Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock ensure confident stops. Along the route, we make a brief pilgrimage to the famous Sokkuram Grotto, home of a historic giant Buddha that was carved from granite more than 1,200 years ago. Then we're off to a resort hotel in nearby Kyongju, the ancient capital of the Shilla Kingdom, which ruled Korea in the first millennium. From some angles, the XG resembles the new Lincoln LS sedan. In terms of fittings and equipment, it's an easy rival to the Lexus ES 300.
Safety equipment includes ABS, traction control and dual front and side air bags.
In addition to a clutchless manual shift mode, the transmission has a great feature I'd like to see on more cars. It's a great convenience for situations like we encountered in descending some steep curves that called for rapid downshifts. The big V-6 is also a superb engine, with lots of torque at the low end and more than ample passing power. Hyundai quotes a fuel consumption figure of around 22 miles per gallon with the five-speed automatic. Hyundai officials say they plan to show the Grandeur XG to selected American consumers in private clinics, beginning in June.