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Hyundai XG300 and XG350
2117 messages, Last post on May 04, 2013 at 7:24 PM
You are in the Hyundai XG300/XG350 Forum.What is this discussion about? Hyundai XG300, Hyundai XG350, Performance Mods, Sedan
#1435 of 2117 News Release Does Have Pictures by specialdoc2002
Jun 17, 2003 (6:20 pm)
Hyundai is getting a head start on the 2004 model year with the release of the luxurious 2004 Hyundai XG350 this summer. Hyundai’s flagship sedan is revised and even more refined for 2004.Some of the changes are easy to see; the 2004 XG350 has been tastefully restyled with a new grille, new headlight design, a new front bumper and a new front air dam with projection fog lamps. The new front end with a horizontal design airdam gives the XG a wider, more stable look and the projection fog lights give the front end a more sophisticated look.
Along the side the waistline molding is wider and at the rear there is a new decklid, new rear bumper, new taillight design and even the CHMSL (Center High Mount Stop Lamp) is new, using a bright LED light in place of the previous bulb-type light. The license plate has been moved from the rear bumper up to an inset in the decklid, giving the XG a taller, more stately look.
Slipping inside the luxurious cabin, the driver and passengers will find standard leather seating and some minor refinements such as lighter color woodgrain trim with a new pattern. Other refinements for the interior include a revised hood release lever, a redesigned tilt steering lever and the child seat tether anchors in the parcel shelf are now covered when not in use. Gas-operated lifters for the rear decklid make it easier to open. The little changes and refinements help build an excited customer base and even the seemingly insignificant details add up to delight customers.
Other refinements include a redesigned cruise control pod with ribs between the button to improve the “feel” of the switch and a new trunk pull-down handle. For 2004 even small trim details have been upgraded. For example, the lower tray of the front center armrest, which was uncovered plastic last year, has been leather-wrapped for the 2004 model year. Upgrades like these show true attention to detail.
The Hyundai value story continues with new standard features for 2004 including: rear reading lights mounted in the C-pillars, Electrochromic rearview mirror and the versatile HomeLink system.
Many of the refinements and upgrades to the 2004 model Hyundai XG350 are not so readily apparent. For one, the size of the front brakes has been increased. The diameter of the front brake rotors has been increased from 10.9-inches up to 12.1 inches. In addition, the spare tire has been upgraded to a full-size Michelin tire mounted on a matching alloy wheel.
When the luxurious Hyundai XG sedan was introduced three years ago, Hyundai asked U.S. car buyers a question. Would they spend nearly $25,000 for a Hyundai vehicle? It turns out the answer is a resounding yes. Sales of the XG, the largest, most luxurious and most expensive Hyundai ever sold in the U.S. have exceeded company plans and expectations.
The XG was first introduced in 2001 as the XG300. For the 2002 model year, the engine displacement was increased from 3.0-liters up to 3.5-liters, and as a result the XG300 became the XG350. Larger than Hyundai’s midsize Sonata model, the XG350 comes with a full complement of standard luxury features. The Hyundai XG350, a four-door, five-passenger sedan, offers buyers luxury features at middle sedan prices. Two trim levels are offered: XG350 and XG350L
For the 2004 model year, the XG350 continues to offer buyers the best value in the segment with an outstanding list of standard features including five-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic manual control, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, dual front airbags and front seat side-impact airbags, leather seating surfaces, fully automatic temperature control, 16-inch alloy wheels fitted with Michelin tires, cruise control, keyless entry with alarm, projector beam headlamps, trip computer and much more.
“The XG350 continues to be a great value,” said Finbarr O’Neill, president and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor America. “It offers the roominess and luxury of cars costing much more and delivers on Hyundai’s promise of superior value.”
Last year the XG350 dashboard and instrument panel was revised to feature a new, easy-to-read instrument cluster and trip computer display with improved graphics and a brighter display. The speedometer is located in the middle of the display, the tachometer is on the left side and the fuel level and engine coolant temperature gauges are in a large display on the right.
The XG350 is powered by a sophisticated, high-torque 3.5-liter V6 engine. It is a double overhead cam design and develops 194 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 216 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 RPM. The engine is mounted transversely and has a variable intake system and anti-vibration balance shaft. The vehicle’s overall length is 191.9 inches, overall width 71.9 inches and overall height 55.9 inches. The wheelbase is 108.3 inches.
The XG350 features Hyundai’s five-speed dual-gate Shiftronic automatic transmission with manual shift override. The Shiftronic transmission provides automatic or manual gear selection, allowing the driver to manually shift up or down the transmission range. The transmission is also fully adaptive, adjusting to the individual driving techniques of each driver.
