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Before Genesis became a standalone luxury car brand from Hyundai, the Equus served as the pinnacle of luxury for the Korean carmaker.

Very few carmakers have experienced a turnaround of fortunes like Hyundai in the recent past. From a carmaker known for making cheap and unappealing cars to the one which now makes stunning-looking new-age cars with the best technologies, Hyundai has come a long way. However, in the past, the Korean carmaker had some accomplished cars in its lineup which deserved much more success than they received. And one of them is the Hyundai Equus.

The Equus served as Hyundai’s flagship saloon in the US for six years before Hyundai decided to go the full-blown way by creating the standalone luxury brand, Genesis. Cut to 2022, and the once-expensive Hyundai Equus is now available at throwaway prices for a luxury car in the used car market. We look at how Hyundai panned out the Equus for the US and why it’s a deal worth grabbing among the used car options.

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While the first-generation Hyundai Equus remained on sale in the global markets for almost a decade, the US market never got it. Instead, it was the second-generation version that debuted in the US at the 2010 New York Show. The first-gen version had a front-wheel-drive configuration co-developed with Mitsubishi. However, this second-gen model came with an all-new platform with a rear-wheel-drive arrangement under its skin, all developed by Hyundai.

Initially, the US market got the Hyundai Equus with a gas-powered 4.6-liter V8 engine, which claimed 385 hp of power and 333 lb-ft of torque. Based on the first-gen Hyundai Genesis already on sale in the US, the Equus came in as a more premium offering. Compared to the global version of the Hyundai Equus, the US-spec version came with a few changes. These included a badge placed on the hood in place of a hood ornament and horizontal chrome slats in place of vertical slats. The US version also came equipped with an iPad with a pre-installed digital user’s guide application instead of a conventional owner’s manual.

In 2011, Hyundai updated its engine options for the Equus globally, though these updated engines never came to the US market. In 2013, the Hyundai Equus got its first significant facelift everywhere, including in the US. This list of updates includes tweaks to the exterior and interior designs, several new features inside-out, and a minor update in the suspension setup. The 4.6-liter V8 engine got replaced by a 5.0-liter GDi V8 from Hyundai's Tau family of engines, which puts up 429 hp of power and 376 lb-ft of torque. It also received a new 8-speed automatic gearbox in place of the old-generation 6-speed torque converter.

On the outside, the new Hyundai Equus got revisions to the front grille, outside rearview mirrors, and tail lamp inserts. It also got a new set of 19-inch alloys and LED fog lamps. The changes on the inside included a new center console, gear lever, and layouts of the controls on the steering wheel. While the Signature variant received a new 7-inch TFT LCD in the instrument console, the more premium Ultimate variant got a fancier 12.3-inch full-TFT LCD.

The long list of features got added with sport mode, three-zone automatic climate control, revised keyless ignition with proximity smart key, dual 9.2-inch rear seat entertainment screens, a 9.2-inch LCD in the upper center stack, and powered door closure. It also got bestowed with standard Assurance Connected Care and Blue Link, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, heads-up display, blind spot detection, and a 360-degree camera.

Hyundai was always a brand for the masses, and for this flagship full-size luxury sedan, the carmaker left no stone unturned in its efforts. The Equus was the first-ever car from Hyundai to feature electronically-controlled air suspension with continuous damping control and vehicle stability management. Both these features added to the overall experience of mobility in the Equus.

While the first-ever iterations of the Hyundai Equus, which sold between 2010 and 2013, are available for around $12,000. However, the facelifted versions are available between $16,000-$19,000, and these are the ones worth buying for the comprehensive updates they received. For the price of a new entry-level compact car like the Chevrolet Spark, you can experience a full-fledged luxury saloon with the used Hyundai Equus.

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Being a full-sized luxury saloon, the Hyundai Equus has no shortage of performance, technologies, space, and comfort. The gas-powered V8 of this car is not too fuel-efficient, whereas the precision in handling is below average because of the light-weighted steering setup. However, the advantages of the Hyundai Equus overshadow these minor shortcomings, thus making it one seriously underrated luxury car for its prices.

Hailing from India, Jeo has grown up dreaming about a red-colored Porsche 911. This fascination led him to study more about cars and their functionality in his automotive engineering days from the past. His passion for writing about cars directed him towards blogging, which he has been doing for almost a decade.