Hyundai sport-ute rides with the big boys

Hyundai is at it again.

This time, it attacks the upper-end sport-utility market with its luxurious-feeling Veracruz Limited. That’s the South Korean automaker’s top-level sport-ute, and it’s on par with some of the top models on the market.

The test vehicle was a sparkling black Veracruz Limited loaded with what Hyundai calls its “ultimate” package: a $2,950 option that includes adjustable pedals, memory power seats, a power tilt/telescope steering wheel, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with surround sound and a 115-volt outlet, rain-sensing wipers, lighted door sills and a remote key fob.

That, along with $125 for carpeted floor mats, takes a fancy sport ute that starts at $32,305, including destination charges, to $35,380. Sounds like a lot, but is smack dab in the middle of the luxury sport-ute market that includes Acura’s MDX, Buick’s new Enclave and the Lexus RX350.

On performance numbers, it competes well with all of them.

Veracruz, in all its models, features a 3.8-liter V-6 that generates 260 horsepower. The Acura, for example, has a 3.7-liter V-6 that creates 300 horses, while the Lexus 3.5-liter V-6 creates 270 horses and Buick’s 3.6-liter V-6 delivers 275.

Size is similar, too. The Veracruz checks in at 190.6 inches long, while the Acura is 190.7. The Buick is longer at 201.8 and the Lexus slightly shorter at 186.2 inches.

Note, too, that the Veracruz can be had for less than the Limited’s mid-$30,000 price tag. The base GLS model starts at $26,305 with the all-wheel-drive model starting at $28,005. Moving up to the mid-level SE puts the starting price to $28,005 and $29,705 for the AWD version.

So how does it drive?

Pretty well, starting with the handling, which features fairly firm steering with a heavy wheel feel. Most folks will associate that with quality because it’s similar to that of the Japanese luxury makes. More importantly, the Veracruz corners well. You can put it into a corner at speed and it will track well with little lean and without the rear-end wanting to come around.

Hyundai assures solid control with both stability and traction control systems to help keep the wheels from spinning in the wet, or the ute from wanting to swap ends. All that is controlled through the braking system, an anti-lock system with discs front and rear. These do a great job of stopping the heavy feeling ute, too.

The engine also provides plenty of power, but the gearing in the smooth six-speed automatic gearbox isn’t quite what I’d expect here to boost speed. This one is a little slow away from stoplights but picks up the pace after about 35 mph. You can tromp the gas pedal to get it up to speed more quickly, but normal acceleration is a little lackluster.

Ride is good in most conditions, and its long wheelbase helps. But a bit more dampening could take the edge off the ride on really bumpy roads.

Inside, you’d be hard pressed to separate the Hyundai from the other luxury models in this price range. This one had a tan and brown leather interior with a dark brown dash top and steering wheel, plus a wood-look trim between the dark textured top and lighter lower portion of the dash. Buttons and dials feature a pewter-look finish.

Seating is mildly contoured but very comfortable, front and rear. Veracruz also comes with a fold-down third-row seat that when stowed gives you oodles of storage space in back. Both rear seats are easy to maneuver and have plenty of cup holders, plus overhead lighting and air vents.

Other goodies include a sunroof and shade, steering wheel audio controls, HomeLink, keyless entry, a power rear hatch, trip computer, 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and Michelin tires, fog lights, a rear spoiler and roof rack. Add to that tire pressure monitoring and side airbag curtain, a couple safety features that often add cost to the vehicle.

The Hyundai’s radio sounds great, too. The controls for it, as well as for the automatic dual climate control system, are easy to get at and use.

Gas mileage is good for a ute. I got 22.5 mpg in about an even mix of city and highway driving. The EPA says to expect 18 mpg city and 25 highway. All-wheel-drive models get a little less.

Complaints? Other than the somewhat slow pickup when pulling away from a stoplight, I’d like to see sun visors that slide to block out side sun. Other than that, Veracruz is a worthy competitor in its market.

Sept. 14, 2007
Savage on Wheels
Mark Savage

Test Drive: Veracruz seems more luxury than mainstream

Hyundai’s 2008 Veracruz is mechanically identical to the ’07. The only changes are a few more available options and the way some features and options are packaged.

