Before the 1988 Seoul Olympics, most of the luxury car market of South Korea was held by Daewoo Motors and its Royale Series.

From October 1978, Hyundai's top offering in South Korea was a locally built Ford Granada Mark II.

In the early eighties, Mitsubishi Motors also wanted to renew its aging Debonair model, which had not been substantially updated since its market launch in 1964.

As Hyundai was an official sponsor of 1988 Seoul Olympics, it used this opportunity to notify all the executives and important people about their new car, the Grandeur.

The Kia Opirus (Amanti in North America) shared a modified variant of the Grandeur/XG platform.

The "L" model included heated front seats, rear seat reading lamps, two-position driver's side memory seat and outside mirrors, power moonroof, 6-speaker Infinity AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo system, wood-tone accented steering wheel, electrochromic rearview mirror with a built-in three-channel HomeLink-compatible garage door opener, and a parking aid feature that automatically tilted the dual exterior mirrors downward when the transmission is in reverse.

While providing 2 hp (1.5 kW) more horsepower than the previous engine, it offered an additional 38 lb⋅ft (52 N⋅m) of torque, now rated at 216 lb⋅ft (293 N⋅m).

In the 2004 model year, the XG350 received larger front brakes (discs went from 10.9- to 12-inch), which in turn required a 16-inch spare tire as standard equipment, replacing the 'space-saver' design used since 2001.

Also new this year were restyled front and rear bumpers, bodyside moldings, headlights (now with HID availability), driving lights, tail lamps, grille, and deck lid with recessed license plate holder.

The interior wood-tone trim changed to a lighter shade, glove compartment and storage bins were now covered in charcoal gray material (formerly black), the door-mounted power window switch panels now matched the interior colour (previously, they were high-gloss wood-tone), recessed seat tethers allowed for secure installation of child seats in all three rear seat positions, and the trunk hinges were now supported using hydraulic pistons.

Standard equipment leather upholstery was available in solid deep charcoal or a two-tone finish featuring a tan interior with brown dashboard/centre console and upper door trim.

The L versions were equipped with specific 12-spoke silver-painted allow rims featuring centre caps covering the lug nuts.

Minor equipment changes inside included redesigned levers for the hood release and tilt steering column, an updated cruise control switch, a recessed trunk pull-down handle, and leather trim around the console armrest tray.

It is sold as the Hyundai Azera in North America, China, France, Taiwan, Philippines, Iran, Malaysia, The GCC (Persian Gulf states), South Africa, Singapore, Peru, Chile and Brazil.

The Azera has a four-wheel independent suspension (multi-link in the rear) and uses the company's new 3.8 L Lambda V6, which produces 265 hp (198 kW).

The power is sent to the front wheels through a five or six-speed automatic transmission with a "Shiftronic" manual gear selection.

The Limited trim level adds 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, leather seat-upholstery, and a power sun shade in the rear window.

The 2009 model featured revised grille, 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, blue back lit gauges and dashboard lighting (vs. the previous green), dark brown wood grain accents and available hands free Bluetooth phone capability.

The Korean Grandeur offers features not available in North American version, including as Proximity Key with Push Button Start and Bluetooth hands-free capability.

A refreshed 2010 model was released on 16 December 2009 that incorporated new 7 split-spoke alloy wheels, LED taillights, rectangular exhaust pipe designs, new side mirrors, redesigned headlights, and new front fascia and grille.

New interior amenities include Alcantara leather seats and rear passenger audio and climate controls.

For model year 2011, Hyundai restyled the Azera with new front and rear fascias, new alloy wheels, and new fog lamps.

The engines were updated with dual variable valve timing and the transmission received one more forward speed for a total of six.

The Premium model features adaptive cruise control and a semi-automatic parking assist system.

Korean version equipment includes auto high beam, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, and electric park brake.

It is a version of Hyundai Grandeur for South Korea market, with 2.4-litre Theta II MPi (159PS) engine, 47PS electric motor, projector beam headlights, LED tail lights, a dual exhaust system, 17-inch aluminum wheels, Nappa leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and wood grain trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated seats, a rear view camera, a USB charging system, an infotainment system with a 6-inch display.

Interior changes include a new optional 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system, new shift-by-wire (SBW) buttons replacing the old gear lever, and a new touchscreen for climate controls.

[27] The exterior features DRL and positioning lamps that are seamlessly connected in a full-width horizontal layout with integrated turn signal functions, and cowl points that have moved to the rear.

The interior has a wrap-around structure, featuring softly spreading ambient mood lamps and a pattern on the door trim designed with a Korean feel.

[17] The Hyundai Genesis sedan is considered by auto journalists to be a rival to the aforementioned full-size and near-luxury vehicles that the 2012 Azera is positioned against, such as the Ford Taurus, Toyota Avalon, and Buick LaCrosse.