While Hyundai is known for making affordable vehicles, it’s also recognized for having one of the most appealing cars in America, too.
In this year’s U.S. automotive performance, execution and layout (APEAL) survey, which was published by J.D. Power and Associates, the 2011 Hyundai Equus achieved the highest score among the 200 other models studied, earning 904 points out of a possible 1,000. It even beat perennial leaders like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Audi A8 and Lexus LS, and performed considerably better in the categories of vehicle exterior, storage, and audio/entertainment/navigation than its luxury competitors.
As the highest-performing, all-new model in the 2011 IQS study, the Hyundai Equus ranked second in its segment and fourth among more than 200 models tested.
Since 1996, when the APEAL study was created, Hyundai has never ranked as high as it did in the consumer-based survey than this year, jumping 13 spots from 28th to 15th.
Starting at $58,900, the Hyundai Equus is proving that the Korean automaker is now becoming a major contender in nearly every class.