RIYADH — Hyundai Motor Company has launched the new Azera with a facelift as its latest vehicle that will hit the roads in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To stand out from the competitive sedan segment in the region, Hyundai’s top flagship sedan has arrived with upgraded styling and features. The Azera has undergone a facelift with its transformation redefining luxury, innovative design and boasts advanced technology features and will be available in showrooms in Saudi Arabia. The new facelift will also be launched across other GCC countries in a phased manner in the coming months. With a rich history to date, the Azera represents another step forward for the next edition of Hyundai’s flagship sedan. The ‘Sensuous Sportiness’, Hyundai’s latest successful design philosophy, takes the Azera to the next level, bringing out the best of proportion, structure, styling and technology. The facelift comes with two engine options where customers can choose either a Smart Stream Gasoline 2.5 GDI or a Gasoline 3.5 MPI engine. Using dual injection technology, which provides better fuel economy and power, the Smart Stream Gasoline 2.5 GDI provides incredible power, accelerating to 198ps at 6,000 rpm while maximum torque can be achieved in 25.3kgf-m at 4,500 rpm. The Gasoline 3.5 MPI engine can reach 290 ps at 6,000 rpm with its maximum torque at 34.5 kgf-m at 4,500 rpm. For a more convenient and comfortable drive, both of the engines have 8-speed auto transmission. The latest generation of the model marks significant design changes to both interior and exterior. The front of the car has been revamped with changes to the radiator grille that is integrated with an LED headlamp. An LED headlamp and a concealed LED daytime running light (DRL) in a Starlight illumination design have also been installed. With a longer wheelbase and sleek character lines on the side, the rear of the vehicle is a reinterpretation of Azera’s unique heritage. As well as enriching the rear bumper design, the model has a longer and sleeker LED rear lamp while the dual muffler has a wider look and is well balanced. The luxurious design is replicated inside the car with a futuristic 12.3 inch cluster and a high resolution Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system, Shift by Wire (SBW) and wireless charging system and upgrades to the air vents. Drivers can also select from 64 different color choices when using their C/Pad ambient mood lamp. Transforming the driving experiences even further, the Azera boasts a wide range of brand new state-of-the-art technology features. For that luxurious but also safe feeling, the Azera comes with a stylish back-up guide lamp. Using the lighting projected on the ground, it gives drivers better vision while reversing in the dark. Other new features include a touch screen climate controller, Blind-spot View Monitor and Around View Monitor and a Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) that will stop the vehicle when detecting an approaching vehicle when reversing. The Azera is also installed with a power child lock and Safe Exit Assist (SEA) feature that will alert the passenger not to open the door when a car is approaching. Bang Sun Jeong, vice president, head of Middle East & Africa Operation said: “The Azera has been one of Hyundai’s most popular cars and we are thrilled to launch the latest model that will be available for customers in the GCC region. “Thanks to its facelift, people will be able to notice easily a number of changes to both the interior and exterior and the Azera is another example of how Hyundai is raising the bar when it comes to building cars that is sophisticated in design and matched with performance. “With various new features to take advantage of such as the C/Pad ambient mood lamp and a blind view monitor, quite simply, this Azera surpasses the ordinary.” — SG