Hyundai’s New Elexio SUV Features Standard Dolby Atmos
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– David is a senior AV reviewer with over 20 years of experience, having worked at Digital Trends and Reviewed.
– Dolby Atmos, previously exclusive to luxury cars, is now standard in Hyundai’s affordable Elexio EV available in China.
– The Hyundai Elexio includes Dolby Atmos through six built-in speakers standard on all trims, with an option to upgrade to eight.
– Integrated streaming services Kugou Music and iQIYI will allow occupants to enjoy Dolby Atmos music, movies, and dramas in the car.
– While this may signal broader accessibility for Dolby Atmos, there is currently no news of such affordable Atmos-enabled cars outside China.
Hyundai is making waves in the automotive audio world by bringing Dolby Atmos spatial sound to a much more affordable audience. The new Elexio EV, an SUV currently exclusive to the Chinese market, features this premium audio technology as a standard inclusion across all its models. This represents a significant shift, as Dolby Atmos has traditionally been reserved for high-end luxury vehicles from brands like Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, Cadillac, and Lucid, which often carry price tags exceeding $70,000. The Hyundai Elexio, in contrast, is positioned at a far more accessible price point, ranging from approximately $16,800 to $21,000.
What truly sets the Elexio apart is that the immersive Dolby Atmos experience is not locked behind an expensive optional package. Every single trim level comes equipped with a six-speaker system designed to deliver spatial audio. For those seeking an even richer soundscape, an upgrade to an eight-speaker configuration with an external amplifier is available. While this speaker count may be lower than the dozen or more found in some luxury competitors, the strategic implementation of Dolby Atmos technology promises a remarkably engaging and enveloping audio environment. This transforms mundane drives, whether it’s the daily school run or navigating congested city traffic, into a more enjoyable auditory journey.
To fully leverage this capability, the vehicle integrates directly with popular Chinese streaming platforms Kugou Music and iQIYI. According to the official announcement from Dolby, this integration allows passengers to experience a wide library of music, films, and television series in Dolby Atmos, effectively turning the car’s interior into a personal, mobile entertainment space. It is crucial to emphasize that watching video content should be strictly reserved for passengers and never attempted by the driver while the vehicle is in motion.
This strategic move by Hyundai prompts an important question for the global market: is this the start of Dolby Atmos becoming a mainstream feature in affordable cars? For consumers who have experienced the dramatic difference spatial audio makes in a vehicle, the hope is a resounding yes. However, for now, this democratization of premium in-car audio remains confined to the Chinese market, with no official word on when similarly equipped, budget-friendly models might arrive in other regions.
(Source: The Verge)
