2006 Hyundai Azera Limited V6

Summary:

Nice car for the money, with a lot of features found on more expensive cars

Faults:

At 60k miles - Purchased from a private seller. Noticed that the faux mahogany on the steering wheel and driver handle was susceptible to chipping. Previous owner must have had sizable jewelry on.

At 70k miles - Minor oil leakage - my mechanic told me to do regular oil changes and not worry about it, because it would be far more expensive to change out the seals at this point in time.

At 70k - Exterior finish - Shiny faux chrome (paint) started to flake in spots.

At 85k - Right front tire assembly, either the shock or leaf spring, began squeaking when car just hit the road. Goes away after driving for a while.

At 110k miles - Check engine - fuel level sensor lights went bad.

General Comments:

I got a good deal on the car used from a private seller. For the price it came with a lot of options found on more expensive cars, e.g. powered folding heated side mirrors, auto adjusting rear view mirror, rain sensing wipers, and dual power heated seats, just to name a few.

- Exterior: Certainly not a Mustang, but it appealed to this baby boomer.

- Interior appointments: Leather seats are very comfortable. I have tried seats in several other vehicles, like the Escape, CRV, and RAV4 recently, and the Azera ranks above them in comfort and quality.

- Cabin space: Very roomy all around. Seats four very nicely. Three in the back would be a reach though.

- Engine: Lots of power and pickup when called for. People have been surprised at the get up and go when they've driven the car. Does fall a little short of the mark on the miles per gallon rating. Rated at 26/22, I am getting around 22 for all around driving in mixed conditions.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd July, 2013

23rd Jan 2014, 07:59

Update 1/2014

Got roughly five years of good service from the Azera. I performed all routine maintenance work e.g. oil changes, cabin filters. Late 2013 / early 2014 it started to show deterioration. Both front CV joints starting to wear, engine noticeably noisier, labored at times, skipping in the new transmission installed in 2010, paint job starting to fade. Summary - if bought new, expect about seven years of run time before you should start thinking of a replacement