Hyundai Veracruz News

mystro

http://blog.vehiclevoice.com/2006/11/hyundai_veracruz_soon_to_arriv.html

Unfortunately the Diesel version will not make it to NA which basically puts the Veracruz in the 'just another Lexus lookalike' CUV/SUV adding a few more bobble's and bell's over it's brother the SF and using the same AWD drive system which is primarily FWD..it will not threaten the prowess of the AWD Tribeca it seems. It'll be interesting to see how it does in the crash/rollover ratings also.

arumage

This is old news. It will still have more power, more standard features, more room, more utility, and better gas mileage than the Tribeca, at most likely a lower cost. It most definitely looks better too. We'll see what features it comes out at the Detroit auto show in January. AWD prowess is great but it doesn't overcome the Tribeca's other shortcomings.

mystro

Since your obviously a Veracruz's defender and it hasn't been released yet so you don't know it's cost and more importantly you don't know it's crash rating or even it's fit and finish and until it's tested this is just an futile exercise in spinning wheels which Santa Fe and many other SUV owners are familiar with.

The Tribeca is a known entity with 5 stars and savvy SUV/CUV buyer's are giving it very close check outs but more importantly, the Tribeca's AWD prowess and safety IS what counts. I only compared the Veracruz with a Tribeca because the Subaru is the leader in AWD tech and has been for many years,it is not a johnny-come-lately in this class.

..and as far as looks,I'm tempted to post a side-by-side picture.

arumage

Look at any other equivalently priced Hyundai vehicle, like the Azera. Fit and finish are wonderful, performance is great, and safety is top notch. I understand your point about AWD. People in the frozen north who don't mind their vehicle looking like a fish should definitely check out a Tribeca.

What I can tell you for sure based on current information is that it has more available interior room, more standard safety features, and more power.

jd14

It looks a heck of a lot better than the Azera as far as the interior goes as well. While I like the passenger space in the Azera and I respect its build quality, the interior has always come off to me as quite ugly, especially the center dash. However, the Veracruz, at least in its home market, appears to be much better looking on the inside IMO. However, as far as exterior appearences go, I think Hyundai nailed them both pretty well. The only two gripes I have about the exterior of the Veracruz are the upside-down Camry grille and the third row windows that look like they came straight off the 2007 CRV.

jd14

I agree with arumage that from what I've seen thus far the Veracruz seems much more appealing to me than the Tribeca. I'm not a Subaru hater or anything, I just don't think it has as much to offer in terms of luxury, space, power, looks, etc.

mystro

It sure got quiet here all of a sudden? ;=)

Did anyone notice how close the Veracruz is trying to look so obviously Lexus-like but then so is Honda and a few others,Subaru as usual went it's own direction.

Personally,they are all just boxes with rounded corners pretending to be something other then the venerable Wagon.

arumage

IMHO, it should choose another direction. It's a well sorted out vehicle as far as mechanical operation and interior looks, but its an ergonomical nightmare and an ugly duckling. There is so much wasted space and poor storage, and it looks like someone broke it's nose. If they wanted it to look good, they should have based it on the Legacy's looks. I think the Legacy is a beautiful vehicle. Better to look like a Lexus than a product of a savage beating.

The Veracruz isn't the best looking or most original option, but it is very nice looking with awesome room and great storage, especially for it's size. I think the best looking new crossover to the Buick Enclave, but it'll be pricy and huge.

astor

IMHO the Subaru Tribeca is a complete styling disaster. What were their designers smoking????? I'm sure the overall sale numbers are horrendous. I live in Atlanta and I've only seen 3 Tribeca's at the most and that includes the one I saw at the '06 Atlanta automotive show.

mystro

Those who buy Tribeca's aren't followers,they not only *love* the TriB's unique *nonconformance* look but also it's 5 STAR ratings and AWD/VCD world-beater performance,the *look* is simply icing on the cake for subbie owners.

blindbat

I suppose if you compare ugly things to other ugly things, one will come up better looking than the other, but lets face it, SUV's and C UV's are just jacked up station wagons. At least you can recognize a Tribeca, which is more than I can say for most of the competition.

arumage

I think the look does more to hurt Tribeca sales then it does help them. AWD performance and safety ratings are very, very important, but most people still consider styling to be very important as well. I'd be willing to bet that most Tribeca owners are repeat Subaru owners rather than people new to Subaru just because the Tribeca isn't going to pull anyone in based on the way it looks.

joe97

I resided in Tribeca for over six years, the area in downtown Manhattan. On behalf of all former and current residents, we are truly disappointed and embarrassed to have this car named after a vibrant neighborhood.

pelican19

I found it strange Subaru would use an acronym.

