First Drive Review: 2014 Hyundai Centennial

Dubai, UAE - It was a bright sunny morning as I drove to the luxurious Atlantis hotel on the Palm Jumeirah for the launch of a very interesting car. A car that is extremely rare on the roads of the UAE and also happens to be the epitomy of luxury in the Korean automobiles market. If you're thinking Hyundai Centennial, then you’re absolutely spot on!

I arrived at the Spice Ballroom for a short briefing after which the moment to drive the 2014 Hyundai Centennial had finally arrived. 

As we set off from the Atlantis Hotel towards the Shams Tower at Yas Marina, the first thing that caught my eye were the new 19 inch alloy wheels that look fantastic! The new bumper design along with the LED fog lamps and redesigned tail light cluster are just a few improvements to this already handsome luxury sedan. 

Driving Performance

The drive was post lunch upon arrival at Yas Marina, where we tested the car extensively. The track drive was guided which means we didn't have complete freedom to do all our tricks, but still it was a good testing experience.

On the performance front, there are two engine specifications available, a 3.8L GDi that produces 334 HP and 395.2 Nm of torque, as well as a 5.0 liter GDi that produces 430 HP and 495 Nm of torque respectively. I was lucky enough to the get opportunity to drive the beefy 5.0L V8 and it sure packs a decent amount of power! There are 3 driving modes available; normal, sport and snow.

With Sport Mode activated, the acceleration is instantaneous and simply phenomenal, be it from a standstill or after you’re already in motion. On the downside, since the Centennial is a large and heavy executive saloon, there is a noticeable amount of body roll when it is pushed hard into corners even though the suspension has been firmed up by selecting the Sport Mode. Another factor that plays against the Centennial is the fact that there is a clear lag of about 2 seconds between when the accelerator is pushed all the way in and the car propels you forward when driving in Normal Mode. 

We captured a video clip of our track driving here:

Interior

The interior is an absolute treat since it boasts real wood on the significantly redesigned dashboard and door inserts, real aluminum around the Shift by Wire gear lever, real suede as the roof liner and an abundance of soft leather on the dashboard, seats and headrests.The redesigned dashboard also welcomes a new premium clock which has been designed in collaboration with luxury lifestyle design firm, Innes & Lister Inc.

On the technological front, the Centennial is packed to the brim with technology for the driver and passengers. The driver benefits from goodies such as a heads up display, blind spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control and an all round view monitor. While rear passengers get their own 9.2 inch monitors, reading lamps, seat coolers, a cool box to store refreshments and the ability to fold the front the seat down by just pressing a button and a seat extension so they can stretch and travel in first class comfort while listening to their favorite tunes on a 17 speaker Lexicon sound system. 

Initial Verdict

All in all, the 2014 Centennial is an extremely smooth car when cruising around town and almost feels like it’s floating above the road since you can barely feel any road imperfections. Granted, it may not be as responsive as I would’ve wanted when driving in “normal” mode however the fact remains that the Centennial is an extremely capable car that can handle anything you throw at it, even a few hot laps of the circuit. If you are in the market for a large luxury sedan, it's worth a look.