2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited – Short Take Road Tests

A really big bang for the bucks.

Like the Tucson and Santa Fe before it, Hyundai’s third crossover SUV—and easily its largest—is named after a sunny tourist destination. In this case, the Mexican state of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico, a region renowned for umbrella drinks and for depleting the wallets of bleary-eyed Americans.

If the Veracruz likewise depletes U.S. wallets, it won’t be by much. The base front-drive GLS begins at $26,995; five trim levels later, this Hyundai tops out at $34,695. All ride on a stretched Santa Fe platform; all are powered by the 260-horse, 3.8-liter V-6 found in the Azera sedan; all come with a third-row seat; and all include an Aisin six-speed automatic, Hyundai’s first.

The Veracruz is aimed squarely at the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, although its wheelbase and length are longer. It will also become a thorn in the sides of the Mitsubishi Endeavor, Suzuki XL7, and Subaru B9 Tribeca.

Our front-drive Limited test sample ($33,120) arrived with an alluring load of standard-equipment creature comforts: leather, an A/C-cooled center console, a sunroof, a tilting-and-telescoping wheel, a power liftgate, backup radar, a 315-watt Infinity stereo, stability control, and more.

Inside and out, the Veracruz emits a strong whiff of Lexus RX350—not a bad SUV to copy. Even the center stack, with its zillion buttons and switches, is Lexus-like. Three rotary HVAC controls would have simplified matters, but Americans nowadays equate complexity with luxury.

All of the Veracruz’s interior surfaces equal or exceed the finish of those in the Pilot or Highlander, apart from the cheesy “brushed aluminum” plastic on the steering-wheel spokes and center console. The front seats are firm and multi-hour comfortable, although the cushions could use more bolstering.

Fire up the Veracruz and what you notice first is what you don’t notice. There’s minimal road noise or engine noise, and the exhaust is as mute as Harpo. At both idle and WOT, the Veracruz is quieter than the Pilot or Highlander. Even the turn-signal stalk’s clicks are subdued.

Similarly Lexus-ish is throttle tip-in—gentle, gradual, almost lazy. Disable the stability control and you can churn the front Michelins for four feet at step-off. In the sprint to 60 mph, the Veracruz is 0.2 second behind the Pilot but 0.3 second ahead of a V-6 Highlander. Full-throttle upshifts are supremely smooth, and the V-6 evinces no peaks or valleys as it pulls to its 6500-rpm redline. Torque steer manifests only when you combine major throttle with a 90-degree turn. The standard-equipment manumatic proved so adept at matching revs on downshifts that we batted at it regularly on our handling loop. It still feels counterintuitive, however, to pull back for downshifts and push forward for upshifts.

Body roll is more pronounced than we’d like, but the upshot is a cushy ride.

2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited – Specs

Except for a low seat cushion, the split middle bench is a gem—roomy for three and adjustable fore-and-aft by five inches. Yank one lever and the middle seat pivots forward to afford access to the third row, where a pair of adults can ride without complaint for, well, 20 minutes. With both rows folded flat, usable floor space measures about six feet deep and 45 inches wide—in total, an excellent 87 cubic feet, sufficient to swallow a bicycle whole.

Our beefs were few. The foot-operated parking brake hangs so low it sometimes rubs your shin. Rear visibility is diminished by the fat D-pillars. Although the speed-sensitive steering tracks like a champ and is nicely weighted, it doesn’t transmit much info about road textures, and your first warning of understeer is the stability control, which is aggressive about pulling out engine spark. At least you can turn it off. The underlying platform feels satisfactorily solid until you begin bouncing along muddy two-tracks, where our confidence would have been bolstered by the optional all-wheel drive ($1700).

