XG350

Hyundai introduced this nameplate in the U.S. for the 2002 model year, when it replaced the 2001 XG300 after a major update to the car’s powertrain and identity. It was Hyundai’s near-luxury front-wheel-drive sedan for buyers who wanted an upscale alternative without moving into premium-brand pricing, and it helped establish the brand’s early-2000s push upmarket. For 2004, Hyundai refreshed the car with revised exterior styling, and the model continued to serve as the company’s flagship sedan in America through the mid-2000s. The nameplate was discontinued after the 2005 model year, when Hyundai launched the Azera as its successor. In Hyundai’s U.S. history, this car is remembered as the bridge between the earlier XG300 and the later Azera, marking the point where the brand’s large sedan line became more modern and more clearly positioned as a value-oriented luxury challenger.