In a Nutshell: A nice, plush, refined, well-built SUV......but not that much nicer than the smaller, cheaper Santa Fe.

Several years ago, Hyundai, one of the world's fastest-growing automakers, and one with a rapidly improving reputation for quality and value, decided to enter the car-based SUV market with the first Santa Fe. Having never done a body-on-frame, truck-based SUV like domestic SUV manufacturers, Hyundai chose a unibody, car-based SUV line from the start. The first-generation Santa Fe was introduced as an Elantra-based vehicle to compete primarily with the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CRV, although, unlike the Elantra (and also unlike the RAV-4 and CR-V), the Santa Fe came in both FWD 4 and AWD V6 versions. The first Santa Fe was generally well-built, though it did not quite show the rock-solid reliability of its Toyota and Honda competition...indeed, the CR-V, for several years running, was Consumer Reports' most reliable SUV and one of its most reliable vehicles, period.

The first-generation Santa Fe had different.....and somewhat controversial... styling in its hood, fenders, grille, instrument panel, and door panel. It generally drove well, but, to my ears at least, had a fair amount of road, tire, and suspension noise. The design of its rear cargo area was not particularly space-efficient either. But it got Hyundai's foot in the door of the SUV market, and, despite a few slips here and there in driving refinement, won over a lot of satisfied customers (my pastor was one of them... he took home a brand-new 4-cylinder FWD model for less than $16,000).


Despite the success of the first-generation Santa Fe, Hyundai marketers felt that there was room at the bottom for a smaller, cheaper SUV, and the Tucson, also based on the Elantra platform but shorter and narrower than the Santa Fe, was born. The Tucson, like the Santa Fe, was offered in FWD 4 and AWD V6 versions. (Hyundai, unlike other manufacturers, does not feel that small nonturbo fours have enough torque for AWD, and therefore does not offer that combo). The Tucson, being as tall as the Santa Fe but narrower, was tipsier-feeling in sharp turns, but not dangerous (see my CAR CHAT review of the Tucson). It was also more conventionally-styled inside and out than the Santa Fe, but still kept a Santa-Fe-like puppy pug-nosed front end styling. A sister Kia version called the Sportage was also introduced. Unlike the earlier Santa Fe, both the Tucson and the Sportage got off to a rocky start in the reliability area, with Consumer Reports rating the first models both well-below-average, but in one of the more puzzling auto stories that I cannot answer, the Tucson's reliability rapidly improved by the end of its first year, to above average, while the virtually identical Sportage's did not.(This is especially puzzling since the two of them are built in the same factory).

So, of course, to allow the Tucson and Sportage to take the entry-level customers, the Santa Fe was totally redesigned and moved upmarket. The second-generation Santa Fe, based on the Sonata platform, was, IMO, a vast improvement over the first (see my review). It was aimed primarily at the Ford Explorer in size and features, though the Explorer, of course, has off-road capability and is truck-based, where the new Santa Fe, like the original one, is strictly car-based and more limited than the Explorer in off-road capability. Those of you who read my review of the second-generation Santa Fe know that I was very impressed with that vehicle's quality, refinement, and road manners, really criticizing it for only one thing....slow steering response.

All of this above, of course, brings us to the subject of this review, the Hyundai Veracruz. Hyundai's marketers, eyeing the success of the Lexus RX series and Acura's MDX, decided to go to work on an even larger, more plush, and more upmarket SUV...the Veracruz, using, of course, the experience and the lessons learned with the Tucson/Sportage and both generations of the Santa Fe (and, by inference, Kia's Sorento as well, which fit in a niche between the Tucson/Sportage and Santa Fe).

Three models of the Veracruz are offered, all based on the Azera platform.....the GLS, SE, and Limited. All three come with the same 3.8L V6 offered in the Azera, a 6-speed, Sport-Shift automatic, and choice of FWD or AWD. As I already had experience with Hyundai's AWD systems, on dry pavement, in the earlier Tucson and Santa Fe reviews, and since much has been written and hyped recently in the auto press comparing the Veracruz to the non-hybrid Lexus RX350, I chose a top-level Limited FWD model with a special Black/Saddle Brown leather interior package (and the brown leather was gorgeous). This Ultimate Package package also included almost everything you could want.....Rear DVD entertainment system, Infinity Logic 7 stereo-surround, power-adjustable foot pedals, power tilt/telescope wheel, proximity key, Lighted metallic door scuff plates, and more.....in addition, of course, to the rich-looking brown leather. I felt that by driving and reviewing an ultra-plush version like this, it would be a real test of whether the pundits are correct or not.....if this vehicle can indeed compare with the RX.