Off the freeway, the Veracruz isn’t quite as engaging as the Pilot or Highlander, which are a titch more visceral, more hard-wired to the driver’s inputs. But the Hyundai’s ride, extra measure of isolation, and myriad standard features will be construed by many as a bonus layer of luxury. In fact, the Veracruz represents so much bang for the buck that Hyundai would do well to ditch its old flying-H logo, which still carries the “it’s all I could afford” stigma.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 5-door wagon

PRICE AS TESTED: $33,120 (base price: $32,995)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 231 cu in, 3778cc
Power (SAE net): 260 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 257 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 110.4 in
Length: 190.6 in
Width: 76.6 in
Height: 68.9 in
Curb weight: 4470 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 21.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 8.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.1 sec @ 89 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 122 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.77 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 18 mpg
C/D-observed: 17 mpg

BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
Car & Driver
June 2007

Hyundai Veracruz vs Lexus RX350

Can you really compare an aggressive Korean contender to the class standard? We just did.

“Bring it,” said our contact at Hyundai. “We know we have a great price/value story in the Veracruz, but forget that. We want to take on the Lexus, straight up.” Okay, pal. You got it.

With its most recent round of product introductions, Hyundai has gone from price-driven alternative to legit player in several vehicle categories (the same can be said for corporate cousin, Kia). The designs, most of which now originate in Southern California, are clean and handsome, quality has jumped by leaps and bounds, and performance has come up to class average in most cases. The Veracruz (June 2007) is Hyundai’s newest crossover entry, slotting in above the Santa Fe with more room and features and a third-row seat.

Lexus’s RX pioneered the notion of the midsize, car-based, luxury crossover in 1999 and was Motor Trend’s first Sport/Utility of the year. That original RX 300 go a makeover, becoming the RX 330 in 2003, and the larger-engined RX 350 in spring 2006 as a 2007 model (our tester is a 2008). It remains the gold standard in the category and has spurred at least a half-dozen imitators.

From a brand standpoint, Lexus flies first class all the way. Hyundai established itself two decades ago with compact cars sold primarily on price and has been trying to upgrade from coach ever since. But the two end up meeting at the intersection of RX 350 and Veracruz Limited AWD.

The Limited is the top-drawer Veracruz combining every feature Hyundai has in its bin, plus all-wheel drive. The RX isn’t available in 2WD, and even a base-equipped RX 350 is lavish by comparison. But as equipped here, they both have all the stuff a luxury crossover buyer will want, including leather upholstery, heated seats, power everything, impressive audio systems, a comprehensive safety package, power rear liftgate, rear-seat DVD player/screen, 18-inch rolling stock, traction and stability-control systems, and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The Hyundai’s 3.8-liter V-6 is rated at 260 horsepower. Lexus’s 3.5-liter V-6 cranks out 10 horsepower more, but requires premium fuel to do so (the Veracruz runs on regular).

As tested here, the Lexus costs just over $10 grand more than the Hyundai, but packs a few goodies that the Veracruz can’t match. This RX has an optional nav system with backup camera, which would add $1500-$2000 to the price of the Hyundai—except for the fact that it doesn’t offer one. Hyundai says it’s coming before the end of this year. The RX also has adaptive HID headlights, real wood trim instead of the Hyundai’s plasti-wood, and a power retractable cargo-area tonneau. So some of that price gap is made up for by meaningful equipment. But the Veracruz gets a few swings in, too, with sweeteners like a 115-volt powerpoint in the cargo area, adjustable pedals, and a “coolbox” console.

You don’t have to stare too hard to figure out what Hyundai was looking at when it styled the Veracruz; think of it as an RX 350 at about 110 percent. Both are attractive, clean, and modern, devoid of unnecessary gingerbread. The Veracruz is 4.4 inches longer overall, riding on a 3.5-inch-longer wheelbase. It’s also 2.8 inches taller and four inches wider. The only layout difference is that those extra inches in all dimensions allow Hyundai to add a folding third-row seat, increasingly important to crossover/SUV buyers these days. And it’s a useful way-back seat, too; plenty of room in all dimensions for average adults. It’s split 60/40, and each panel folds with the flip of a lever. The second-row seat slides forward for easy access and is also adjustable fore and aft. With all seats folded, both carry a ton of stuff, although the Veracruz’s cargo bay looks larger than the 2.1-cubic-foot EPA volume difference between it and the Lexus indicates.

