2013 Hyundai Equus Review Palm Springs

2013 Hyundai Equus

An intelligent luxury automobile for the refined Palm Springs driver, the 2013 Hyundai Equus successfully competes with the best sedans in the world, all while adding a new level of customer experience to luxury car ownership.  Equus features Hyundai’s most powerful engine ever, the direct-injected 5.0-liter Tau V8 engine. This award-winning engine produces 429 horsepower and is matched to an in-house eight-speed transmission, providing Equus drivers in the Coachella Valley even more power and refinement.  Technology and comfort also add to the 2013 Hyundai Equus.

The 2013 Equus is powered by Hyundai’s 5.0-liter Tau DOHC V8 engine, producing 429 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 376 lb-ft. of torque at 5,000 rpm, with a higher specific output (85.8 hp/liter) than its normally-aspirated premium luxury competitors. The Tau V8 engine family was named to the prestigious Ward’s Ten Best Engines list in 2011.

This V8 engine offers premium engine technology, including Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT), a tuned variable induction system, and low-friction diamond-like coatings (DLC) on piston skirts, rings and tappets. With sophisticated octane sensors, this high-performance powerplant will run well on either regular or premium fuel, another benefit for Equus drivers.

The Tau 5.0-liter V8 engine is coupled with a Hyundai-developed eight-speed transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual shift capability. The transmission adds two additional ratios to enhance acceleration, shifting smoothness, and transmission efficiency by more than six percent compared to the previous six-speed.

The handsome design of the 2013 Equus is provided by a progressive rear-end treatment with bold taillights, strong shoulders and look of precision.  Fully-integrated asymmetrical exhaust tips and rear LED turn signal indicators also help to accomplish this look.  The side silhouette is refined, with character lines that accent the rear fenders and a satin chrome side window daylight opening finish. Up front is a subtle horizontal radiator grille and well-proportioned headlamps with jeweled detailing. LED turn signals complement the HID headlamps along with an adaptive front lighting system. The lower air intakes are bold and add to the positive reaction of the overall design. To assist in parking and navigating blind corners and alleys in urban driving, there is an optional forward-view cornering camera integrated into the grille.

The busy Palm Springs executive as well as the couple heading out on the town will feel pampered in the 2013 Equus due to abundant luxury touches and passenger comfort features. This ambience begins with superior quality materials and design layout. The leather upholstery, Microfiber suede headliner, natural wood trim and leather-wrapped French-stitched instrument panel showcase the richness of the Equus interior.

The seats are fully adjustable with plenty of width and support. Thermoelectric devices located in the seat backs and bottom cushions provide control for heating, cooling and humidity. There is ample leg and head room for drivers more than six-feet tall and a massaging driver seat.

The 2013 Equus maintains Hyundai’s emphasis on delivering leading safety technology, boasting world-class active and passive safety features to help prevent accidents, and maximize the well-being of its occupants in the event of a collision. Named a 2012 “TOP SAFETY PICK” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Equus continues the Hyundai tradition of offering features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC), nine airbags, electronic active front head restraints, lane departure warning system and smart cruise control. Equus even has a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system that optimally manages ESC, the electronic parking brake, smart cruise control and the seatbelt tensioning system for optimal safety.

The 2013 Hyundai Equus epitomizes the class and luxury those in Palm Springs deserve.  Powerful, luxurious, and stylish not only describes the Equus, but also those who drive it.