REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Hopeful Contender

Hyundai has a new flagship sedan in the Canada The new XG350 is the largest, most luxurious and most expensive vehicle available from Hyundai Motor America. The XG350 is a 4-door, 5-passenger sedan intended to compete in the upper-middle/near-luxury sedan segment. Its size and price place it in direct competition with the Camry and Accord.

Larger than Hyundai’s midsize Sonata model, the XG350 comes in two trim levels, base and L. Base models have a generous complement of standard luxury features, things like four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, projector beam headlights, 15-inch alloy wheels with Michelin V-rated tires, trip computer, side air bags and leather seats. Upscale L versions get heated seats, premium audio and a power moonroof.

A state-of-the-art, all-aluminum 3.5-liter V-6 engine powers the front-wheel-drive sedan. It is a double overhead cam design that produces 195 hp. The XG350 features Hyundai’s 5-speed dual-gate Shiftronic automatic transmission with manual override. The transmission is fully adaptive, adjusting to the driver’s style.The fit and finish are considerably better than what we have come to expect from Hyundai, but not quite up to the standards set by much of the competition. The instrument panel features a wide pod that houses large gauges and a well-styled, wood-trimmed center module for the audio and vent controls. All plastic surfaces have a pleasant-to-touch matte finish. The leather seats have large cushions for good thigh support. The interior feels larger than a Camry, and it actually is, especially in the rear seat area where passengers enjoy almost 2 inches more leg room. Although the 3.5-liter engine is a modern design, it doesn’t have the power of some of its competitors and it shows on the highway. Acceleration is leisurely and the engine gets noisy when pushed hard to perform. The 5-speed transmission performs smoothly and quietly in the background for pleasant cruising around town. Hyundai didn’t cut corners on brakes or tires, and our braking test produced better than average results. Ride and handling are nicely balanced, if not biased a bit on the soft side. Fast turns produce enough body roll to notice, but not be concerned about. Our brief introduction to the new XG350 left the impression that this car is good first try in a segment that is obviously foreign to Hyundai. Judging from how much Hyundai products have improved recently, it will certainly get better.

PROS
Roomy interior
Many features
Low price

CONS
Heavy
Tasteless roadholding
Reliability unknown