Being either bold or absurd, South Korean car company Hyundai compares its newest SUV, Veracruz, to the Lexus RX 350.

The vehicle’s $27,000 starting price, for instance, is “$11,000 below Lexus RX 350,” Hyundai bragged when it launched the vehicle earlier this year.

The popular Lexus crossover SUV was the benchmark that Hyundai used developing the Veracruz, says John Krafcik, vice president in charge of product design for Hyundai Motor America. The automaker needed a so-called stretch goal because it knew that the Veracruz would hit the market amid redesigned Toyota Highlander and, next year, Honda Pilot, as well as the new Mazda CX-9 and General Motors’ Saturn Outlook/GMC Acadia twins.

Hyundai hoped a premium treatment of a mainstream model could give it an advantage. Trend-meisters call that the “democratization of luxury” — deluxe features and luxury execution in mid-price products.Drive time in a 2008 Veracruz shows that Hyundai came close enough.

Hyundai launched Veracruz in the spring as a 2007 model but has replaced it after a few months with the mechanically identical 2008. Only changes are a few more available options and the way some features and options are packaged.

Test model was an ’08, close to loaded and priced about $39,000, which is enough to make you think at least twice before choosing it instead of a more proven model.

“When you buy a Toyota, you don’t have to explain. When you buy a Hyundai, especially a $35,000 Hyundai, you have to explain,” acknowledges Krafcik. “We hope you can just sit your neighbor in the vehicle and that will explain.”

Salients during the drive, which was a mix of suburban runaround and highway jaunts.

•Driving feel: Good; well-balanced, almost sporty, at least by nose-heavy SUV standards.

Steering did as told and didn’t require multiple mini-corrections as some models (even premium brands) still do. Brakes felt firm enough to be reassuring. Suspension kept body movements in check sufficiently to encourage snappy cornering, yet provided a very smooth ride.

•Engine, transmission performance: Engine sound and feel were better than average in this category of vehicle, inviting a heavy foot. The six-speed automatic transmission shifted crisply up or down and was free of untoward, unpleasant, unwanted delays, stutters and stumbles that mar many reputable rivals’ gearboxes.

The snaky path for the gear lever was slightly balky and unnatural, though.

•Comfort: Seats in all rows were comfortable. First and second rows were actually roomy. The third row could accommodate adults briefly. The way-back has more legroom than Highlander, but at the expense of cargo room behind the third row, which is a minuscule 6.5 cubic feet.

The third row is split so you can fold half to stretch cargo space while using the other half for a seat. Toyota doesn’t give you that benefit on the redesigned Highlander, arguing that while it’s a nice feature to demonstrate in showrooms, nobody really uses the third row half-and-half, so why spend to make it so, and why complicate the raising and lowering mechanism?

Handiness is part of overall comfort, and it was more-or-less good in the tester.

Controls were big and obvious. Gauges likewise, but in the tester, the dashboard illumination couldn’t be dimmed sufficiently to avoid intruding on night vision. At night, you want as little light inside as possible. The darker the interior, the wider your eyes can open to see the dark road.

Ceiling notches where you grab the sun visors are on the outboard ends. Your hand naturally reaches for the inboard edge. New notches next year, Hyundai says.

Hookup for an iPod or other MP3 player was a throwback. It’s an FM modulator instead of a direct-to-the-stereo link. You plug in your MP3 as usual, but then have to tune the car’s radio to 88.3 on the FM band to receive the player’s signal and route it through the vehicle’s stereo. The ’09 Veracruz will have the conventional hard-wired link plus a USB port, Hyundai says.

The optional navigation system — first time Hyundai has offered a built-in navi — had the desirable bird’s-eye view that seems easier to read than the flat map view of most navigators. It lacked sufficient street names, however. And its color and size coding strangely showed some pretty puny paths as major byways, further confusing you in unfamiliar areas.

•Ambiance: The well-equipped tester seemed like a luxury vehicle rather than a loaded mainstreamer. Smooth, quiet, rich-looking and -feeling inside. More than equal to the challenge of Highlander and could be for CX-9 if you don’t need the best cargo space and can settle for slightly watered-down sportiness instead of the Mazda’s real thing.

No noises, mismatched parts or askew trim were noted; nothing to signal that Veracruz had cut corners in materials or manufacturing.

