Even though its name originates from the Turkish word for “lion,” the Hyundai Aslan’s aim was never to become a roaring beast on the road.

Driving comfort was the top priority in the car’s whole development process. And the efforts seem to have paid off to create a far quieter and smoother-riding premium Hyundai sedan.

Hyundai Motor has been losing the lucrative luxury segment to its European rivals, especially Germans, as an increasing number of premium customers are turning their eyes to foreign brands on its home turf.

In a bid to lure back the customers who the carmaker says have started feeling a sense of fatigue from driving German rear-wheel drive, diesel-powered sedans, Hyundai has come up with a more comfortable and roomier, front-wheel drive model. 

Slotted between the Grandeur and Genesis, the Aslan shares the high-strength steel chassis and V-6 engines with the Grandeur. The car looks bigger due to the voluminous front end, but it’s a shame that the overall styling is not fresh.

The inviting cabin continues the carmaker’s commitment to raising its design game. Leather seats are handsomely shaped and bolstered. Front seats offer best-in-class legroom, and rear seats are more spacious than rear-drive sedans in its class.

The focus on driving comfort has made the Aslan a more elegant cruiser for relaxing commutes and road trips even compared to its siblings.

The test-drive car was the high-end G330 model with an engine capacity of 3,342 cc that churns out 294 horsepower.

The car cruises quietly and takes the edge off virtually any road surface. The body leans during faster corners, but not excessively.

Lavish features like the head-up display, the touch-screen navigation system and the Lexicon audio system allow smarter and more enjoyable driving.

The carmaker needs to glean more from its German rivals on sophisticated steering and handling. On-center tracking was equally lacking.

The Aslan is not a Mercedes stand-in or an Audi fighter even though Hyundai executives aspired to challenge the German premium brands. But the car, equipped with generous features, modern style and practicality at fair prices, is a winning car on its own.

All three trims ― modern, premium and exclusive ― are available and the price tag ranges from 39.9 million won to 42.4 million won ($38,000-$40,000) depending on the options.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)