Ward's: 2014 Hyundai Equus Boasts Billionaire-friendly Cabin

How well does the 2014 Hyundai Equus fill its role as a credible alternative to some of the more well-known ultra-lux sedans? Well, as WardsAuto World’s Tom Murphy points out in his coverage of the 2014 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors, the Equus earned its spot on the honor roll with a cabin that: “beat out several entrenched luxury brands in the competition and puts the global auto industry on notice that Hyundai is deadly serious about its place among premium manufacturers.”

Thus, the 2014 Hyundai Equus Ultimate—the specific model that earned Ward’s recognition—is dressed to kill with rich, premium-leather seating that features a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a 10-way chair for the front-seat passenger. Both are heated and cooled, of course, and complemented by a heated, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and a rear-seat compartment that, per Ward’s, “delivers the same limousine-like experience to passengers as long-wheelbase luxury cars priced well into six figures.” As a particular highlight, those heated and cooled rear seats can also recline and provide a relaxing massage, all while occupants further enjoy their own entertainment setup with dual 9.2-inch monitors.

Other standard interior amenities in the 2014 Hyundai Equus Ultimate include:

• Tri-zone automatic temperature control with Hyundai’s Air Quality System
• Navigation with a 9.2-inch LCD screen
• 12-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD instrumentation
• Heads-up display
• Bluetooth hands-free calling technology
• Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system
• Power sunshades for rear and side-rear windows
• Power-closing doors
• Premium Lexicon 7.1 Discrete Logic audio with surround sound, 17 speakers, AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM/CD/USB playback

The cabin environment of the 2014 Hyundai Equus is as safe as it is luxurious, too, thanks to a full array of standard driver-assistance measures such as smart cruise control, parking assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot detection. Yet with an MSRP of $68,500, the 2014 Hyundai Equus also stands out as the choice “for a billionaire with a strong sense of value.”

Confirmed Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of WardsAuto World magazine:The Hyundai Equus Ultimate has everything you would expect from a $120,000 ultra-luxury car, for about $50,000 less.”