Why Would ANYONE Choose The Hyundai Equus Over A Lexus LS460 Or Mercedes S550?

Just like the Lexus was once the poor man's Mercedes. You have to start somewhere and value is a great place to do it.

That center dash... It's nowhere in the same league as the LS 460's, but of course, with the money you save, I suppose you can ask Hyundai to update things a bit.

Copying the designs of four automakers is NOT a positive attribute. To anser the question: "Why Would ANYONE Choose The Hyundai Equus Over A Lexus LS460 Or Mercedes S550?" -- Because they are stupid and/or ignornant.

lexus is still the discount mercedes. LS starts at $64K, S-class starts at $91K. you do the math.

see thats my problem with this car at $55,000 its not a poor mans anything its aimed at the crowd of people who have the money to spend the extra thousands of dollar or less be realistic the couple hundred more dollars in car payment to just buy the lS, 7, or S they priced this car way to high....its only a bargain in a relative sense its still an expensive car

Equus Merda = Horse Shit.

Hey ! One more thing. The most common car driven by millionaires is the Ford F150 pickup. Why do you think that is the case? I think it is because the guy who gets things done, wants to get things done. He is not concerned about outward trappings. Be careful with comments about "stupidity"...

I could see many people choosing the Equus over the lexus since if you are shopping for a lexus you are already down market oriented. However, I don't see anyone who is honestly shopping for an S-Class going down market to an Equus!

Anyone looking at a Cadillac flagship would be going 'down market' as well.

Yeah, sometimes I too question the "coexist" logo that I have. I mean really, how much longer can everyone tolerate you bitchy snobby types?

Probably the same question was asked, when Lexus LS was introduced for the fist time years ago. "Why would anyone choose Lexus LS over MB S-Class?" :)

You are right, we asked it!

LOL, I just knew that a bitchy, snobby comment was coming!

_43LE - Not sure if it is bitchy snobby or simply the value of heritage and innovation.

"You are right, we asked it!"

If you truly did I would love to see a link!

009....I agree, I value history and innovation too. I love all the German brands. But, trash talking and being a bitch about others that don't have it is kind of pathetic...and arrogant.

Questionable brand name (for the segment) and styling aside, the real question to ask is, why can Hyundai do this when GM cannot? Years into reinventing Cadillac, they're still dicking around. Great CTS line up, Escalade's its own story, decent SRX, but still NOTHING else. The XTS won't be here for a while, and again, it's a compromised vehicle, based on a FWD platform. I just don't get it.

Write a quick post posing the question, and we can green light that thought.

Hyundai has done nothing yet this car is comming and no one knows how it performs handles or holds up to wear and tear from daily driving so to compare it with Cadillac who has one of the top sports sedans on lock is just nuts.

I doubt that they would.

A lot more people can afford a $55k car than a $100k car. Do I think many people who were actually looking at $100k 750Li's and S550's will settle for a Hyundai? No. Those people are buying the brand as much as the car, and people who can afford $100k cars who want $100k cars will buy $100k cars. But someone looking at a $55-60k E-class, 5-Series, or (especially) GS might. Or someone looking at a used 7-Series, S-class, LS, etc.

I congratulate Hyundai on its Equus Debut. Sure it may not "currently" win against the LS460 or MB but its a start . And a good start.
One need look no further then Lexus. it too started as an often undervalued competitor.
For consumers, choice makes it things competitive. MB dropped the ball big time and hasn't quite ever managed to be the brand they were before 1992.
The rise of Audi and Lexus are lessons learnt from MB's mistakes. So will Hyundai learn by others mistakes. It will get its opportunity.

I personally think they make stylish cars that are not as mechanically there as the Japanese. While the Japanese "Toyota, Honda" make very good cars that are far more conservative than the Germans but tend to be better thought out mechanically and in execution.

the best part is as consumers we get more choices to buy what "we want"

Yes when the Lexus is 15k more and the Mercedes is 30k more than the Hyundai.

Because for the price of a low end E-class you get a mid S-class competitor.
That said, I doubt there will be much direct cross shopping.

because they are bargain hunters. and don't really care if they have the best as longs as it's pretty damn good. different buyer. more of a threat to lexus than mercedes as lexus is already positioned as a 'value' buy (40% less than a comparably equipped s-class).

I don't think it will be the same group of buyers. More likely, a few people already in Hyundai showrooms looking at the Genesis will be persuaded to make the jump to the Equus. People buy an S-class for the prestige and reputation. With Toyota's recent troubles, Lexus has neither right now, so the LS has the most to lose.

I would do better with its own name plate.

I think someone looking at an MB would be more likely to look at a V-dub than an Equus.

If you are looking Asian and don't care so much about the driving aspect of driving, I definitely think the Equus deserves a look. The more Lexus keeps gunning for the Germans (silly because their buyers are a different breed altogether), the more Hyundai will gain ground by beating at their own game (by coming up how Lexus did, as a "value" buy), since Lexus is no longer a value buy.

Again, I can't buy a car whose name means "Horse".........

And was a play Daniel Radcliffe starred naked in. Need I say more......

Toyota's emblem looks like a small chubby phallic mushroom. In honor of the 'small' Japanese I guess. LOL.

