Along the scenic route between San Diego and southern California’s wine country near Temecula, we had a chance to get a sense of how the 2006 Hyundai Azera behaves in city and highway driving, and a few twisty segments uncovered what this large sedan has, or doesn’t have, to offer driving enthusiasts.

Walking away from the experience left us with mixed feelings. There’s lots to love about driving the Azera, including its comfortable driving position aided by the power seat, power adjustable pedals, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and excellent visibility (those large mirrors and small windows in the rear pillars really help). And that 263-horsepower V6 provides plenty of punch for any situation; even at full revs it sounds thoroughly refined, serving to keep the cabin, with its triple-sealed doors, extremely quiet. The five-setting front seat heaters work quickly, and the radio and climate controls are all within an easy reach. The suspension absorbs road irregularities with nary a mention to the car’s occupants. Add in well-modulated, capable brakes, and you’ve got the recipe for a great cruiser.

And if the 2006 Hyundai Azera is anything, it’s a cruiser – great for comfortable, stress-free jaunts around town or cross-country treks. But for someone who enjoys driving, the Azera is a snooze…consider it the Korean Buick Roadmaster. The five-speed automatic transmission operates fine under normal driving conditions, but when looking for immediate passing power on the straight-aways, there was a noticeable delay before the tranny kicked down a few gears to offer up the necessary gusto. The Shiftronic feature is a nice touch, though transitioning through the gears requires holding the shifter forward or back for a second or two rather the simple tapping motion found on competitors. Steering is light and never truly communicative, there’s a good dose of body roll in even the most gradual sweeping curves, and the total lack of side seat bolsters doesn’t help in tighter corners. During our drive, the word uttered most often was “floaty.” For those people who seldom find themselves on twisty roads and enjoy setting the cruise control at 65 mph on long stretches of straight asphalt, the Hyundai Azera is sure to impress. However, if “hairpin” and “decreasing radius” are terms associated with your weekend plans, this is not the ride for you.