Hyundai, as a brand, gives mixed messages on quality and reliability. The brand scored exactly average in problems the first 90 days of ownership in this year’s widely watched Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power and Associates. That’s behind last year’s third-place finish, just behind Lexus.

Hyundai’s Accent was among the top three subcompact cars; Elantra was among the top three compacts; Tucson was among the top trio of compact SUVs.

Veracruz is essentially an enlarged Santa Fe, but it’s hard to predict whether the enlarging will help, hurt or not affect Veracruz when it’s included in next year’s IQS.

Hyundai, as a brand, has scored below average in Power’s dependability studies, which measure reliability of three-year-old vehicles. Accent was a top finisher among subcompacts, however. And each new Hyundai seems to improve.

The long Hyundai warranty, better than some luxury brands offer, provides some peace of mind.

The real question isn’t how well the Veracruz compares to the Lexus RX, but whether its $2,000 price advantage, roughly, is enough to draw buyers away from the likes of Highlander and CX-9.

2008 Hyundai Veracruz

•What is it? Midsize, seven-passenger crossover SUV new to Hyundai’s line; loosely speaking, a big Santa Fe. Available with front- or all-wheel drive. Manufactured in South Korea.

•How soon? 2007 model went on sale in March. Mechanically identical ’08 went on sale in August.

•How much? GLS front-wheel drive (FWD) starts at $27,595 including $695 destination charge. GLS all-wheel drive (AWD) is $29,295. SE FWD is $29,295. SE AWD is $30,995. Limited FWD is $34,745. Limited AWD is $36,445.

•How many? 20,000 to 25,000 a year.

•What’s the drivetrain? 3.8-liter V-6 rated 260 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 257 pounds-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm; six-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode; traction control.

Optional AWD normally operates as front-drive, shifts power to rears under hard acceleration and when fronts slip. Unusual among crossover SUVs, driver can lock AWD into 50/50 split for unusually challenging conditions.

•What’s the safety gear? Frontal, side-impact air bags in front, head-curtain air bags for all rows; anti-lock brakes; stability control.

•What’s the rest? Standard on all models: climate control with rear controls; AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 stereo with FM modulator hookup for MP3 devices; power steering, brakes, locks, mirrors, windows; cruise control; remote-control locks.

•How big? Longer, heavier than Toyota Highlander; shorter, lighter than Mazda CX-9; wider than either. Veracruz is 190.6 inches long, 76.6 inches wide, 71.1 inches tall with roof rack (68.9 inches without), on a 110.4-inch wheelbase.

Weight is listed as 4,266 pounds for FWD, 4,431 pounds for AWD. Cargo space in cubic feet is listed as 6.5 behind third row, 40 when third row’s folded, 86.8 when second, third row are folded.

Rated to tow 3,500 pounds. Rated to carry 1,477 (AWD) or 1,466 (FWD) pounds of people, cargo.

•How thirsty? FWD is rated 16 miles per gallon in town, 23 on the highway, 18 in combined driving. AWD is 15/22/18.

Test vehicle’s trip computer showed 14.3 mpg in 215 miles of mixed suburban and highway driving.

Regular (87-octane) gasoline is specified. Tank holds 20.6 gallons.

• Overall: Worthy of a shopper’s — even a luxury shopper’s — short list.

G. Chambers Williams III: Putting the ‘V’ in value

In the late 1980s, when I helped my then-teenage daughter purchase a used Hyundai Excel as a first vehicle, those cars were selling new for about $4,000.

The used one I found for her, which was already 2 or 3 years old, was a quite affordable $1,800.

This past week, I tested the new, 2007 Hyundai Veracruz crossover utility vehicle with a price tag of $38,020 — nearly 10 times as much as a new Excel 20 years ago — and marveled at how far this once-struggling South Korean brand has risen.After some early quality problems that have long since been corrected, Hyundai steadily has been building its reputation and product lineup to the point where the company is almost on the same scale as the top Japanese brands.

In the late ’80s, I couldn’t even envision a Hyundai vehicle in such a premium price range as the Veracruz. In fact, Toyota was just entering that lofty position with its new Lexus line of upscale vehicles, but there were no Toyota-branded vehicles at the starting price of the Veracruz, which is just $26,995 (including freight).