In terms of performance, the RX’s 10 more horsepower has about 400 fewer pounds to pull, so it wins all the acceleration contests. It’s ahead by a second on the 0-to-60 mark, and that differential holds most of the way through the quarter mile, where the edge is still eight-tenths of a second. Both engines are strong, relatively quiet (with the nod to the Veracruz), and have wide torque bands thanks to the variable valve timing. In the 60-to-0 braking contest, the Lexus stopped five feet shorter than the Hyundai, but since production tolerances between the vehicles often results in variances larger than that, call it a draw.

The Hyundai is the happier handler, though it’s 2.1 seconds quicker through our figure-eight test, which combines transitional handling, grip, acceleration, and braking. And it grips through the skidpad at 0.77 g versus the Lexus’s 0.68 g run. Is the Hyundai chassis that much superior? No. It’s the RX’s insistence in keeping you overly safe that electronically inhibited its performance. It sensed that our max-handling performance testing was impending accident doom and lit up the stability control at anything more than the slightest provocation. Beepers beeped, brakes braked, and the throttle was dialed out until the RX 350 knew we weren’t going to crash. This also was the case on our mountain road loop, even during moderate cornering. The Lexus computer wizards need to dial the electronannies back a notch or two.

In real-world driving, both do the job nicely and will take you and your occupants anywhere you want to go in comfort. Ride quality is about equal, although the Lexus exhibits less wind noise at higher speeds. Both have good steering and brake pedal feel. Kudos to the Hyundai’s six-speed automatic transmission. It has one more gear than does the Lexus’s, shifts smoother without being mushy, and responds quickly to downshift demands. The RX’s trans shifts more harshly under heavy load. The Veracruz turns in more confidently and steers in a more linear manner. When you bend the Lexus into a corner hard, it asks for a steering correction. If you overdo it, the RX calls into the stability controls.

The Veracruz’s center stack is a model of logic. Each portion of it is dedicated to its respective function: HVAC, audio, etc. The knobs and buttons are easy to understand and do what you want them to in a intuitive way. The RX’s are okay, too, but there are foibles, such as giving you a switch to control temperature, but insisting you go into the Climate portion of the nav screen to adjust the fan speed. Stupid. And why is the rearview-mirror adjustment switch hidden behind a door on the instrument panel? Both have high-quality, supportive seating, although we missed having separate armrests in the Hyundai.

Premium Japanese brands are known for using first-rate materials, boasting superior fit and finish. Korean brands have previously been known for none of the above. This pair demonstrates how narrow that gap has become. The Lexus is still the king here, using great surfaces everywhere and bolting them together flawlessly. The Hyundai uses components of nearly equal quality, assembled almost as well. The leather and vinyl on the seats didn’t quite color-match, the silver finish on the center stack doesn’t appear all that sturdy, and there were a few misaligned bits of trim. It’s in areas such as these where you can spot the difference in cost, although it’s not as great as the dollar spread might indicate.

If we accept that the Lexus’s brand cachet, dealer-service reputation, reliability reputation, and historically high resale value are worth the 25-percent premium, price is no longer an issue. So which should you buy?

The Lexus faithful won’t be moved by the Veracruz. They’re a loyal bunch and likely will replace their current RX with another. By doing so, they’ll get a sophisticated, high-quality piece that’s even nicer than their last one. I’ll serve them well and return the loyalty at trade-in or re-lease time. the RX 350 remains the category leader, and the Veracruz does little to impact that. But can you get most of the goodness at 20 percent off?

Yes.

Equip the Veracruz properly, and it has the mojo to compete with the higher-priced vehicle. It doesn’t yet match the Lexus’s overall levels of polish, but it’s darn close, which makes it very nice indeed, measured against most other offerings. It drives well, rides with aplomb, and feels all of a piece. The Veracruz gives you that important third-row seat and plenty of cargo space, which is why most people shop this type of vehicle. The fact that it costs less is no longer an excuse to buy a Hyundai. It’s just a smart reason. If it’ the RX you must have, and the cost delta doesn’t matter, buy one and you’ll be delighted. Feel like saving some money for something that’s functionally as good and a well-conceived machine in its own right? Consider the Veracruz Limited, and you’ll be equally delighted. Keep the change.