Umm..ok..I think you're alone on that one.

lol

No one wants an S-class because it's a garbage piece of German engineering. The LS DNA was created years ago with the Toyota Crown and has later evolved to a full fledged UBER-LUXURY vehicle that has dominated the world. It outsells Bentley's, Rolls Royce's, and obviously Maybach's. Lexus stole the Maybach's back seats and made it better. Toyota has always been envious towards might mercedes benz. Toyota's the better household name when it comes to creating luxury cars bar none.

I'm sorry but the Altimate driving thing is a BMW. their amazing! The heritage, magic feal is bar none.

The Equus' cabin design seems like a cheesy approximation of a luxury flagship.

I got to give respect to Hyundai though. They showed that they were able to compete in the luxury market. Why buy from a company Lexus/Toyota who lies and cheats their consumers, where u can get the same quality in a vehicle in a way more cheaper price.

The correct answer is: free iPad.

Wow. That has got to be the most boring side profile I've ever seen, esp. on a supposed luxury car. Meanwhile, the front is so busy and overdone that it's ugly. The rear is fine. The name is dumb. The emblem has nothing to do with "horse," and the split grille is very cheesy.

This is easy to resolve they need 5 years more to copy from germans and learn about the german cars identity this is important and the meaning of theirs emblems, lines and design. We are now in 2010 they still have several years of copying germans cars but still nothing good and great just copy and paste from old technology that's all. I don't have eyes for this clawn car and Kia is the same sh....Thousand speak sh.. about the I Drive of BMW but everybody start to use this system now like Infinity, and Koreans cars too, and don't talk about the trunk of the 7 series Bangles design, Camry copy this, and others cars follow so originals design from opulent brands need respect and admirations.

You sure love your run-on sentences huh.

I'm guessing the average poster here is 15 years old and dreaming of learning how to drive and I would also guess, very few have the means to buy any car, let alone a $55k car. We have an X5 3.5d and a Boxster S, however, if we were looking to get a sedan, this would be on our shopping list. Bang for your buck, it looks hard to beat. Sure it isn't a Merc, but not many people can afford an S550 (myself included)....we can afford this though. I am not so insecure that I worry about what other people think of me when they see my car.

finally a reasoned comment. here here

In case you didn't know, there are people w/Bmw, MBZ and Porsche who are buying the Genesis. The most outrageous case is this korean guy in LA who has a Phantom and a Genesis. Go figure. Two good friends got the Genesis after their lease was up on their MBZ and Lexus. Don't assume things, it makes you look like an idiot. What are these guys waiting for?? The Eqqus.

Here's a thought: if you were a Hyundai dealer, as I am, would you spend the $100k minimum it's going to take to be an Equus dealer? Keep in mind that selling the car at sticker might net $5k per copy and each dealer can only expect to see about five cars per year for the first few years.

Well, I am your man! I just bought an Equus. The comments I see here are interesting and reflect, I suppose, the prevailing sentiments. By way of background, I am a pretty normal guy. In general I could not care less about what anyone thinks about me or my car. I am wayyyyyy past that. In terms of income, education, and most other demographics I am on the far right end of the bell curve. I am the vilified 1%. I have had several new S class MBs. Lots of others, never had a Lexus. I never liked the whole ambience of Lexus. My overriding goal with this purchase was very simple. I wanted a luxury car that I did not have to worry about for as long as possible. Having had MB in the past, I was stunned, shocked and horrified at the miserable reliability. MB dealer attitude and condescension was unconscionable; incompetence was rampant, and the amount of time and money I spent dealing with MB convinced me that MB required a consumer willing to put up with that sort of game. Not me. I buy it. I drive it. It had better work right. Go ahead--gnash your teeth, sweat your bullets--we are still talking about a car here. That's all. If it doesn't work, it is useless to me. So MB is no contender. Period. 2 bad MBs. Never again. Enter Lexus: seems like a great machine. Refined, elegant, cushy. Replete with all the real estate agents any brand could possibly want. Dealers are very proud of themselves to be sure. But is the 460 really $20k better than the Equus? In my view, after extensive testing including a long weekend with a friend's 460, nope. At freeway speed the 460 is only 1dB quieter (on my spl meter). Pickup, speed and grace are equivalent, with the Lexus having a bit more cush in the ride. The 460 is a more conventionally elegant than the Equus, for sure. Hyundai can't match the fashion statement that is the Lexus--but the Lexus is not as elegant as the MB. And the MB is not as good as the Bentley. And the Bentley can't touch the Rolls.So what do you have?
I decided to do an acid test: looking sharply at the warranty question. Hyundai 10y warranty is the best there is.I went to 2 very proud Lexus dealers.I said I will take the 460 IF they throw in a 10y warranty. Bumper to bumper, just like I can get at Hyundai with their HPP extended warranty. They would not do it and said Lexus does not have a 10y warranty. So there you have it. They are proud, but not confident. Hyundai is confident. I like that a lot. A whole lot. The Equus is 97.5% of your revered 460, and it has a 333% better warranty. In my view, this is less than a no brainer. I do not need the Lexus badge to make me feel good. I do not want an MB badge to make me feel bad. If I were Lexus or MB, I would be watching verrryyy closely. Time will tell.