The XG350 suspension features independent double wishbones in the front with an anti-roll bar. The rear features a multi-link suspension with dynamic toe control and anti-roll bar. Nitrogen gas-filled shocks are used at all four wheels.
The front shock absorbers have special low-velocity control valving to provide excellent high-speed ride control while still delivering a smooth ride.
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on every XG350 model as is the four-wheel, four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS). For 2004, the size of the front brake rotor has been increased from 10.9-inches up to 12.1-inches.
Every 2004 model XG350 is equipped with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) which is designed to enhance braking control. The EBD is a sub-system of the standard ABS system that eliminates the standard front/rear proportioning valve and uses instead precision sensors and electronics already installed as part of the ABS system. The EBD is designed to increase the performance of the rear brakes by delivering ideal brake force distribution to the rear wheels as well as adjust brake proportioning based on vehicle load or weight. The EBD is controlled by the ABS Control Module which calculates the slip ratio of each wheel at all times and maximizes brake pressure to the rear wheels, but never lets it exceed the pressure to the front wheels.
Comfort features in addition to those already mentioned include AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo system with six speakers, trip computer, power door locks, power windows, exterior mirrors with heated mirror elements and power driver and passenger seats.
The XG350 is availa
#1436 of 2117 by pat
Jun 18, 2003 (6:53 am)
Here is a direct link to that press release: http://www.hyundainews.com/presskit2003/2004XG350PressRelease.htmThere is a link to a photo gallery at the top of the page. The pictures are little. Click on them and they become humongous! (I wouldn't try it from a dial-up.) ; )
#1437 of 2117 Problems/Concerns? by dekester
Jun 19, 2003 (1:27 pm)
I've been reading this board the past few days and see that there have been very little complaints about the car, except for transmissions needing reprogramming and the touchy throttle.Are there any major problems or issues to look for? My wife wants a Santa Fe, but I think I've got her talked into looking at and driving the XG350L. It's priced UNDER the SF - got a quote over the internet for a 2003 XG350L of $22,500, while Santa Fe's loaded are running $24K. We don't need an SUV or 4WD.
Appreciate any help you can show me on this car.
Deke
#1438 of 2117 Problems / Concerns with XG350() by specialdoc2002
Jun 19, 2003 (5:54 pm)
I don't think that the car has any major problems or issues, but I do think that you can find a price closer to $20K.#1439 of 2117 Ditto by coalcracker
Jun 20, 2003 (11:55 am)
I agree with #1438. I know you can purchase a XG350L for about $20,000 in the Washington, D.C. area. I have 1100 miles on my car with no problems. My friend has a 3yr old XG300L with over 32,000 miles and he has not had one single problem. The 300 is the previous model with a 3.0 engine. The 350 has a 3.5 engine but essentially is the same car.#1440 of 2117 XG350 leading the pack in my new car seach by garyandrews
Jun 21, 2003 (7:42 pm)
I've been reading this board for several weeks, as I'm currently shopping for my next car. First of all, thank you to everyone. This is really valuable stuff to read, particularly for this car -- since there aren't a ton of them on the road.This will be the first of two posts: One detailing my experience so far in my car search. This is for the benefit of anyone else who's comparing a bunch of cars in this price range. The second will be my opinion on the 2004 model, which I actually saw on the road today.
I currently drive a 2001 Lexus IS300. The lease is up in Sept., and I'm not going to keep it. For a variety of reasons, I want something that drives more like a luxury sedan than a sports sedan, is bigger, and is front-wheel drive, and want to spend mid- to high-$20s. So, after going to the auto show and doing some reading, I came up with the following "long list" of cars to test drive:
Mazda 6
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Honda Accord
Hyundai XG350
I've now test-driven all of these, with 6 cylinder engines, although my XG350 test drive regrettably did not include a highway stretch. Here's my observations:
Mazda 6 -- I had high hopes for this car, but it did not make my "short list." It's too sporty a ride for my taste, and a fairly noisy engine. Also, the interior tries too hard to look futuristic, and comes off as cheesy to me. Besides that, the interior materials were cheap, or at least didn't look very good. Also on the small side of these cars. (I'm 6' 4", so room is an important consideration.)
Nissan Maxima - Very nice car. Interior suffers from some of the same issues as Mazda6: trying-too-hard, futuristic look, and materials that, while better than the Mazda, are unacceptable for a car pushing $30M (in the configuration I want). I drove the Luxury suspension version, which I think should be softer than it is, particularly since there is a sport suspension available. I like this car, but probably not enough to justify the extra $$.