1ST PLACE

Hyundai Veracruz Limited AWD

Does everything well and advances the brand. A nice blend of value and luxury touches.

2ND PLACE

Lexus RX 350

Still a well-polished piece, if you want everything that goes with the badge.

Hyundai’s new crossover in Lexus mold

CHICAGO – The rush is on to create new entries in the crossover segment.

Crossovers are alternatives to sport-utility vehicles and minivans with far better ride, handling and mileage.

They also offer all-wheel-drive so those leaving SUVs don’t have to give up the feature that attracted them to a brute – rough ride and all – in the first place.

Hyundai of South Korea has gotten with the program. It sells the compact Tucson and slightly larger, slightly more upscale Santa Fe and adds the even larger and more upscale midsize Veracruz.

Hyundai says the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Murano are its targets but, when trying to be recognized as a key player in the crossovers, you might as well aim for the leader, the midsize Lexus RX350.

And Hyundai has with Veracruz. We can’t help but feel it’s not just coincidence that it even looks like the Lexus.

The theme, as with any Hyundai, is being just as good and offering just as many amenities as the sales leader in the segment, only for a lot less money.

The base price is $32,000 plus change for Veracruz versus $38,000 plus change for an RX350, but the spread is more than $7,700 in Veracruz’s favor when the two are similarly equipped.

Putting $7,700 in your pocket rather than the dealer’s is like winning the lottery.

Santa Fe was derived from a stretch of the Sonata sedan platform. Veracruz is a stretch of that stretch with a more refined suspension. Hyundai says no even larger crossover is planned.

Veracruz is offered in GLS, SE and top-of-the-line Limited versions in front- or all-wheel-drive. We drove the FWD Limited.

Only engine is a 3.8-liter, 260-horsepower, 24-valve V-6 teamed with a new 6-speed automatic with manual shifting. The engine has the spunk, but not the whisper quiet, you’d expect of a V-6. The mileage rating is 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway, appropriate for the power, but more generous than reality, considering the frequent stops for a shot of $3 a gallon energy.No quarrels with the suspension, which kept road harshness from filtering through the seat as well as the steering wheel. You keep planted in your seat without getting jolted around the cabin. And there’s no top-heaviness.

The wide-profile 18-inch radials did a good job of minimizing lean in corners and turns, though ease off the throttle if the corner is very sharp or the turn very tight. The suspension may be user-friendly, but it isn’t race-tuned.

Windshield, side and rear glass are expansive for an excellent view all around. Exceptional visibility doesn’t always get the credit it deserves for the safety it provides.

Though the $7,700 savings versus a Lexus is a strong point, Veracruz doesn’t compromise on safety. Side-curtain air bags for all three rows, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control with traction control are standard.

Upfront the leather seats are well cushioned and supportive for long-distance travel and aren’t the slip-and-slide type that make each turn an adventure.

Nice touches include eye-soothing blue backlighting for gauges, switches and buttons as well as cupholders and door sills; lined glove box and console storage bin rather than exposed plastic; cupholders built into the rear sidewalls and a small covered container over the wheel well in the third row; a 115-volt power outlet in the cargo hold; and keyless start so you only have to twist the lever in the dash to get going, as long as the magical key fob is in the vehicle. You do away with a key, but not the fob so what’s gained?

Also, there’s a pop down conversation mirror in the ceiling below the eyeglasses holder so you can see the folks in the second and third rows while you chat or watch the kids back there; a pair of center console storage pockets; a pair of cupholders in front of the console; a power outlet and cell-phone holder in the dash; a power liftgate operated by a key-fob button; and storage under the cargo floor.

The test vehicle also came with an optional DVD entertainment system. The screen slips down from the ceiling, and the player is in the back of the console between the front seats. A pull-down armrest between the second-row seats holds the earphones as well as a couple of cupholders.

Though a Lexus wannabe in looks, it falls short in comfort once you move into the second and third seats. To provide enough knee room for those in the second seat, large indents were carved out of the backs of the front seats.And while the second-row seats slide forward to create an aisle to the third row, the aisle is narrow and there isn’t much footing needed to slip in back. Once there, head and knee room are tight.