For you non New Yorkers TRIBECA is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal.

Later

stever

It sure got quiet here all of a sudden? ;=)

Maybe the word wrap scared people off - all the comparison pics threw the screen off, so I deleted that post.

Maybe this will work (to quote Mystro, you be the judge):

joe97

Of the four, Hyundai competes closest with Subaru, more so than Bimmer and Lexus.

The photo of the Veracruz posted does no justice. There are some quality auto show pictures online, but the car looks best, and fantastic in person

And I am still put off by the name of the Tribeca

Veracruz > Tribeca

sssfegy

IMHO the Tribeca looks cleaner, though I don't like it in real life, who put the Bimmer with these guys? :P

joe97

Subaru is facelifting the Tribeca for the second time in as many years. At least they are getting the message, hopefully third time is the charm but I am not getting my hopes too high.

arumage

The Tribeca supposed to be getting very slightly larger. Engine displacement is going to 3.6 liters. Horsepower is up 10, torque is up 30, and gas mileage is supposed to be improved by 10%. It will also use regular instead of premium. For it to be acceptible, the third row has alot of improving to do though. It was so small I didn't even try to get back there.

practical

It's a great brand. Just look at CR's rating, it's amazing.

I don't understand one thing about their cars,
- No Air Curtain for the rear most row.

Also Tribeca's 3rd row is only for toddlers. Its dashboard seems taking up too much space. No HID?

joe97

I don't understand what they did to the new Impreza.

Alright, back to Veracruz...

derrelhgreen

In todays' Los Angeles Times in the Highway Section.

Didn't realize that the Veracruz could list for so much money. Oh well . . .

baxterdown

Any news when the nav equipped VC will be available?

arumage

MY2008 from most sources. I haven't heard anything official yet though.

carbuyer11

I've located YTD unit sales of the Veracruz. So far, through September, Hyundai has moved 8,618 units. Here's a month-by-month breakdown:

March- 178
April- 650
May- 1100
June- 1549 (I was one of the June buyers)
July- 1749 (the peak so far)
August- 1739
September- 1653

Using the June-September average of 6690 units, the 12 month projection would be 20,000. Does anybody know Hyundai's 12 month unit target?

austx37

I just read this article today in Ad Age.
Dealers Laud Hyundai Ads Without Hyundais

Don't know if what they're doing is going to work, but I personally think Hyundai should create a TV ad with just the Veracruz, like I've seen for the Mazda CX-9 and other CUVs and then I think people could see how hot this CUV is and sales would pick up. *Duh* (direct quote from their previous ad campaign)

carbuyer11

Hyundai's lackluster marketing of the Veracruz has me baffled. Now that Mazda has captured the MT SUV of the year with the CX-9, you can hardly turn on the TV without seeing their most recent commercial shouting the virtues of their new CUV. Unless I'm missing something, the only Veracruz I'm seeing on TV is the crunched-up one at the end of Hyundai's commercial about air bags. What is up with this?? What are they waiting for??

I am a proud owner of a loaded Limited AWD (4200 miles, zero problems). It concerns me that I'm seeing more CX-9's on the road in one Saturday of running errands than I've seen in the 5 months since I purchased my VC. Brand has nothing to do with it since Mazda is certainly not in the upper echelon of Japanese auto manufacturers. Sure, I get the issues with navigation (I own a Garmin 660), bluetooth (I don't use cell phones, especially when driving) and aux input jack (in my opinion, a serious omission in this age of ipods). But why is Hyundai so painfully quiet about their fleet, especially the Veracruz?? They need to spend some $$$$'s and soon or people will forget this wonderful option in the CUV war.

jmaulsby

I agree with your assessment. It is sad that Hyundai produced a great product in the Veracruz and they appear to be ignoring it or already written it off. I suppose the "half full glass" case could be that they are selling so many that they don't need to advertise, but I doubt if this is true. I never see a Veracruz on the road in the Dallas, TX area or anywhere else I travel. On one of the other threads, someone provided the Veracruz sales numbers, by month, several months back. Where did they get the figures? I believe it was for the period March through July.

flwonder

You are so right about Hyundai's marketing
of the Veracruz. I've had mine for 6 weeks and
have yet to see one on the road. I live in
the Ft. Lauderdale area which is solid cars and
also am on I-95 frequently.

