'04 XG vs '97-'01 Accord-same size?

So far, I've only sat in a 2004 XG and noticed the dash is higher than
in my current '2001 Accord.  For those of you who have driven both cars
(Accord model '97-'01 and 2003 or 2004 XG), does one car feel larger
than the other when driving?  I'm a little concerned the XG might feel
like a boat (I think Jason said that's why he chose Sonata), which
might overwhelm me.

 

Yeah, that's what I said.

 

Well, my wife and I are both 5'5", and the XG350 is pretty comfortable for
us. Previous cars were an '89 Legend and '86 Accord. While the 350 is a
little larger than the Accord, the Sonata (to me at least) felt more like a
slightly roomier version of my wife's Honda Civic - which I hate driving.
Then again, it's possible the newer 350s may be larger than the '02 I have.

It was my first test drive of the XG350 (after reading a AAA Westways rave),
that sold me. That's really is going to be your only true test. You'll need
to drive both the Sonata 6cyl that you're interested in and the XG350. I
went to different dealers and did both city and freeway driving. This was
good to see how different dealers behaved, and to see how the car drove in
different environments - i.e. more urban, more stop and go traffic, freeway,
etc.

You should also compare options on both models. I found that a similarly
equipped Sonata with options was only a couple of thousand less than a fully
equipped XG350, and not as luxurious a car. Again, this might not be the
case now.
Good luck,

 

My loaded Sonata LX was about $4000 less than a loaded XG350L.

Also, the Sonata is a much nicer car than the Civic (unless you buy
the base model). Still, it is a "sportier" ride than the XG350. If
you're looking for a very smooth ride, the XG350 is for you.
Personally, I like to be able to feel the road.