Victoria, B.C.–If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the folks at Lexus should be blushing from cheek to cheek. Hyundai has gone and built yet another vehicle that looks like a member of the Toyota-Lexus family (the Sonata is a good facsimile of the best-selling Camry and the Santa Fe is somewhat of a RAV4 clone). Save for its face and a few design elements at the rear, Hyundai's new seven-passenger Veracruz crossover looks suspiciously like Lexus's RX 350, inside and out. But that's not its main competition, says the South Korean auto maker. While it benchmarked its Veracruz against vehicles such as the RX 350, Acura MDX and GMC Acadia, it's going after buyers shopping the less ritzy Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano, Mazda CX-9 and Subaru Tribeca. It's also the auto maker's most confident move in terms of pricing. Hyundai has come a long way from the days of the Pony. Get ready for it: there's now a $40,000 Hyundai. The Veracruz dissolves any thoughts of cheap or disposable. It comes in two well-appointed trims: the GLS, starting at $39,995, and the top-line Limited model at $45,995. Both have the same mechanicals, heated leather seats, six airbags, a sunroof and the usual power goodies. The Limited adds a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, Infinity surround sound system with six-disc CD changer and 10 speakers, and a power liftgate. There are no options but, unfortunately, also no Bluetooth, MP3-player input, front-seat auxiliary jack or a navigation system, which is technology available in most of the others. It's no secret that Hyundai checked out the competition's ride, handling and power, took note and tried to replicate the good points as closely as possible. The Veracruz's platform is loosely based on the Santa Fe's, which has been lengthened and widened for the mid-size LUV (luxury utility vehicle). The Veracruz isn't dramatically larger than the Santa Fe: 4,840 mm in length versus 4,675 mm; a height of 1,807 mm compared with 1,795; a width of 1,945 against 1,890. But the Cruz, which fills the top rung above the Santa Fe as the Azera does with the Sonata, gets more luxurious materials and higher-end technical bits. There's a new six-speed transmission with a manual shift mode, which helps the Veracruz purr seamlessly. (Even when climbing Vancouver Island's Malahat Summit, the transmission didn't strain to find the appropriate gear.) The six-speed tranny, a feature that's becoming standard on higher-end models, is one of this crossover's bright spots. The transmission's well-appointed mate is the same engine that powers the Azera: a 3.8-litre V6 that makes 260 hp and 257 lb.-ft. of torque. The motor is more powerful than the Pilot, Highlander and Murano and though it falls short of the Lexus's 270 hp, the Hyundai feels appropriately powered, neither lickety-split quick nor sluggish. In terms of ride and handling, it's not sporty but it's not as cushy as driving a sofa down the road, either. Hyundai did a good job of balancing stiff and soft. And, like the promise of other crossovers, the Veracruz feels more like driving a car than a truck-based SUV. Inside, it's vault-like quiet, too. Another bonus: It runs on regular, not premium, gasoline. The steering is nicely weighted, but like most SUVs it felt more at home on straight stretches of the Trans-Canada than carving its way up mountain switchbacks. Big brakes do a confident job of stopping the Veracruz. A new all-wheel drive system is standard on both models. While the Veracruz likely won't see much back country, the system is useful in slick or slippery situations. It automatically routes power to the wheels that have the best traction and can be locked with a 50/50 split for light off-roading. The crossover also gets a 20 cm ground clearance for curb climbing. The fit and finish and the soft touch materials used inside the Hyundai feel high-end and luxurious, especially the upgraded leather that comes standard on the Limited's seats and door panels. One complaint with the driver's chair: I like to sit lower to the floor when driving, as did my partner on this trek, and the seat doesn't power down low enough to feel ideal. There's lots of room all round, and my usual allergy to third-row seats disappeared when I climbed to the far bench of the Veracruz. It was easy to get into (not as easy on the exit, but that's the case with all third rows) and once there, after sliding the second row a few centimetres forward – it can travel up to 18 cm – I had enough leg- room, footroom and chair space (though headroom was tight). As with other utility vehicles with three rows, when that 50/50-split fold-flat third row is in use, there's only a sliver of cargo room, enough for a few briefcases. With the Veracruz, Hyundai is courting those who would otherwise look at the alternatives, such as Toyota, Honda and even Lexus and Acura. It's jam-packed with luxury, elegance, power, comfort and utility. And, as is Hyundai's formula, it offers more for less. It's too bad Hyundai hasn't been able to carve out its own individual design path. But at least when it does borrow, it gathers all of the best elements from the competition and bundles them in a neat package. Lexus must be flattered – especially since that auto maker is set to redesign its RX 350 for 2009 to be bolder, sportier and more luxurious. I wonder if Hyundai will follow.
Angela Forgeron, a freelance writer (aforgeron@rogers.com), prepared this report based on travel provided by the auto maker. |