As Hyundai continues to enjoy increased sales due to its affordable lineup of cars that became popular during the economic downturn, the company has made a curious move. Rather than introduce cheaper models, the South Korean automaker went in a different direction and introduced the $67,000 Equus luxury sedan.

The release wasn't completely unprecedented for Hyundai: it had previously built the Genesis sedan, designed to compete with entry-level luxury vehicles. Yet the Equus costs nearly twice as much as the Genesis and represents uncharted territory for Hyundai in the U.S. So does it live up to its price tag?

Edmunds Inside Line seems to think so. While noting that the Equus was not particularly flashy or overly impressive in its four-star review of the vehicle, the Equus was also praised as a bargain for those who don't want to pay for a prestigious brand name yet still desire luxury performance.

The Equus isn't exactly an eye-catching vehicle, with a rather basic interior and exterior. Yet for those who only really care about what's under the hood, the news source believes that the Equus represents good value. To put that theory to the test, it stacked the Equus up against the Lexus LS 460, a popular high-end sedan priced at over $75,000.

"Ten, heck, five years ago, this would've been the start of some sort of gag comparison. 'We pit the new Hyundai sedan against a Lexus we found in a river!' And the Lexus, still full of free river carp, would probably walk away with a solid victory," begins the comparison.

Yet the Hyundai, while not outclassing the Lexus on the track, held its own. The vehicle matched the Lexus in the 0-30 miles per hour time before slowly falling behind as the distance increased. Its 385-horsepower V8 compared to the Lexus' 380-horsepower engine only outclasses it because the Equus is a slightly bulkier and roomier vehicle. The Lexus won by .3 seconds in the quarter-mile and .5 in the slalom, but drivers will have to decide for themselves if those tenths of a second are worth the extra bucks.

Add in that every new Equus comes with an iPad, and luxury owners may give the new Equus some strong consideration when it comes to purchasing a luxury vehicle. Those looking to further save may want to consider a used Hyundai Equus or another luxury vehicle, to help mitigate the high price of these expensive machines.