With a vehicle like this, of course, goes a fairly hefty price tag, though a FWD model like this is slightly less (roughly 2K) than a comparable AWD model. Even so, this, by far, was easily the most expensive Korean-badged vehicle I have ever driven or reviewed. Base price is over 32K and my particular vehicle listed at over 36K. That, of course, buys you a LOT of SUV for the money, though..........comparable models from Acura and Lexus can easily run over 40K, and from BMW, Audi, and Mercedes, much more than that. And, of course, with a Hyundai product, you get that famous long Hyundai warranty as well (only transferable to immediate family members).

So.....how does this ultra-plush Korean stack up to its Asian and European competitors, and more important, against its downmarket brother Santa Fe?

For the answers, read on.

Model Reviewed: 2008 Hyundai Veracruz Limited

Base Price: $32,305

Major Options:
Ultimate Premium Black/Saddle Package $3200

Freight: $690

List Price as Reviewed: $36,525

Drivetrain: Transverse-mounted 3.8L V6, 260 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 257 ft.lbs. @ 4500 RPM, FWD, 6-speed automatic transmission with Sport Shift.

Exterior Color: Satin Beige

Interior: Black/Saddle Leather


PLUSSES:

Lexus-like refinement and quiet at lower speeds.

Precision, Swiss-watch assembly quality.

Smooth, refined power in the lower gears.

Superb braking feel.

Many power-adjustable accessories and convienence features.

Choice of key or keyless igniton.

Superb interior hardware, apart from the steering wheel.

Slick, buttery feel of interior switches and controls.

Rear-seat climate control system.

Smart-looking interior and exterior trim.

Near-perfection in exterior hardware.

Flat cornering for an SUV.

Excellent paint job.

Attractive wood paneling.

Smooth-shifting transmission.

Gorgeous Chocolate-Brown Saddle leather seats.

Long Hyundai warranties.



MINUSES:


Transverse V6 engine mount makes the AWD system more complex than necessary.

Unnecessary and deceptive plastic engine cover.

Numb, slow steering.

Ride slightly stiffer than necessary.

Flimsy steering wheel-mounted radio and cruise controls.

Wind noise increases noticeably with speed.

Distracting, too-large bright blue odometer and shift indicator.

Seats not particularly supportive.

Stereo sound varies with function and station.

Awful paint colors.

The first impression of this vehicle, as you walk up to it, is that it is somewhat less squared-off and boxy than the second-generation Santa Fe brother. In fact, though the interior styling is quite different, the exterior styling, in several ways, is reminiscent of the Lexus RX350 that it attempts to compete against, especially in the roofline, liftback, and hood/grille. As is custom with many SUV's, there is a belt of dark gray plastic/vinyl body cladding that runs around the entire lower part of the vehicle, up and over the wheel wells, and under both the front and rear ends to help ward off paint damage from road debris and salt. The exterior hardware is superb.....better than on a number of Lexus and Acura products I've seen. The snick-snick action and snap lock-in and out feel of the folding exterior mirrors is probably the best I've seen yet, and approaches what I call perfection. The grille mesh is classy, durable, and fits perfectly. Everything on the outside feels like it was put on to last, though the flat-black, thin plastic rear wiper arm is about average for most vehicles these days. The exterior paint is very close to (not quite) Lexus-quality, though the awful (IMO) colors offered were almost enough to make me choke... the only two shades I could stomach were the Blue Titanium and the Stone (semi-pearl) White. The vehicle sits tall, as is the custom for
SUV's, with plenty of ground clearance for mud/snow and a standard roof rack with the optional cross rails adding a couple of inches to the overall height. All four doors close with a solid, precision sound, and though the vehicle sits fairly tall, running boards would not be needed for most people. In fact, my test vehicle had lighted scuff plates that showed you just where to put your feet at night to make it easier to get in and out. The doors are opened and closed with smart-looking, well-chromed outside door handles (no cheap, rippled "chrome" like on Chrysler
products).