Nissan Altima - Very good power and room for the price. Why they only make the V6 available with the sport suspension is beyond me. Therefore, the ride is a bit stiffer than I'd prefer. This car is probably off the "short list".
Honda Accord - I've never driven a Honda before, and I expected this drive to be boring. But the Accord is actually a bit of fun. Interior materials are very nice (second only to the Hyundai among this list). I actually found the seats to be a bit restricive in the lower back. Good power. I'm not crazy about how the back end looks. This is also probably the 2nd smallest car on my list. I think this car is the safe choice of the bunch, and really has a lot going for it. But the smallish size is a significant drawback for me.
Hyundai XG350 -- I continue to be impressed by this car. Its so well equipped, and well-priced. I expected that it would end up being a car that didn't actually ride all that nice, but was dressed up to look like it did. I was dead wrong. This car really has a nice ride. Roomy. Very adequate power. For some reason, the back end bugs me, but the rest of the car is very attractive. To be honest, I drove this car out of curiosity, and it was a real darkhorse on my list. It has become the front-runner, given the styling changes for 2004. I do still need to drive it on the highway, as I'm interested in how quiet the ride is. I'm not a big fan of road noise, wind noise or engine noise on the highway. If this car leads the pack in that category this will probably be my new ride. This is very possible, since I've not been blown away by any of the others in that way.
So, given what I'm looking for in a car, here's the order of preference, as of today: XG350, Accord and Maxima (tied), Altima (nearly off the list), Mazda (off the list).
Realistically, I think I'm looking for a $40,000 quality ride for $25,000 -- and the XG350 seems to be the only game in town.
#1441 of 2117 opinion of 2004 changes - saw one on the road by garyandrews
Jun 21, 2003 (8:02 pm)
I've been eagerly awaiting news of the changes for 2004, and was very pleased to read the press release and see the pictures above. I think they made some very positive changes.The XG350 caught my eye at the auto show this past winter in Cleveland. I don't think I'd ever seen one before. What attracted me was the nice looking front end, and how well equipped it was for the price. I see one on the road a couple of times a week, and as one comes toward me, I'm usually asking myself, "What is that really nice-looking car with the grille?" And I'm still a bit surprised that it turns out to the the Hyundai.
However, the back end has always bugged me. I can't pinpoint why, but the taillights just don't look quite right, and the trunk seems to have a strange shape. I feel like it looks dated.
They've really done a nice job re-vamping the back. This is now a VERY good looking car. I think the back now looks like a Mercedes. The new wheels look good, too. I don't personally think the front-end changes make a big difference, but I don't dislike any of them. Adding homelink was a meaningful feature.
And, for those who don't trust pictures, I actually saw one today. It was parked in the lot as I was parking at a store, and I saw that the driver was inside. So I figured I'd ask him how he likes it, since I don't know anyone who owns one, and don't see them that often. It wasn't until I was walking up to the car from behind that I realized it was the 2004. It turns out that it was a rental. The guy has had it for a few weeks while he's between cars. I was shocked. I called the local dealer here on Thursday, and he said he didn't think he'd have any until July. Plus, that news release has only been out there a few days, I think.
The guy was very impressed with the car, and was surprised when I told him what it sells for. He said he's taken it on several multi-hour trips, and believes it rides like a Lexus.
I'm looking forward to checking one out in more detail when they arrive at the dealer.
#1442 of 2117 Check Engine light by specialdoc2002
Jun 27, 2003 (5:41 am)
My wife drives our XG350L every day. On Wednesday morning when she started it up, the Check Engine light came on and stayed on. She shut it down and tried it again, same thing. Drove several trips that morning and it was always on. Then, in afternoon, started it up and it was not on. And hasn't come on since. Car seems to be running OK.Anyone seen this?
#1443 of 2117 Specialdog2002- engine light.... by cambrea
Jun 27, 2003 (3:09 pm)
I had similar situation long time ago.I took it to the dealership, and they told me that they only found 'gas cap open' sign from on-board computer.
The light went off after few days and no problem since then.
#1444 of 2117 Repl: Garyandrews by idfored
Jun 29, 2003 (1:00 am)
Have you driven XG350 on a highway yet? You will love it. I remember someone in this forum said it drives like a champ. I agree and I find myself leaving other cars way behind me after stopping at signal. I drove a rented Volvo S80 last week in Hawaii and I do not miss it much (the volvo responded better, XG more comfortable inside).To POST a message, please
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