In the early 2010s, Hyundai was making big moves. The South Korean car brand, known for its economical sedans and crossovers, was doing well. So well, in fact, it decided it needed to start taking big chances on its models. The Genesis Coupe and Sedan that the brand released in the late 2000s were surprisingly popular hits that focused on the luxury and enthusiast markets. Propelled by this success, the company felt it was time to aim even higher, and a few years later, the brand announced the arrival of a genuine S-Class competitor called the Equus.

Yes, the company known most famously for commuter cars like the Elantra felt it was time to come out with a gargantuan sedan, packing a potent V8 under the hood, advanced driver assistance features, cooling rear seats, adaptive air suspension, and so much more. It was a genuinely impressive luxury vehicle in nearly every respect, and you could get it for less than half the price of similar models from BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus. It could have been a hit, but a few large issues held it back, and today, it's nearly completely forgotten. Is it time to give Hyundai's luxury sedan a second chance?

Although the Equus only arrived stateside in 2011, a previous generation had been sold in South Korea since 1999. That model was very obviously modeled after the Mercedes S-Class and Lexus LS of the time, and a passing glance would have you believe you'd just seen either of those cars and not a Hyundai. It was reportedly very popular, but the company didn't believe it had the market appeal to sell a model like that in the US.

It had, however, been a consideration, and at the 2001 New York International Auto Show, Hyundai imported a first-gen Equus to gauge customer interest. Looking to play off the success of the Lexus LS (badged as the Lexus LS430 for its third generation from 2000 onwards), Hyundai cheekily touted the Equus as the LZ450.

Fast-forward a little over a decade, and this changed. Hyundai had grown substantially around the world by this point and was finally ready to start pushing the boundaries of its brand. When the second-generation Equus arrived in 2011, it was easily the brand's most ambitious and expensive model to date.

The Genesis Sedan was selling for around $40,000 at this point, which was already an impressive amount for a sedan with a Hyundai badge, but the Equus blew that out of the water with a starting price of $58,000 and two main trims:

There were no additional options, just a choice between these two trims, so if you weren't thrilled with the Signature, you'd have to pony up about $10,000 more to get the nicer model with fewer seats. The good news was that you wouldn't have to make this decision at the dealership because, when the car first arrived, the company attempted a new sales model that would see interested buyers call up the dealer, who would bring an Equus to them for a test drive.

If a car was purchased, it then came with an iPad that would be used to handle scheduling service trips. When such events were scheduled, Hyundai would have your vehicle picked up and a loaner dropped off for you - pretty impressive stuff (however, the iPads were dropped just a few years in). The brand knew the concept was bold and that it would be an uphill battle, and so from the beginning, it was only expected to sell a few thousand in the US per year.

So what really sets the Equus apart? Well, on the exterior, not much. From the outside, the sedan is impressively understated, with a length that screams Audi A8, but looks that are entirely underwhelming. It's not an unattractive vehicle by any means, just something that utterly blends in with traffic. However, it does look higher-end, so if you're looking for something that isn't going to attract attention while still exuding class, this is the model for you.

Beneath its understated exterior, the Equus packed serious hardware. Early models from 2011 came with a 4.6-liter Tau V8 producing 385 horsepower, while an update for 2012 upgraded the engine to a 5.0-liter V8 with 429 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Both versions drove the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, with an emphasis on smooth, quiet cruising over outright sportiness. Yeah, the fuel economy is poor, hovering around the mid-teens, but it's not a vehicle you buy to be frugal.