With the third-row seats up, you have spots for a couple kids, but not so much cargo room. With the seat backs flipped flat onto the floor, the cargo space is generous. With second- and third-row seat backs folded flat, cargo capacity is abundant. If hauling a ladder, the passenger seat back reclines to provide the room.

The Veracruz Limited starts at $32,305 (add $1,700 for AWD, a wise choice for the Snow Belt) and includes air conditioning; power tilt and sliding sunroof; AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with steering wheel audio/cruise controls; heated power side mirrors with puddle lights and redundant turn signals; remote keyless entry; power windows, door locks and seats; tire-pressure monitor; trip computer; and fog lamps.The optional Ultimate package at $2,950 adds adjustable pedals, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, the DVD system, 115-volt outlet, rain-sensing wipers and keyless ignition.

Consumers always benefit from competition as the rivals try to outdo each other. That’s why Veracruz is welcome and so will be the other crossovers coming soon.

By Jim Mateja
Chicago Tribune
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 8:52 PM CDT

First Drive: 2007 Hyundai Veracruz

The new Veracruz is an impressive, upscale SUV—but will consumers buy a $40,000 Hyundai?

Up Front
Does the U.S. market really need yet another midsize sport-utility vehicle? And, if it does, is anyone going to pay upwards of $40,000 for a Hyundai?

Those questions were running through my mind as I recently spent a morning test-driving the new ’07 Hyundai Veracruz at a press event in upstate New York. The Korean carmaker scored a big hit with its redesigned Santa Fe SUV last year. The Santa Fe is now by far Hyundai’s hottest product: U.S. sales doubled, to 27,982 units, during the first four months of this year, and the company expects to sell 90,000 units by yearend.

My guess is that the all-new, bigger, and more expensive Veracruz is going to have a tougher time of it than the Santa Fe did. It’s a well-designed midsize sport-utility vehicle with three rows of seats and a seven-passenger capacity, making it ideal for carpooling. And, like the Santa Fe, it has a quiet ride, high-quality interior, and loads of standard features.

But the Veracruz also is coming out just as gasoline prices are soaring and are projected to rise a lot more this summer. And the Veracruz doesn’t have any great fuel-efficiency advantage over its main rivals: With front-wheel drive, it gets 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 on the highway, dropping to 17/24 mpg with all-wheel drive—about the same as the Honda (HMC) Pilot and Toyota (TM) Highlander. My guess is that this summer American consumers will again be turning away from SUVs, and the Hyundai’s price advantage won’t make up for the fact that it’s a new, untested model coming out in a tough market.

The Veracruz is available in three trim levels: the GLS, SE, and Limited, all of them powered by a 3.8 liter, 260-horsepower V8 coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission. The base model GLS is fairly pricey. It starts at $27,000 with front-wheel drive and $28,695 with all-wheel drive. But it also comes loaded with standard equipment, including electronic stability control; traction control; anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution; tire pressure monitors; a trip computer; a CD player with steering wheel-mounted audio controls; auto-dimming inside and outside mirrors; a tilting and telescoping steering wheel; active head restraints; front, side, and side curtain airbags; and power windows, doors, and locks. The Veracruz also has excellent crash-test ratings.

The loaded-up Limited version of the Veracruz with all-wheel drive, a power sunroof, rear-seat entertainment system, leather upholstery, and just about every other bell and whistle you can think of, tops out at about $38,000. For the moment, the Veracruz isn’t offered with a navigation system, but when that option is added, probably on the ’08 model, the price will top out at just under $40,000.

That makes the Veracruz a big move upscale for Hyundai. Indeed, the company figures 40% of sales will be of the expensive, high-end trim level. However, as with other Hyundai models, the Veracruz’s main selling point is its relatively low price. Hyundai figures it has a $3,300 price advantage over the 2007 Highlander and a $3,700 edge over the Pilot, once you factor in differences in standard equipment.

Behind the Wheel
For me, the big appeal of the Veracruz is the quality and practicality of its interior. When you hop into a higher-end version of this vehicle, you can’t believe it’s a Hyundai. The saddle-leather upholstery is soft and well-made, the dash and center stack are tastefully designed, and all the instruments are intuitive to use.

