A softly sculpted front end showcases an upright grille, flanked by clear-lensed, multi-component headlights. A smoothly integrated, monochromatic bumper houses nicely Frenched foglamps. The side view offers a modestly crisp beltline blending into gently rounded shoulders at the rear. The boot proffers the only clear Hyundai indicia: taillights reminiscent of the Sonata and a bold, horizontal strip of brightwork beneath the trademark Hyundai logo.

The glass house balances openness with structure. The slim windshield pillars minimize blind spots. High-ceilinged side windows add to the airy atmosphere. The outside door handles are very well designed: attractive, comfortable, and easy to grab.

Close visual examination reveals hints of the Infiniti Q45, the Lincoln LS and even the Jaguar S-Type. The Hyundai shows a bit more bevel 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.

Before its introduction last year, Hyundai stripped the badges off of an XG and asked focus groups to rate its desirability. In these anonymous appearances, the big Hyundai bested the Oldsmobile Intrigue and Nissan Maxima, and gave the upscale Acura TL a run for its money. When the XG appeared with a Hyundai logo, the focus groups deep-sixed it. This would seem to indicate that (1) the XG is a competitively handsome near-luxury car, but (2) Hyundai hasn't yet established a credible reputation in this upscale market. The new XG350 should go some way to change that perception, though perceptions are often much slower to change than reality. Hyundai has been hard at work on improving the quality of its products for the past several years and it shows.