Introduced for the 1999 model year, this nameplate marked Hyundai’s entry into the upper end of the full-size luxury sedan class. It was developed as a flagship model for the Korean market and, in some export markets, wore a different badging strategy while still representing Hyundai’s top-tier sedan offering. Early versions emphasized traditional chauffeur-oriented luxury, with long-wheelbase variants helping establish its premium positioning at home and abroad.
A major redesign arrived for the 2009 model year, bringing a more modern platform and a rear-wheel-drive layout that aligned the car more closely with established luxury competitors. That second-generation version also broadened the model’s appeal with more advanced powertrain and technology offerings, while remaining focused on comfort, prestige, and rear-seat refinement. Hyundai continued to use the nameplate as its flagship sedan through the first half of the 2010s, after which the company shifted its premium strategy toward the Genesis brand and the G90 replacement. The result was a model that became one of Hyundai’s most recognizable luxury nameplates and an important bridge between the company’s earlier premium efforts and its later standalone luxury lineup.