This Is Hyundai’s All-New 2017 Azera Or Grandeur In Korea, And It Looks Pretty Sharp

Hyundai is attempting to stir up a bit of excitement over its next Azera, badged as the Grandeur in Korea, by dropping a batch of teaser sketches ahead of a full reveal, initially in its home market next month, and then the rest of the world.

Now, while most manufacturer teasers tend to be on the overly-exaggerated side when it comes to the design and even more so, the proportions of a car, Hyundai’s sketches might not be far off from the truth, as supported by spy shots of the 2017 Azera testers, including the ones you see below that were sent to us by Carscoops reader Marton G.

And that’s a good thing because Hyundai appears to have breathed new life into its mid-size sedan with a more dynamic and sportier styled body that looks more related to the Genesis G80 (previously known as the Hyundai Genesis) than to the Azera, though, that might lead to an identity problem for the Korean maker’s newborn luxury brand.

According to Hyundai, “the all-new Azera’s sophisticated design represents a dramatic departure from its predecessor’s styling, while taking hints from previous Azera models to ensure it is still fundamentally recognizable as the newest generation of a distinct lineage.” That might mean something in Hyundai’s home turf where the Grandeur is hugely popular, but we’re wagering they’ll sing a different tune in other markets where the Azera is considered somewhat of a retiree special.

The company added that the new Azera will “spearhead a new era” for Hyundai’s design, with the signature ‘cascading grille’ representing “just one of many new premium styling features”.

There’s no official word on powertrains and other specifications yet, but in all likelihood, the new Azera will get Hyundai’s latest four-cylinder and V6 gasoline units paired to an 8-speed automatic, and in Korea, at least, a hybrid.

Despite dwindling sales in the mid-size sedan segment, Hyundai will (most likely) offer the new model in the USA, though, at this time, we don’t know if it will reveal the North American specification model this year in LA, or in 2017 at the Detroit (January) or New York (April) auto shows.

Thanks to Marton G. for sharing the pictures of the prototype 2017 Azera that he shot in Abu Dhabi earlier this year