Introduction

As you look at the 2001 Hyundai XG300, the newest and most extravagantly expensive Hyundai, think Infiniti Q45 crossed with Mitsubishi Diamante. As you drive it, think Nissan Maxima crossed with Toyota Camry. As you sit in it, think Ford Taurus crossed with Lexus ES300. And as you check the window sticker, please, Hyundai begs, don't think of a pauper posturing in a prince's clothes. Hyundai has come to the rescue for those of us who have been working hard, minding the bucks, but have, by necessity, had to settle for less when it came time to signing up for monthly car payments. This new XG300 brings the style, luxury and roominess of a well-equipped mid-size near-luxury car without the high cost. Hyundai?s warranty reassures us that we?re making a responsible decision with five-year/60,000-mile bumper to bumper, and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage. This is a cool car. It's not especially original. It's not unique. It is a decent and affordable mid-size sedan. It's also another indication that Hyundai has abandoned the bad old days of poor-quality, boring econoboxes to become a serious contender among $25,000 mid-size cars.

Walkaround

The XG300 manages to blend the familiar and the fresh. A softly sculpted front end sports modern, clear-lensed, multi-component headlights, an upright grill, and a smoothly integrated, monochromatic bumper with nicely frenched foglamps. The side view offers a modestly crisp belt line blending into a rear deck bookmarked by gently rounded shoulders. The boot proffers the only clear Hyundai indicia: taillights reminiscent of the Sonata and a bold, almost-assertive, horizontal chrome strip beneath the trademark Hyundai logo. The XG300 emblem on the rear and XG logos on the wheels are the only other markings, further adding to the car's elegance. The glass house balances openness with structure. Triangulated A-pillars adequately support the roof but avoid blinding a driver to vehicles turning left at an intersection. High-ceilinged side and rear windows facilitate assessing surrounding traffic flows with an eye for the occasional, but psychically essential, darting lane change. Outside door handles are very well-designed: attractive, comfortable, and easy to grab. A close and careful visual examination unearths hints of the Infiniti Q45, the Lincoln LS and even the Jaguar S-Type. There's a bit more shoulder in the rear quarters than on any of those. The front end, though, could fool all but the most discerning viewer. That there's no obvious Hyundai logo helps. In fact, when shown to focus groups prior to its public introduction, the XG300 bested the Oldsmobile Intrigue and the Nissan Maxima and gave the upscale Acura TL a run for the money on the appeal scale, until, that is, the Hyundai logo was affixed. When that happened, the focus groups deep-sixed the XG300. The only reason for this is Hyundai's reputation as the maker of the first disposable car. The Excel is ancient history, but perceptions aren't changed as quickly as quality controls, and improvements in engineering and design. The XG300 is the future, and the future looks bright for Hyundai, at least in terms of product.

Interior Features

Sitting in the driver's seat, almost everything is friendly and familiar. A smooth, quiet dash houses easy-to-read gauges in a well-shaded recess. All the necessary controls for the sound system and air conditioning fall readily to hand, with the stereo properly positioned above the ventilation panel. Audiophiles will likely find the stereo lacks dynamic range. Faux-wood trim accents suggest luxury. Trimmed in light-colored leather, it is an attractive interior. Seats, front and rear, are comfortable, walking that fine line between aggressive and soft; they are flat like a Mercedes seat, but lack support in the seat bottom. A center head restraint in the rear seat would reassure the rare fifth passenger, but the XG300 does have the new, ISO-specification anchors for child safety seats across the rear bench. Rear head restraints lock into their selected positions for improved safety, ratcheting forward for comfortable adjustment. When in position, they block rearward vision somewhat, but can be removed (with a struggle) when not being used. Tested by the tape measure, the XG300's interior is more than merely competitive. Only the Ford Taurus and Nissan Maxima offer more front seat head room, and by less than an inch. Only the Maxima has more front seat leg room, with the XG300 besting the rest by more than an inch. Rear-seat passengers can wear taller hats than friends and neighbors riding in the Taurus, Maxima, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Intrepid or Toyota Avalon. One place the XG300 brings up the rear is in trunk space, giving up more than one half a cubic foot to the next smallest trunk, the Maxima's. The XG300's has an inside release in deference to growing concerns about children unwittingly locking themselves in car trunks; a nice plus is the release doubles as a pull-down for closing the trunk, sparing hands the road grime that commonly attaches itself to a car's back end. Garment hooks inside reflect thoughtfulness. Instead of being suspended from roof-mounted, rear-seat assist grips, they fold out from the headliner, making them much more user-friendly -- and less likely to dump the week's dry cleaning onto the floor.