The Entourage is Hyundai's first minivan. The all-new Entourage is aimed squarely at the big players in the minivan market, including the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Dodge Caravan. Its armaments include lots of interior space, lots of power, and lots of high-tech safety gear at a price lower than its Japanese and American competitors.

Though the minivan is a new addition to the Hyundai showroom, it isn't entirely new to parent Hyundai Motor Company. Fellow Korean automaker Kia is now a division of Hyundai Motor Company, and the new Entourage is essentially a twin to the new-for-2007 Kia Sedona. The Sedona has been on the North American minivan scene for several years, though it has not been among the segment leaders in sales.

Hyundai is a late arrival to the minivan market, but its brand-new offering—while breaking little fresh ground—builds upon the reputation of a well-regarded current offering. The Entourage is related to the latest Kia Sedona, which went on sale as a mid-2006 model. Hyundai is Kia's parent company; both automakers promote the high-value attributes of their vehicles, compared to the league-leading Honda Odyssey and other familiar nameplates. But Hyundai model line manager Michael Deitz considers the Entourage a "more refined" model than Sedona, thus warranting moderately higher prices. "People lean toward minivans with all the extras," Dietz said.