I'm an old guy (bought my first car in 1950)
and without question the Veracruz is the best
ever.

Flwonder

joerao

I'd like to say thank-you to the Hyundai marketing dept., as they have helped me in the negotiation process. Lack of demand = lower prices. I'm holding out for a Limited @ $1500 under invoice. Hope to have them talked down that far before the new year.

Wish me luck.

carbuyer11

just remember that you're going to need to sell your VC sooner or later. It would really help everyone's resale value to have a car the general public knows something about....or better yet, a car that has a high desirability factor. Hyundai is doing nothing, zero, nada to help in this area.

carbuyer11

That was me. I have a link to Hyundai corporate that provided these Veracruz sales figures. Here are the numbers:

March- 178
April- 650
May- 1100
June- 1549
July- 1749
August- 1739
September- 1653
October- ??
total- 8618

tenpin288

October-1524

http://www.hyundainews.com/Corporate_News/Sales_Releases/11_01_2007_2424.asp

joe97

Hyundai USA is in the long mix of an advertising campaign to promote brand awareness, titled "Think About It". The TAI campaign started back in September and consists of both promotion of the brand itself and specific models via various media outlets (i.e. TV, magazines, radio). There are at least two national TV ads where the Veracruz is being featured but neither explicitly mention about the crossover in details.

I think Hyundai is trying to get perspective consumers into the showroom - the US sales arm recognizes this as the primary issue, since most of us here know the products aren't the issue (based on satisfaction and loyalty results). I am guessing Hyundai hopes getting additional foot traffic into the showroom will generate more sale (which is a bit tougher amid the recent slow economy). We'll see how everything turns out, but Hyundai deserves a drive from perspective shoppers.

dvinay12

Generalized message may not work. People already know about Santa Fe, Sonata and Hyundai..It should have focused on Veracruz a new product, it's qualities, differentiation. Hyundai already lost 8 months lead time to properly market since introduction of VC. Also VCs are available in very low numbers, less colors. I guess it's introduced in Canada, UK and Midwest(Gulf) same time.. Miffed about why Hyundai is so quiet on VC front? rare ads, No hoardings, no prime time display....It's conspicuous absence make me wonder if I made mistake buying Veracruz..Hope it gets better soon.

carbuyer11

The Veracruz has been selected as 1 of 34 new vehicles earning the title of "safest vehicles" by the IIHS. However, there is a disclaimer attached to the Veracruz. It states "built after August 2007". I couldn't find an explanation for this disclaimer. I'm not aware that Hyundai made any changes to the safety equipment as it transitioned from 2007 to 2008 model years. Why would my earlier built Veracruz be any less safe than what is currently rolling off the assembly line? Any feedback?

ergsum

In the table shown in the link, the pre August 2007 Veracruz must have had different head rest mechanicals.

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?hyundai

hiestand

Agree with lack of VC visibility on the road. Went through a long run-around getting my AWD ltd VC last May-June. Finally got mine in Sept. but it turned out to be a brand new 2008! Long story-but Hyundai Corporate, regional, & local dealers took very good care of me.Check out this link for Hyundai Corporate news to see latest great news about the VC: http://www.hyundainews.com/Corporate_News/Corporate/Index.asp
Maybe we'll begin to see a few more VC's on the road now. I'm getting nervous- will this be the new Edsel?

mdhutton

Made the decision this weekend to remove the VC from my short list. I just cannot buy the lack of corporate support for this model. With the holiday "Duh" campaign in full-swing, and NAVI-equipped VC's hitting the streets now, I would think that every man, woman and child in this country would know about this car.

This lack of support, to me, is indicative of how they will stand behind the product after the sale, and I'm not comfortable with it.

dvinay12

Well read the news carefully. Is it a typing mistake?
"
This combination of performance and value put the Hyundai Veracruz at the top of the list as the Best SUV Overall Value for 2007, beating competitors including the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-7, Nissan Xterra and the Toyota FJ Cruiser.
"

Veracruz compared with CR-V, CX-7..and not with Pilot, CX-9, Highlanders??

Yea the big Duh ad upsets me, as VC is not seen anywhere.

craigmri

I believe Hyundai is botching it with the "Big DUH" ad campaign. Do they really think people in the $30,000 car buying range will be lured by this "DUH" thing? It may work on $15,000 cars but in the near luxury segment its tacky and doesn't enhance the image.

