Hyundai Azera and Tiburon win J.D. Power Awards

The all-new 2006 Hyundai Azera continued its winning ways when it earned the J.D. Power and Associates award as the most appealing Large Car in the 2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. In addition, the Hyundai Tiburon ranked second in the Compact Sporty Car segment.

“In its first year of production, the Azera has earned recognition for high quality, impressive safety features and, now, consumer appeal,” said Peter Renz, Director of Marketing at Hyundai Auto Canada. “In addition, the Tiburon sporty coupe continues to impress owners with its dynamic styling, performance and safety, adding depth and diversity to our product portfolio.”

The slew of awards filling the Azera trophy case now includes the “Best New Family Car Over $35,000” by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and the AutoPacific 2006 Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) for the Large Car category. Forbes.com named the Azera the Best Luxurious Car for a Non-luxury Price in its 2006 “Best Cars for the Bucks” list. J.D. Power and Associates’ Initial Quality Study (IQS) ranked Azera second in the Large Car segment. Finally, the 2006 Azera earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) top crash test ratings for frontal offset impacts, aided by unsurpassed standard safety equipment like Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) and eight airbags.

The Tiburon also scored high marks in the 2006 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, ranking second in the Compact Sporty Car segment.

The annual APEAL Study measures owner delight with the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. The study is based on responses from more than 63,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2006 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.