SE 4dr All-Wheel Drive
2007 Hyundai Veracruz
Hyundai continues to amaze. With the addition of the all-new, 2007 Hyundai Veracruz crossover to its line, it now offers no fewer than nine models in the U.S., ranging from the subcompact Accent to the upscale Azera sedan to the mainstream Entourage minivan to the Santa Fe and Tucson SUVs to the sporty Tiburon. And with the Veracruz, Hyundai isn't just filling a heretofore unnoticed empty spot on its dealers' showroom floors. It's also taking another step up market in price, quality and performance. The all-new Hyundai Veracruz is no tentative, exploratory step. Its powertrain goes head to head with the competition, primarily the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Highlander, and the Subaru Tribeca. There's no weak-kneed four-cylinder engine or aging four-speed automatic transmission, either. Instead, the Veracruz gets a modern V6 more powerful than competing engines and just as frugal at the gas pump. The transmission is a thoroughly modern, six-speed automatic, putting it one gear up Honda, Toyota and Subaru. There's also a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, again giving away nothing to the competition.
The Veracruz also enjoys a styling advantage. This is Hyundai's first venture into the crossover market, so it has no mistakes to be corrected, no design vocabulary that has to be slavishly followed, no legacies to be exorcised. It's all a clean-screen project, but with the additional benefit of being able to learn from what others have tried. And learn Hyundai has. The Veracruz presents a clean, uncluttered face, a balanced, sleekly executed profile and maybe a bit of a copycat rear aspect, but if it is, it's at least a copy of a winner.
Inside, there's everything anybody needs except a navigation system.
Besides well-designed and smartly packaged seating for seven, including easy access to the third-row seats, a host of upscale features are standard on the Hyundai Veracruz GLS, the base model. Anything missing there is available on the SE or Limited or in an option package, including a rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones and remote.
Veracruz is put together with care, too. Gaps between body panels, while not Lexus or BMW grade, are close and consistent. Interior trim materials feel as good as they look, and they look very good. Gauges and controls look and feel good, with interesting blue-tone night-time instrument lighting and just the right amount of clickiness and rotational resistance.
Suspension is independent all the way around (preferred for ride and handling), with comfortable, front-to-rear shock absorber and spring balance over a longish wheelbase that smoothes out most freeway pavement heaves. A wide stance and responsive steering combine with four-wheel disc brakes, which aren't numbingly over-managed by computerized mappings and algorithms, to earn a refreshingly high, fun-to-drive rating.
Finally, Hyundai left nothing on the shelf when it came to outfitting the Veracruz with safety gear. There are six airbags, including side-curtain coverage for all three rows of seats. Antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution are standard. So is a full-featured, electronic stability …
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Full Review
The all-new Hyundai Veracruz is no tentative, exploratory step. Its powertrain goes head to head with the competition, primarily the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Highlander, and the Subaru Tribeca. There's no weak-kneed four-cylinder engine or aging four-speed automatic transmission, either. Instead, the Veracruz gets a modern V6 more powerful than competing engines and just as frugal at the gas pump. The transmission is a thoroughly modern, six-speed automatic, putting it one gear up Honda, Toyota and Subaru. There's also a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, again giving away nothing to the competition.
The Veracruz also enjoys a styling advantage. This is Hyundai's first venture into the crossover market, so it has no mistakes to be corrected, no design vocabulary that has to be slavishly followed, no legacies to be exorcised. It's all a clean-screen project, but with the additional benefit of being able to learn from what others have tried. And learn Hyundai has. The Veracruz presents a clean, uncluttered face, a balanced, sleekly executed profile and maybe a bit of a copycat rear aspect, but if it is, it's at least a copy of a winner.
Inside, there's everything anybody needs except a navigation system.
Besides well-designed and smartly packaged seating for seven, including easy access to the third-row seats, a host of upscale features are standard on the Hyundai Veracruz GLS, the base model. Anything missing there is available on the SE or Limited or in an option package, including a rear-seat entertainment system with wireless headphones and remote.
Veracruz is put together with care, too. Gaps between body panels, while not Lexus or BMW grade, are close and consistent. Interior trim materials feel as good as they look, and they look very good. Gauges and controls look and feel good, with interesting blue-tone night-time instrument lighting and just the right amount of clickiness and rotational resistance.
Suspension is independent all the way around (preferred for ride and handling), with comfortable, front-to-rear shock absorber and spring balance over a longish wheelbase that smoothes out most freeway pavement heaves. A wide stance and responsive steering combine with four-wheel disc brakes, which aren't numbingly over-managed by computerized mappings and algorithms, to earn a refreshingly high, fun-to-drive rating.
Finally, Hyundai left nothing on the shelf when it came to outfitting the Veracruz with safety gear. There are six airbags, including side-curtain coverage for all three rows of seats. Antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution are standard. So is a full-featured, electronic stability …
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Retail Price
| Engine | 3.8L V-6 |
| MPG | 17 City / 24 Hwy |
| Seating | 7 Passengers |
| Transmission | 6-spd w/OD |
| Power | 260 @ 6000 rpm |
| Drivetrain | all wheel |
