Is Hyundai‘s new seven-passenger Veracruz family hauler the real upscale deal or merely a Lexus look-alike? Can it really double as Mom’s carry-all and an upscale conveyance for a round of golf at the country club?
Those are the questions I set out to answer as I spent a week with Hyundai’s latest and possibly greatest entry into the U.S. automotive market.
It did not take me long to figure out one part.
The Veracruz performed admirably, toting two rows of passengers and a cargo bin full of luggage and supplies on a 300-mile jaunt to and from the beaches of southern New Jersey.
With luggage removed and third-row seats in place, it was easily possible to cart six adults to the beach, restaurants and other destinations in reasonable comfort.
I also learned a number of other things.
The Veracruz appears to be well built, with a quality interior and lots of available creature comforts.
It is handsome, as several people took the time to tell me. It drives well, considering its size and mission.
And, yes, it offers all that at a lower price than the Lexus RX 350.
All of the crucial ingredients needed to satisfy the particular needs of those who claim to have discriminating tastes were there.
All of them, that is, except one.
The problem: It’s not a Lexus. It’s a Hyundai.
The Korean manufacturer burst on to the United States automotive stage in 1985 with a fleet of inexpensive econocars and, even at that low level, got off to a stumbling start with a raft of quality issues.
The company has since righted itself with a succession of better-built vehicles until now many Hyundais are comparable in quality and style to its Japanese competitors. And, Hyundai even has a better warranty.
But the time has not yet come for U.S. buyers to utter Hyundai and Lexus in the same breath.
So, the Veracruz is much more likely to be spotted at the Holiday Inn than at the Ritz-Carlton.
Hyundai officials are well aware of this and are not in the least bothered. They made it clear during a regional press introduction that the new vehicle is actually targeted at crossover vehicles such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
Chris Hosford, vice president of communications, put it this way. “We don’t anticipate anyone shopping for a Lexus to cross-shop it against a Hyundai.”
Still, company officials do not deny that the premium brand of Toyota was very much a focus of the Veracruz development process, and they see their new vehicle as an important key in raising the Hyundai brand image.
“We did use the Lexus RX as the functional benchmark in terms of refinement and appointments,” explained Mike Nino, director of product development.
The actual goal was to build a vehicle that would not only compete with the Pilot, Highlander and other similar vehicles, but would offer more features at a similar or lower price.
In that context, the arrival of the Veracruz can’t help but come as good news to the not-so-affluent buyers who will actually be able to get a luxurious and practical vehicle at a relatively affordable price.
The Veracruz is available in three levels of trim, all of which feature the same drivetrains, suspension, steering and brakes.
Power comes from the same 3.8-liter V-6 engine that motivates the company’s Azera sedan.
Featuring four valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing and an aluminum block and cylinder heads, it produces 260 horsepower and 257 pound-feet of torque.
The only available transmission is a six-speed automatic unit with manual controls that was obtained from supplier Aisin.
All models can be purchased with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. For extreme conditions, the AWD vehicles have a lock mode which splits the torque evenly between front and rear wheels.
While the Veracruz was not designed for serious outback use, the vehicle’s 8.1 inches of ground clearance will allow it to traverse many rough and rutted off-road trails.
The Environmental Protection Agency lists average fuel mileage for front-wheel-drive vehicles at 18 miles per gallon of regular gasoline around town and 25 on the open road.
For AWD vehicles, the estimates are 17/24.
The AWD Limited model I drove averaged between15 and 21 miles per gallon.
The independent suspension is tuned more for a comfortable ride than for aggressive back-road driving, although the Veracruz it is easily controlled in tight turns.
All models are comprehensively equipped with safety features, including electronic stability control, traction control, front and side air bags for front seat passengers, side-curtain air bags for all three rows of passengers, tire-pressure monitor and active front head restraints.
They also come with a long list of standard equipment, which increases from model to model.
Base prices climb from $26,995 for a GLS model, to $28,695 for the SE, to $32,995 for the Limited.
Add $1,700 to each figure for all-wheel drive.
A fully optioned AWD drive Limited model carries a sticker price of $38,070.
Hyundai officials expect 40 percent of buyers to choose the Limited and the remainder to choose equally among the SE and GLS models.
The also expect 60 percent of buyers will choose AWD.
For the time being, the Veracruz will be content serving the middle class.
But, it seems apparent that Hyundai officials are beginning to set their sights higher.
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