From the driver's seat, almost everything about the XG350 is friendly and familiar. The hefty steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather invites spirited inputs and features nicely designed cruise controls. A smooth, quiet dashboard houses gauges in a well-shaded recess. Revised for 2003, the instruments are straightforward, clearly marked and easy to read, using white markings on a black background. The speedometer is placed 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.

Audio and climate controls are mounted high on the center dash, with the stereo properly positioned above the climate control panel. Buttons for both are large, clearly marked and easy to operate. LED readouts are large and easy to read. The stereo features an in-dash CD player, but lacks dynamic range. A trip computer above the audio/climate controls includes a clock that's easy to read. A big emergency flasher button is mounted just to the right of the steering wheel, easy to reach when quickly for those times when the traffic ahead comes to a sudden standstill. Faux-wood trim suggests luxury.

XG350 offers more rear-seat headroom than the Taurus, Maxima, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Intrepid or Toyota Avalon. Rear-seat head restraints lock into their selected positions and ratchet forward, making them more effective at preventing injuries. When in position, they block rearward vision somewhat, but they can be removed (with a struggle) when not being used. XG350 does not have a head restraint for the center of the rear seat. However, it does have ISO-specification anchors for child safety seats across the rear bench.

The design of the garment hooks reflects some attention to detail. Instead of being suspended from the roof-mounted assist grips, they fold out from the headliner, making them much more user-friendly, and less likely to dump the week's dry cleaning onto the floor. Few manufacturers make garment hooks that work as well as this Hyundai's.

Trunk space is more limiting, where the XG lags behind mid-size sedans. Like with most new cars, the XG's trunk features an inside release, useful for children or car-jacking victims who find themselves locked in the trunk. A nice plus is that the release doubles as a pull-down for closing the lid, sparing your hands from road grime.