The 2007 Veracruz is an all-new midsize crossover SUV from Hyundai. It comes with a 3.8-liter V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. Designers benchmarked the Veracruz against the Lexus RX 350 luxury crossover.

Inflation is, of course, the reason for much of the increase in car prices during the past 20 years. But that’s not all. You’ll definitely get a lot more vehicle for the extra money in today’s market.

Our test vehicle was the top-of-the-line Veracruz Limited all-wheel-drive model (base price $34,695 with freight) with an options package that ran the total up, making it just about the highest-priced version you could find.

Whether U.S. consumers are ready to pay more than $38,000 for a Hyundai sport utility vehicle remains to be seen, considering that there are a lot of crossover competitors at this price (including a Lexus).

But at the starting price, with very few (if any) options tacked on to the sticker, the Veracruz comes across as a bargain.

Hyundai says that while the Veracruz was being developed, it was benchmarked against the Lexus RX 350, whose 2007 model begins at $38,115 (with freight) for the front-drive model, and $39,515 for the all-wheel drive.

Adding the options that were either standard or included on our Veracruz, though — including leather interior and a rear-seat entertainment system, sunroof, backup warning system and 18-inch alloy wheels, among other things — would push the all-wheel-drive RX 350 into the upper $40,000s.

The problem, of course, is that the Veracruz is not a Lexus, and the Hyundai name is not the attention-getter that Lexus is. But with prices starting $11,000 less than those of the RX 350, and with a similarly equipped Veracruz running $7,700 less than the base RX, Hyundai surely wins the value race.

Granted, those who would buy a Lexus and those who would buy a Hyundai are entirely different customers. But the point is that anyone who does choose the Veracruz can feel good about the purchase. This is a lot of vehicle for the money, no question.

The Hyundai also stacks up well against other popular crossovers that Veracruz shoppers might consider — the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano and Ford Edge. The base Veracruz GLS model with front-wheel drive lists for $3,265 less than a similarly equipped 2007 Highlander, and $3,712 less than the ’07 Pilot.

And while Hyundai might have a hard time taking customers away from Honda, Toyota and Nissan, it can offer a great crossover with lots of standard equipment to those who can’t quite afford one of those Japanese brands. The Veracruz really is on the same level, but with a lower price.

This is the third SUV in the Hyundai lineup. It joined the entry compact Tucson and midsize Santa Fe. The Veracruz is built on a stretched and widened Santa Fe chassis to allow for a roomy third row of seating, giving it a maximum capacity of seven.

There is more cargo volume — 86.8 cubic feet with the second and third seats folded — than in all of the Veracruz’s direct competitors except for the Pilot (87.6 cubic feet).

Under the hood is a 3.8-liter V-6 engine rated at 260 horsepower and 257 foot-pounds of torque. That’s more than the 244 horsepower of the Pilot and 240 horsepower of the Nissan Murano, and close to the power of the redesigned 2008 Highlander. (The 2007 Highlander has just 215 horsepower, however.)

The V-6 engine is connected to a new six-speed automatic transmission, another feature distinguishing the Veracruz from its competitors. Most of them have five-speed automatics, including the Pilot and the Highlander (including the 2008).

The Veracruz automatic comes with a clutchless manual-shift feature, however, which isn’t available with the Pilot, Highlander or Murano.

Fuel-economy ratings are quite decent for a roomy seven-passenger SUV. Using the 2007 EPA formula, the Veracruz is rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 on the highway vs. 18/24 for the Pilot, 19/25 for the ’07 Highlander and 19/24 for the Murano.

Inside, the Veracruz is quieter than the Pilot, with levels of noise and vibration that nearly match those of the Lexus RX, Hyundai says.

The Veracruz already has achieved the top five-star crash-test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in frontal- and side-impact testing for all front and rear passengers. It scored four stars in the rollover rating, which is the highest any of the crossovers have received.

Among standard safety features are electronic stability control with traction control, four-wheel disc antilock brakes, and side-curtain air bags for all three rows of seats. Hyundai is the leader in providing stability control as standard equipment on its vehicles, with 73 percent of its 2007 models so equipped vs. 42 percent of Honda’s vehicles, the closest competitor.

