Hyundai Grandeur Heritage Series – old classic goes electric

Hyundai has breathed new life into the 1986Grandeur.

The electric Grandeur Heritage Series follows in the footsteps of the 1986 Pony Heritage Series, which provided design inspiration for the production Ioniq 5 SUV.

There’s more to this car than just looking good. It’s designed to celebrate the launch of the original Grandeur, which was a Korean take on the Mitsubishi Debonair. Yes, car names were cooler in the ’80s.

Like the Pony before it, the Grandeur blends a simple, classic shape with modern LED lighting elements and plenty of chrome trim highlights. There are polished, flat wheel covers to match the new mesh grille, and the Grandeur name is proudly etched across the car’s nose.

If the exterior has been slightly modified, the cabin has been given a ground-up makeover. A widescreen display takes pride of place in front of the driver, controlled by a slim touch panel sitting on a slim bridge below the dashboard.

Hyundai says the car’s 18-speaker sound system, which includes a sound bar integrated into the dash, is designed to deliver sound that’s like being in a concert hall.

You’ll notice the seats aren’t trimmed in Alcantara, suede, leather, or a vegan textile like most modern luxury cars. Instead, they’re finished in brick-coloured velvet in a nod to the Grandeur’s age.

The seatbacks are wrapped in leather however, as are the doors and centre console sides.

From a watch holder to an airline-style transmission selector, there are plenty of neat little touches to catch your eye.