Hyundai May Slot Upscale Sedan Between Azera, Genesis

Hyundai confirms to WardsAuto that it is considering a new upscale luxury sedan that is slightly smaller than the fullsize Genesis and has upmarket features designed to appeal to affluent women buyers.

The midsize vehicle would be developed using the Azera (called the Grandeur in Korea) platform, but with a larger body and many luxury-trim items.

Being developed under the project codename AG, the new model should go on sale in 2015 at prices ranging between 35 million won and 45 million won ($31,000 to $40,000).

Sources say the AG is a response to Hyundai surveys in which consumers found the Grandeur “not upscale enough” but also thought the Genesis was a little too big and costly for their needs.

Some analysts also see the new sedan as Hyundai’s response to European and Japanese auto makers’ inroads into the Korean home market.

A Hyundai spokesman does not divulge styling details, technical information or marketing plans beyond confirming the new vehicle is in the mix.

Once the AG launches, the Hyundai sedan pecking order by size and price, from the bottom up, will be the subcompact Accent, marketed by Chrysler as the Dodge Attitude in Mexico; compact Elantra, called the Avante in Korea; midsize Sonata, Grandeur (Azera) and new AG sedan; and the fullsize luxury Genesis.