In designing the Veracruz, Hyundai went with an exterior quite similar to that of several of the newer crossovers, including the RX 350, Edge and Acura MDX, which is an upscale version of the Pilot. The styling was a product of Hyundai’s California studio and was tailored for American tastes.

Luxury abounds inside the Veracruz. There is nothing cheap or cheesy looking. The leather seats are optional on the base model, but standard on the Limited. Our vehicle also had woodgrain interior trim that gave it a premium look.

Standard on our Limited model were several items that usually are found only on premium brands, and then sometimes only as options. Among them were a power rear liftgate, automatic climate control and a backup warning system.

Base models come with a single-disc CD player that is MP3-capable, and it also has an auxiliary jack for connection of an iPod or other audio player. XM satellite radio is standard.

Our Limited model came with the uplevel Infinity audio system with a six-disc CD changer.

The rear DVD entertainment system on our test vehicle was part of the Ultimate Package ($3,200), which also added a premium black and saddle interior, adjustable pedals, power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, 115-volt power outlet and a keyless entry/start system. The key can be left in the pocket, and the doors unlock as the person with the key fob approaches the vehicle.

No navigation system is offered yet with the Veracruz.

All-wheel drive adds $1,700 to any trim level, which means that the Limited with just front drive would start at $32,995 (with freight).

I would expect that most Sun Belt buyers would choose the two-wheel drive model. But the all-wheel drive system is of value even outside the snowy climates.

It can direct up to half of the torque to the rear wheels, and there is a lock switch on the dash that can force it into the 50/50 mode. The Veracruz has 8.1 inches of ground clearance, which makes it suitable for some light off-road use; but as with most crossovers, this vehicle is not designed for rugged off-road use.

Besides the base and Limited models, there is the midlevel SE, which begins at $28,695 (with freight).

09/09/2007
San Antonio Express-News

Hyundai takes on Lexus – really

Its target is the RX350, a big station wagon with lots of leather and gadgets.

For the consumer, it’s just a Hyundai. It’s a name people still confuse with Honda and it’s a brand that conjures up zero images of upscale, prestigious or even plain luxury automobiles.

Hyundai tries and tries. With its Azera, it’s trying to zip past Toyota’s Avalon and even take a whack at BMW. We had an Azera for a week last year and it was a terrific car. Yet nobody looked at it.

With its Sonata sedan, Hyundai is going after Honda’s Accord or Nissan’s Altima and, to a certain degree, succeeding at the task, for a lot less money.

Now it’s the Veracruz, Hyundai’s new truly luxo SUV, a car that is taking dead aim at that holy of holies, the Lexus RX350, which really is a benchmark for quality big station wagons that smother you in leather and electronic gadgetry.

The Veracruz is apparently named for the state in Mexico (Hyundai, whose other SUVs are the Tucson and Santa Fe, really does have a thing for the Southwest), and it is actually the real item, when it comes to upscale SUVs.

This is not some gussied-up truck, embellished with items plucked from the parts bin of an upscale assembly line. It is, from the ground up, designed to swaddle you in broad seats (yes, leather is available), drown you in silence and make sure you are entertained (the requisite booming stereo for everyone; the optional DVD player for the second- and third-row passengers).

Yes, third row passengers. It’s standard on the Veracruz, allowing the car to carry seven people. And the seats fold easily into their own compartment.

Need more room in back? The second row seats have outboard handles that, when pulled, allow the seatbacks to quickly fold forward, giving nearly 87 cubic feet of stowage behind the front seats.

The Veracruz is a crossover utility vehicle and, as such, has enormous competition, even if it does set its sights mainly on the RX350, which costs thousands more but does have that imprimatur of Lexus, a brand that has surpassed Mercedes-Benz in terms of equation with luxury, valet parking, Ritz-Carlton hotels, etc.

When you get inside the Veracruz, you do see the similarities.

The seats are generously proportioned, the console has the double cubbies – a shallow one, on top, and a deeper one below – that help stow all that stuff you will find you never need anyway, and the steering wheel has electric up/down, in/out adjusting.

The most striking thing about this car – and I use striking advisedly since most of the car blends in with everything else out there – comes at night when you open the doors. On the chrome sill plate, the word “Veracruz” lights up in brilliant blue. On all four sill plates.

Saturday, August 25, 2007
By Michael Taylor
San Francisco Chronicle