"Honey, I’ll really buy you this Grandeur this time"... Will the dramatically revamped new model spark another success story? [Choi Ki-sung's Hub Car]
The new Grandeur, which fell from a national car to fifth place last year, is finally escaping harsh criticism and showing signs of a comeback worthy of a success icon Poster for the drama "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim" and the new Grandeur [Photo: JTBC, Hyundai Motor Company / Edited by Choi Ki-sung, Maeil Business Newspaper Digital Newsroom reporter] The Hyundai Grandeur, which drew more criticism than praise for its design when it was launched in 2022, is being reborn with a refreshed look four years later.To reclaim the "national car" title it lost to the Kia Sorento amid the SUV boom, the facelifted model has been transformed almost to the level of a full redesign.Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the interior and exterior design of "The New Grandeur" on the 28th, ahead of its launch next month.Since its debut in 1986, the Grandeur has been regarded as a flagship sedan and a car for those who have made it.Even after the launch of the Genesis G80 and G90, it remains popular as an executive car and a dad car.The newly unveiled The New Grandeur is the facelifted version of the seventh-generation Grandeur, arriving about three years and five months after its launch in November 2022.Its key features are a more dynamic design and an upgraded cabin that feels like a premium lounge.Design criticism? Will it now win praise? Rear view of the new Grandeur [Photo: Hyundai Motor Company] The new model removes the styling weaknesses of the previous version, which divided opinion, while preserving its strengths such as dignity and dynamism.At the front, it takes inspiration from a shark charging toward its prey. It adopts a long hood and a shark nose shape, features often favored in sporty coupe-style vehicles.A new radiator grille with a mesh-pattern concept emphasizes boldness and refinement.The thinner, longer seamless horizon lamps with a bezel-less design also strengthen its futuristic image.The newly added side repeater on the front fender highlights the continuity of the design line from the front to the rear. The overall length is 5,050 mm, 15 mm longer than before.The rear adopts slimmer combination lamps and hidden turn signal lamps concealed in the upper garnish, creating a simple yet high-tech look.A wing-type garnish on the lower bumper and an expanded black area wrapping widely around the lower body on both sides further reinforce the sporty atmosphere.Evolving into a premium digital lounge Interior of the new Grandeur [Photo: Hyundai Motor Company] The cabin builds on the Grandeur's existing "premium lounge" concept, while adding a greater sense of space and a more innovative user experience to create a premium environment at a higher level.The centrally placed infotainment system delivers a user experience that is on a different level from the previous model.For the first time in a Hyundai vehicle, a 17-inch central display has been fitted with the next-generation infotainment system "Pleos Connect," based on Android Automotive OS (AAOS).Physical buttons for key functions are neatly arranged below the central display. Drivers can easily and quickly operate the features they need while driving."Electric air vents" have also been installed for the first time. They provide an innovative experience by allowing climate functions such as airflow and direction to be controlled through the display, while hiding the air outlets to create a smoother dashboard surface that balances practicality and luxury.The door trim uses a "couch pattern" reminiscent of a living room sofa. It was designed to enhance visual and tactile comfort while adding subtle ambient lighting, creating the calm and pleasant atmosphere of a premium lounge.The Smart Vision Loop is notable for using a light-transmittance control film for the first time in a Hyundai vehicle. It can switch electrically between transparent and opaque states, and it also allows the area to be divided.Will it succeed by winning over consumers in their 40s to 60s? Grandeur currently on sale [Photo taken by Choi Ki-sung, Maeil Business Newspaper Digital Newsroom reporter] The goal of the new Grandeur is to reclaim the national car title it lost to the Sorento. Hyundai is placing high hopes on support from consumers in their 40s and older.According to the KAIZU Data Research Institute, which uses data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Grandeur ranked first in domestic sales for five straight years from 2017 to 2021, and was seen as an almost unbeatable model.It lost the national car title to the Sorento in 2022, but took it back the following year. The regained glory did not last long. It fell even faster than it had risen.In 2024, it finished fifth behind the Sorento, Carnival, Santa Fe, and Sportage. Although it dropped sharply from first to fifth, it still managed to save face by keeping its title as the "national sedan."Last year, it suffered another blow. Sales fell 2.7% from the previous year, and it also lost the top sedan spot to the Elantra.Still, it did not collapse. It lost the overall No. 1 spot and the No. 1 sedan title, but strong support from consumers in their 40s to 60s kept it in the top five.In the first quarter of this year, it climbed to second place, behind the Sorento in first. Sales were tallied at 26,530 units for the Sorento and 17,960 units for the Grandeur.The consumers who have done the most to help the Grandeur overcome criticism and preserve its image are men and women in their 40s and older.Even though many buyers in that age group also preferred SUVs, they still chose it with the mindset that "a sedan should be a Grandeur." That is also why Mr. Kim, a Generation X character in the popular drama "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim," is shown driving a Grandeur when he is portrayed as a successful office worker.Looking at the best-selling model by age group, the Elantra ranked first among people in their 20s, the Sorento among those in their 30s, the Carnival among those in their 40s, and the Sorento again among those in their 50s and 60s. "I should buy a Grandeur" - a car that was once a symbol of success for Generation X [Photo: Hyundai Motor Company commercial, edited] The Grandeur did not take the top spot in every age group, but it was the most preferred sedan among people in their 50s and 60s.Among people in their 50s, it ranked second with 14,874 units, behind the Sorento's 22,043 units. Among those in their 60s, it placed third with 10,576 units, after the Sorento's 15,384 units and the Tucson's 12,351 units.The next age group that favored the Grandeur was people in their 40s, with 8,715 units. They were followed by people in their 30s with 3,958 units, those aged 70 and older with 2,721 units, and people in their 20s with 973 units.Since the late 2010s, Hyundai models have tended to become more popular at the facelift stage than at the full redesign stage.That is because the company tries bold changes at the full redesign stage, then improves the design based on consumer feedback and strengthens advanced convenience and safety features.The upcoming new Grandeur has also been receiving praise rather than criticism whenever renderings resembling the real car have been released since late last year. The key to success lies with buyers in their 40s and older, the people who buy dad cars.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