Craig

dvinay12

I am just saying if we see 10 "Duh" ads on TV we should be able to see atleast 1 VC ad. But none. Evn "Handy Switch" can make rounds at prime time..;(

becyk

I must admit, til I saw the Veracruz in the showroom in September, I never even heard of it. Saw it, bought it.

Since then though, I must say, I see alot of TV ads of the VC in Canada. I think the ads are not very descriptive of the VC, but they do bring intrigue and curiosity to mind, which may not be a bad thing.

Hell, I think if you get to the showrooms and compare the VC with others...you'll probably buy the VC because of price (bang for $) unless you really need the "status" of Acura or Lexus. I play smart and I don't need status...I came well equipped thank you. lol

kenrob

I had registered with hyundaiusa.com several months ago, and was able to get to the owners manual, as well as the shop manual.

Now when I go back and log in, the site says it can't find the manual for my car.

Sure would be nice if Hyundai would beef up the site. Seems like it's an afterthought.

Anyone else have this experience?

dvinay12

I watched on CNN, Hyundai CEO speaking about Marketing push and more spending. Looks like they are timing up with Genesis. Hope they won't forget Veracruz. They will be primetime advertisers on CNN in upcoming presidential debates

ehtpiney

THANK YOU! I registered last year in August. The online manual never worked. I reported this to HyundaiUSA in September. Since then they have called me about 6 times to report that my password now works. They even called with the wrong username and password once. I never had a problem with the password just the online manual. The last answer I received from them on January 10, 2008 "You have a paper manual, that's all you need. The Hyundai USA Consumer associate helping me with this issue stated that she keeps reporting the online manual does not work to the technical team but keeps getting the same answer back "password works". She said there is nothing else she can do! I have a meeting with a HyundaiUSA representative that is coming to the Atlantic City area dealership on Tuesday to discuss the Headlight issue. I'll give him this issue also.

carbuyer11

Through December 2007 Hyundai has sold 12,589 Veracruz's. After reaching a monthly high of 1739 units in August, sales have been in a steady decline:

Sept- 1653
Oct- 1524
Nov- 1225
Dec- 1222

While I'm sure the economy and the season have played a role in this negative trend, I remain convinced that the Veracruz may be the best kept secret in the automotive world. When was the last time ANYBODY out there saw a commercial on the Veracruz?? While I fully understand Hyundai's allocation of advertising $$'s to the new Genesis and the upcoming remodeled Sonata, I continue to be amazed at the lack of advertising they've done on the Veracruz. I've seen more promotions on the 6yr old Honda Pilot. And don't think for a second that Honda won't be saturating the airwaves with commercials touting the soon-to-be-released Pilot remod. I don't get it......

sas5

This is the commercial that got me to thinking about why I buy (have bought) certain cars.

I kept thinking about it and finally, after doing exhaustive research and test driving the Veracruz three times, I decided to take the plunge and buy one.

I was leaning heavily toward buying the Lexus RX350 until I realized that I'd be sinking an additional $10,000 into a vehicle for its name. No way!

I'm not knocking Lexus . . . I drove an LS400 for a decade and loved it. However, I don't have oodles of dollars to spend on a car because of its name.

Another benefit for me is that I like NOT seeing the Veracruz all over the place. I've seen one other in this area (Alabama Gulf Coast). The driver winked at me and gave a thumbs up as we passed each other.

carbuyer11

Another benefit for me is that I like NOT seeing the Veracruz all over the place. I've seen one other in this area (Alabama Gulf Coast). The driver winked at me and gave a thumbs up as we passed each other.

This type of "exclusivity" won't help us a bit when it comes time to sell our cars. I can hear it now: You own a VeraWHAT"?

carbuyer11

The Veracruz has been available for about a year now. With next-to-zero help from the parent company (from a marketing perspective), Hyundai dealerships have been able to move 16,389 units through March 2008, a very unimpressive figure. I continue to scratch my head trying to figure out why Hyundai appears to want to keep this vehicle under wraps. Are they savings their advertising $$'s on the upcoming Genesis release? Here they are, getting ready to launch a near-luxury sedan, and they still have not exhibited any ability to market to a different audience. Word-of-mouth is not going to work, especially since the positive impact of the early car magazine comparison wins has lost it's luster. The market is about to be impacted by a brand new Honda Pilot. Do you think Honda is going to be quiet about this critical launch. I seriously doubt it.

pchan0677

yes, I registered in July 2008. I have contact the HyundaiUsa customer service about it and they have not got back to me yet. you say you were able to get the owners and shop manual. will you put on the site so I can get a copy, is it in PDF format?