So with a new Mercedes-Benz in the garage, how much time do you think I spent with the Hyundai? You'd be surprised. Of course it's my job to test every car at my disposal, so out of duty I have to drive each one enough to get a fairly good idea of its pros and cons. But it wasn't only out of duty that I drove the XG, it's actually a nice car to drive.
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| I enjoyed the XG and was surprised how much time I wanted to spend inside it, considering I had a Mercedes-Benz E500 parked beside it in the driveway during the same week. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
It boasts all the me-too attributes of modern imported family sedans, such as a strong V6 engine, 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, fully-independent suspension with a double wishbone, coil sprung front and multi-link, coil sprung rear setup, four-wheel discs with four-channel, four-sensor ABS, electronic traction control, and the list goes on. Funny thing, add two more cylinders and I could have just as easily been describing the Mercedes parked to the right of the XG.
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| I'm impressed with just how much room Hyundai's luxury sedan provides inside. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Of course the XG350 costs less than half the price of the E500, so it's not fair to compare them side by side. Still, the XG offers a visual advantage in rear legroom, plus more shoulder and headroom all-round. I was actually once again surprised at just how much room Hyundai's luxury sedan provides inside, and its trunk holds a very usable 410 liters (14.5 cu ft).
So what are the differences between the XG and a premium luxury car, or for that matter some competitive midsize sedans such as the
Honda Accord or
Volkswagen Passat? First of all, with regards to the tactile quality of materials used and general fit the Hyundai isn't finished off quite as nicely inside. It's good though, with the new woodgrain treatment looking much more realistic than the previous version. There's more wood than I personally like, although some friends liked it a lot.
