2009 Hyundai Grandeur

The 2009 model Grandeur, still based on the Sonata platform, has received minor revisions to the styling and trim both inside and out but the really significant changes are a below $40,000 base price for the V6 petrol engine car and the introduction of a new 2.2-litre CRDi turbo-diesel, first seen in the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV.

Hyundai is certainly hoping the price drop will help it shift the Grandeur at a better rate than has been the case to date. Having opened sales in 2006 with 541 leaving dealers, by last year this figure was back to 267 and up to September this year just 90 Grandeurs had been sold.

The problem is that any large car is a hard prospect to shift in the current economic climate, and that’s even harder when you are a company that has made a name by selling small cars cheaply. Hyundai hopes the reposition of its price and simplifying the model to just one specification with a choice of engines will make it more appealing to buyers.

In addition to the 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine, which has been the standard fare in the Grandeur to date, the 2009 model will be offered with a 2.2-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine. The diesel engine develops 114kW of power at 4000rpm and 343Nm of torque between 1800rpm and 2500rpm.

Both engines use a five-speed automatic gearbox with Selectronic manual shifting and claimed fuel consumption for the diesel is a reasonable, for a large car, 7.9 litres per 100km, while the petrol car claims 10.8 litres per 100km. There is no change in the performance specifications of the 3.8-litre V6 with 194kW of power at 6000rpm and 348Nm of torque at 4500rpm.

The petrol engined car has been reduced in price from $42,990 to $39,990, while the diesel powered Grandeur is priced at $41,990. The only option is metallic/mica paint at $375. Changes to the exterior include a new radiator grille, chrome inserts in the front and rear bumpers, indicators in the door mirrors and new style 17-inch alloy wheels.

© Source: caradvice
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