The seats—front and back—are comfortable and supportive. And there’s adequate head and leg room in both the front and second-row seats. I test-drove the vehicle with a rangy fellow who was six feet, four inches tall. Up front, he was comfortable (though a little cramped) with the driver’s seat all the way back. But even with the driver’s seat as far back as possible, he had plenty of knee space in the second-row seat. The only problem I had in the second row was that foot space was a bit tight.

Leg space in the third-row seats, as always, is tight, barely 30 inches. But it’s far easier to get into the Veracruz’s third row than it is in most SUVs. The second-row seats slide and fold forward, creating room for you to actually get a foothold as you crawl in. Even my lanky co-pilot was able to get in and out with relative ease.

Another thoughtful design touch that comes in handy if you have kids: Like the Toyota Sienna, the Veracruz has a second, convex rearview mirror under the conventional one that allows the driver to survey activity in the entire cabin, including the relatively distant third-row seats, at a glance.

Hyundai has packed the Veracruz’s cabin with noise-deadening materials and anti-vibration gear, making it remarkably quiet at every speed. The company says the Veracruz is quieter at idle than the Pilot, Highlander, and even the Lexus RX350. At highway speed (62 mph), Hyundai figures cabin noise is about the same as in the Honda Pilot and slightly less than in the Lexus.

The Veracruz has a lot of hauling capacity, too. The third-row seats fold down flat, and the second-row seats go nearly flat. Maxmium towing capacity is 3,500 lbs., plenty for pulling small boats and trailers. The main downside of the design is that, as with the Santa Fe, there’s only minimal luggage space behind the third-row seats. If you were taking a family trip with several kids, you would probably have to buy a roof rack for your luggage.

The vehicle’s main disadvantage is that it isn’t much fun to drive. The Veracruz has a slightly more powerful engine than the Santa Fe, and its automatic transmission has a manual shifting mode that’s supposed to make it seem sporty. But the Veracruz also is several hundred pounds heavier than the Santa Fe, so acceleration is sluggish. The steering feels squishy, and I sensed a fair amount of body roll going around curves. The ride is smooth, and seemed less boat-like than I remember the Santa Fe being, but road feel is minimal.

The bottom line is that this isn’t a driver’s SUV like, say, the Acura MDX. Like the Santa Fe, the Veracruz has been heavily focus-grouped. And it has the soft, comfortable ride and easy-steer handling that appeals to suburbanites.

Buy It or Bag It?

The Veracruz offers excellent value for your money. But Hyundai is moving upscale a little too fast for my taste. The Veracruz would be more attractive if some of its standard equipment were available as stand-alone options, so shoppers on a budget could get the price down. It’s also annoying that on the GLS and SE versions, you can only get a sunroof as part of option packages that cost $2,000 or more.

In this category, you have tons of other models to choose from. In addition to the Pilot and Highlander, the possibilities include the Saturn Outlook, the Mazda CX-9, and the Chrysler Pacifica. Some of the rival models are already being discounted: For instance, General Motors (GM) has slapped a $1,000 rebate on the Outlook, and DaimlerChrysler (DCX) is offering $2,500 or more off on the Pacifica. If gas prices continue to rise this summer, as projected, discount of SUV prices will probably be rife across the board.

If you’re on a budget, I would consider buying a Santa Fe instead. The Santa Fe isn’t all that much smaller than the Veracruz (only 6.5 inches shorter), and its entry price—around $22,000—is five grand lower than the cheapest version of the Veracruz. Plus, Hyundai is offering $1,000 rebates on the Santa Fe through May 31. If you want a sporty SUV at a budget price, another alternative is the Kia Sorento.

However, if you want a loaded-up, smooth-riding midsize family SUV, it’s hard to find one at a better price than the Veracruz. Hyundai’s quality ratings have soared in recent years. And if anything goes wrong, you always have the company’s wonderful warranty, which includes 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain and a five-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper general protection, plus five years of free roadside assistance, to fall back on. But if the available package at your Hyundai dealer isn’t exactly what you want, shop around. It’s going to be a buyer’s market for SUVs all summer long.

by Thane Peterson

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.