Open the gas-strut supported hood, and there is both good and bad. The transverse-mounted 3.8L V6 fits in fairly well, and the primary dipsticks and fluid containers are easy enough to get to (as is the uncovered battery right up in the front-right corner in front of you, but not only does the big, plastic engine cover hide most of the engine components, but some moron in the Hyundai styling department decided he or she was going to insult your intelligence by mounting the cover 90 degrees, fore-and aft, on the sideways-mounted engine to try and make you think that the engine was mounted that way. Why ANYONE in the auto business would do this is beyond me.....and that is NOT the way to impress new customers.


Get in, shut the door, and a nice, NICE interior awaits you.....this is no econobox. The chocolate-brown leather on the seats and door-trim inserts (part of the Ultimate Black/Saddle package), as I mentioned earlier, is just gorgeous. So are the beautiful wood trim strips and the smart silver-metallic accents and panels on the center-dash, console, and gauge rings......none of that El Cheapo silver painted-plastic that I have panned in a number of other vehicles. In fact, I personally liked the looks and feel of this interior more than on some Jaguars and Audis, generally considered the industry leaders in interior fit-and-finish. All of the switches and buttons except the cheap-feeling ones on the steering wheel had a high-quality look, finish, and precision feel to them. The gauges, as with most Hyundais, were clear, simple, and easy-to read, with the ubiquitous Hyundai blue speedometer ring, white numbers, and red needles. The air-conditioning, while not quite Lexus-ice-cold, was more than up to the task (assisted by a rear-seat unit with separate controls as slick as those up front and a cooled drink holder in the lower part center console flip-up). The interior hardware was solid, slick, and well-attached, except for the aforementioned steering wheel trim and buttons.....though, curiously, the interior door handles in this plush-mobile were black instead of chrome. There was adequate headroom, front and rear for even tall people (yes, even with the sunroof, and even with my ever-present cap on), and legroom and foot space for the driver was no problem. With the power-adjustable foot pedals, power tilt/telescope wheel, and multi-power adjustable seats, almost anyone can get comfortable in this car. Headroom and legroom in the rear, for the most part, is almost as good as up front.....the Lexus-like roofline starts its downward droop far enough back to avoid crunching the top of most moderately tall people. The XM-equipped stereo, however, is rather odd in its performance. My test vehicle had the optional Infinity Surround-Sound system, but the sound quality varied quite a bit, depending on the mode and station selected......from just acceptable to superb, Mark Levinson-style sound. In fact, the interior on this vehicle was so superb that I found very little to complain about. Just three things.....the rather flat seat cushions that didn't give much support; the too-large, too-bright blue distracting speedometer/odometer and shift indicator lights (this is also common to some other Hyundais as well); and the less-than-perfect steering wheel trim and buttons.

In back, open the power-operated liftback with the remote key, and the hatch opens to reveal a cargo area almost as well-finished as the rest of the
cabin. Nice, high-quality carpet is used, hardware and tie-downs are durable and also of very high quality. The solid-feeling floor panel flips up on well-designed hinges to reveal a multi-compartment underneath, first-aid kit, and the tire-change tools (made less-likely to be needed with the standard tire-pressure monitoring system). An electrical outlet is built into the right wall panel (a switch on the dash turns it on and off), with a cubby-compartment right next to it. The 50/50 split third-row seats have simple well-designed release levers built into the seatbacks...both seats drop right down into the floor, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey-style, for extra cargo room. However, like most third-row seats (and I'll be honest here) the average NBA guy or NFL lineman is not going to fit...they are primarily for children or small adults. If needed, though, the second-row seats can fold as well for even more cargo room. After you're done in back, the power-liftgate drops back down automatically with the push of a button....just make sure, of course, that your head is out of the way.


OK...time to drive. Start it up with either the proximity key stuck into the igniton switch, conventional-style or, with the key in the vicinity, twist the Mazda-style grip-knob built into the switch.....your choice. The quiet, refined 3.8L V6 (Hyundai's largest U.S.-market production engine) settles into an almost Lexus-smooth idle. Slip the wood-trimmed shifter (part of the Ultimate package) back into Drive and go. The engine is relatively quiet, smooth, and has good pin-you-to-the-seat torque in first and second gears, then drops off noticeably as the gear ranges climb. Remember, though, that this is a FWD version I was driving.....the AWD version, with its greater weight and drag, may not be quite as jack-rabbit like in the lower gears, and, of course, being new engines I'm usually reviewing, I don't floor the gas pedal or go much over 4000 RPM.


