the city and yet have enough cool features to keep you entertained and enthralled with the car for years to come

Visit MyCarData.com for more information on these models.