Hyundai Grandeur Elevates Luxury with New Pleos Connect Infotainment and Next-Generation Hybrid System
Hyundai Motor’s flagship large-size sedan, the **Grandeur**, returns with significant advancements in infotainment and a thoroughly revamped hybrid system, showcasing the group’s strategic shift towards **software-defined vehicles (SDVs)**.
Marking its 40th anniversary, the Grandeur, first launched in 1986, introduces a facelifted version of its seventh-generation model. Building on the success of the predecessor released in 2022, the Grandeur remained one of Hyundai’s best-selling sedans in Korea last year, with 71,775 units sold, only surpassed by Kia’s Avante.
This latest iteration of the **Hyundai Grandeur** is the first vehicle from the brand to integrate the group’s innovative “**Pleos Connect**” infotainment system. This system represents Hyundai’s initial production-ready step in its **SDV transition strategy**, designed to offer continuous over-the-air updates for vehicle functions and services, allowing drivers and passengers to access new features much like they would on a smart device.
During a recent press briefing, Park Young-woo, head of Hyundai’s infotainment development division, highlighted the new interface. It centers around a large **17-inch display** intelligently divided into distinct areas for driving information and app controls, enhancing both usability and safety. This sophisticated system is complemented by a slim auxiliary display and a **head-up display (HUD)**, which prioritize essential driving data such as speed, media, and navigation, enabling drivers to process critical information more intuitively and with fewer distractions.
Further enhancing the user experience, Pleos Connect introduces “**Gleo AI**,” a cutting-edge large language model-based voice assistant. This intelligent AI is capable of understanding complex conversational requests and responding contextually based on driving conditions and vehicle status. Gleo AI can also intuitively adjust vehicle functions—for instance, automatically lowering seat heating if a passenger expresses discomfort due to warmth—and seamlessly handles requests from both drivers and passengers.
The new Grandeur also becomes Hyundai’s first sedan to feature the **next-generation hybrid system**, initially unveiled in the Palisade SUV. This advanced system significantly boosts **fuel efficiency**, enhances power output, and refines overall driving performance. The dual-motor setup incorporates optimized **regenerative braking** tailored to various driving conditions. Delivering a combined 249 horsepower, the sedan can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in approximately eight seconds, offering robust performance for a luxury sedan.
Hyundai has also integrated a suite of new convenience features. A notable addition is the “**smart vision roof**,” a first for a Hyundai vehicle. This innovative technology replaces the conventional panoramic sunroof blind with an electrically controlled system that effectively blocks sunlight and heat by adjusting light transmission. Passengers can customize transparency across six separate sections, providing a truly personalized cabin experience.
Another upgraded feature is the advanced powered air vent system, offering four distinct airflow modes—including spread, focus, cycle, and custom—for highly personalized **climate control** within the cabin.
To further enhance passenger comfort, Hyundai has expanded rear-seat reclining and ventilated seat functions to the hybrid version, features previously exclusive to internal combustion models. This was achieved through a clever redesign of the battery and seat layout. Additionally, for improved safety and visibility, the rear turn signals have been repositioned higher on the vehicle.
The new Grandeur offers a comprehensive range of four powertrain options: a 2.5 gasoline engine, a 3.5 gasoline engine, a 3.5 LPG variant, and the advanced 1.6 turbo hybrid. Prices for the **Hyundai Grandeur** start from 41.85 million won (approximately $28,000).
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