The transmission, like the engine, was smooth and quiet, with virtually unnoticeable shifts, though in manual mode, they are slightly more discernable than in full-automatic. The shifter, like most of the rest of the interior hardware, had a smooth, solid, precise feel.

The steering is one of the vehicle's major weak points....I was not impressed with it at all. True, the Veracruz is not designed to be a sports car, and you don't expect Miata-style responsiveness from a 7-passenger, comfort-oriented SUV, but even so, and even concerning the level of ride stiffness (more on that in a second) I expected more than the slow, numb, school-bus feel that the steering exhibited in turns. You have to TURN this wheel to get any response, and the way overboosted power-steering pump robs you of any road feel at all....the novocaine my dentist uses gives you more feedback.

I could understand the school-bus handling and lack of response if it had a marshmallow, pillow-soft ride, but that is not quite the case. Again, the ride is far from being sports-car harsh, but, by the seat of my pants, it is noticeably firmer than that of its little-brother Santa Fe, which is almost cloud-like. Not uncomfortable by any means, but bumps are noticeable.

The noise level and general refinement is Lexus-quiet at low speeds, and tire and road noise is well-muted at all normal speeds, but a slight whoosh of wind noise starts to set in at, say, around 45-50 MPH....and builds as speed inceases. Still, it is quiet enough to easily enjoy the good stereo...when the stereo, as earlier mentioned, performs at its best.

The handling, outside of the already-mentioned slow steering response and numb feel, is generally pretty good. Sharp cornering is flatter and with noticeably less lean than the Santa Fe (probably because of the added suspension firmness). A electronic stability system, of course, is standard in all three versions of the Veracruz, to help keep things from getting out of hand in this high-center-of-gravity vehicle.

The brakes are superb in their feel and response, especially compared to the squishy, spongy feel in some other Hyundai products. You won't get Porsche stopping distances, but the pedal has a nice, firm, German-type feel, great modulation, smoothness and evenness of response, and, especially with the adjustable pedals, does NOT have the problems I have in some vehicles have with my big size 15's catching on the brake pedal all the time (the brake and gas pedals in the Lotus Elise that I drove last week, for example, were just absurd for a foot my size).



The Verdict?

Hyundai, as is the case with most of its newer vehicles, has done a pretty nice job designing and engineering this vehicle, and some of its features, like the brakes and general interior/exterior fit-and finish and quality trim, go even beyoned nice.....into the region of superb. It has enough noise and vibration control and refinement at lower speeds to be serious competition to the Lexus RX350, which was one of Hyundai's main goals. And it rivals some Lexus products in the quality of its assembly.

But the work on this vehicle is not done. The steering system needs less overboost and a faster ratio in the rack-and-pinion. The suspension, while not uncomfortable in its present form, could use a little less firmness in the springs and shocks.......the body-roll is effective enough to allow a little more give. The seat cushions need a little better shape and a little better padding, though they are OK in their present form for wide butts like mine. And, please.....is it too much to ask to give us more than a couple of decent paint colors and a plastic engine cover that actually FITS the engine?

So, yes, the Veracruz compares favorably with some more expensive SUV's, but of course, the Limited version with the special interior that I tested was not exactly inexpensive in itself...particularly for a Korean-designed vehicle. But the most interesting comparison that I was able to make, as I said in my "In a Nutshell" opening statement, was not so much a comparison of the Veracruz against other SUV's from other manufacturers, but against its little brother Santa Fe. The V6 Santa Fe offers much of the veracruz's luxury and refinement at a lower price, actually has a more comfortable ride, and shares a fair amount of some of the veracruz's interior plushness and fit/finish...in fact, the Veracruz's interior, in many ways, seems to be a slightly larger and more complex version of the Santa Fe's. The two vehicles share some of the same general design inside. So, the smart shopper may just cross-shop the Veracruz with its own little brother right there at the other end of the showroom before running down the street to the Lexus or Acura store.