Hyundai Veracruz First Drive

Karen_S

Check out our 2007 Veracruz first drive and tell us what you think.

First Drive: 2007 Hyundai Veracruz

pelican19

I test drove the Veracruz last week. I was considering trading in the Entourage for it. After driving it I decided against it. Dont get me wrong its very nice but we would lose too much room. Its only a little bigger inside than my 07 Limited Santa. Not worth the extra money IMO. It rides just like my Santa but with much more power. Gas prices was also a factor. The Entourage has the same 3.8 liter engine.

arumage

The Veracruz has higher quality materials than the Santa Fe, along with some nice options. A limited Veracruz is $3,900 more expensive than a limited Santa Fe with the same options. The Limited Veracruz also comes with 315 watt stereo, backup warning system, heated mirrors with turn signals and auto-dimming, cooled center console storage, rear spoiler, and power liftgate. Also, the Veracruz gets 1mpg better on the highway with 18 more horsepower. The biggest number is the 31 ft. lbs. of torque and the extra gear on the transmission. Those factors come together to drop more than 1 second off of the 0-60 time. I'm sure passing power is better too. The 2nd row was much improved over the Santa Fe.

alj77

In the article 2007 Hyundai Veracruz First Drive it was mentioned "Hyundai has made XM Satellite Radio standard across the line of Veracruz models, as well as Bluetooth connectivity" I have read on the Hyundai site about XM, but I have not seen any mention on Bluetooh connectivity.
Can anyone confirm if indeed Bluetooh is available? :confuse:

arumage

Bluetooth is available as a dealer option, but it's not like other manufacturers. It doesn't turn down the radio when you call or go through the car speakers. It's pretty cheap. I'd look for a real bluetooth system to be available next year some time when nav also becomes available. If you check out the goodies that will be on the Concept Genesis, most of them will be available on the Veracruz probably next year.

cwalton1

Sorry for the delayed response. Hyundai has informed me that Bluetooth is a $295 option and that XM will be standard on the entire Hyundai line by the end of the 2008-model year.

kerriandwill

In regard to the Hyundai Veracruz Article. It was a good article with a lot of truth. I just bought a new Veracruz GLS and love it. I think there has been too much emphasis by Hyundai and others comparing it to the Lexus. Let's get real, most will compare it to the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and the new GM crossovers. I drove the Pilot LX and compared the two. For one, the interior of the Hyundai was far superior to the the low level cheap looking Pilot and two, the Pilot ride was noiser and rougher. It's great, that it is as quiet as a Lexus and the ride is comparable, but compare the model to it's real competitors. Also, it's getting old hearing the Japanese and American car buyers cutting down Hyundai!! You better check your reliability ratings and re-sale values, I think it is more fear and jealousy than truth. I keep hearing it stacks up well against the Pilot and in the LX to GLS version it crushes it, then I hear about the new GM crossovers. Hey, lets get real, they look good on paper, but after one year, look at the reliability rating????????? Yes, they will be bottom dwellers just like the Trailblazer was!!!! I'd like to think GM could prove me wrong, but I've owned too many 5 recall, 5 trips to the shop, GM vehicles during my first year of ownership, that's why I own one Hyundai and one Toyota!!!! The article was nice and gave some really good points and I think the full tests will bring out even more strengths the Veracruz has on it's competitors. Thanks Edmunds for not blasting Hyundai for just being a Hyundai, I think even the auto websites understand Hyundai's commitment to quality.

1487

I dont see how the Veracruz's reliability is any more known than the GM crossover's reliability. Unless you have some type of proof that they will be problematic I don't see how you can rule them out based on future reliability if you are going to consider an unproven Hyundai. As for recalls, if I'm not mistaken Toyota had far more than GM last year.

arumage

GM has already released a software update for the transmission in the Lambda triplets, but I can't really say either is going to be more problematic in the long run. Hyundai's recent ('05-'07) quality numbers have been more impressive as a whole though.

kerriandwill

I guess I'm relying on reliability ratings from Consumer reports and JD Power. GM SUV's have had some of the worst reliabilty rating among all SUV's. Your right this is a new Hyundai SUV, but even if the first year reliabilty is not good, Hyundai has been able to come back and change this the second year, like they did with the Tucson. GM has not done this the reliabity of the Trailblazer has been poor since day 1.

lhoward5

Test drove a Veracruz SE AWD yesterday and own it today! I am extremely impressed with the interior design and the quiet comfortable ride. Everything is at your fingertips. I have the leather and entertainment package. Great sound system. I feel I got a great automobile for 33K. Love the blue titanium with gray interior.

egripp

Love my Veracruz Limited in Black Diamond with Ultimate Package w/ Premium Black/Saddle Interior, fully loaded. Went looking for a van, just stopped to look at the 2007 Hyundai Entourage because of safety reviews. Saw the Veracruz, did a test drive and I said “I want a CUV not a van that I had be driving for the last 15 years.” Then test drove/reviewed the Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9 and Lexus RX. The Veracruz beat all comers hands down. Bought it without telling my wife. She has a 2006 Nissan Maxima (loaded). She now wants to take the Veracruz on vacation to Colorado, and leave the Nissan Maxima in the garage. Rate it a 10, in all areas, and that is from my auto expert of the family, my 18 year old son. Life is good…..

albanyjet

We've had our Limited for 2 weeks, 250 miles. I've noticed that the ride is nice and smooth when the road is in good condition, however, when there are potholes/ rough patches, the rear end (shocks/ struts/ springs?) seem to respond a bit loudly, almost with a slight "clunk" sound. I'm not sure if the vehicle is still stiff from being new, or if this is normal and I'm imagining it as worse than it is. I don't want to sched. an appointment at the dealer just to find out it's fine. The vehicle is designed to be so quiet that I'm surprised to hear this amt. of noise from relatively average road conditions. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

PS. Any new /potential buyers shouldn't let this "problem" deter you from this great vehicle. I honestly might be making something out of nothing. It's my wife's car and she has never said a thing about this. She LOVES it!

arumage

Some of the reviews have said that the Veracruz has that problem. I seem to remember the Santa Fe having that problem as well. They are on the same basic chassis.

carbuyer11

I have experienced a similar issue (notice I'm not calling this a "problem"). After a week of ownership, it's the only thing that's been less than positive. This appears to be a well-constructed, well-conceived CUV. Note to prospective Pilot/Highlander purchasers- throw out any pre-conceived notions about this brand and at least include the Veracruz in your test drive schedule. You'll be impressed. Incredible styling, painstaking attention-to-detail and tons of amenities for the dollar.

ilit

Check tire pressure. I keep mine between 30 and 32 psi when tires are cold. Try to maintain your tires inflated at 30 psi in the early morning.

vu2000

I test drove a Veracruz 3 weeks ago. This is a nice vehicle for 27K MSRP. I would not buy it until it is discounted 3-4K like the Santa Fe. For 39K a fully loaded Veracruz is not a good deal. I'd rather take an MDX or Lexus Rx350 with less options. Wait and you will get better discounts like on the Santa Fe. I hope Hundai will continue to make vehicle this nice or nicer.

arumage

The highest the Veracruz gets is $38k MSRP with every option. People on this forum have gotten as low as $800 under invoice which puts it closer to $35k. An MDX or RX350 don't even start at a price that low. Motortrend actually ranked the Veracruz better than the 2008 RX350, and it returned better gas mileage using regular instead of premium gas. IMHO, the MDX is pretty ugly from the front too, although I wouldn't call the Veracruz's grill an instant classic.

carbuyer11

Negotiating discounts on the Veracruz should not be difficult, especially on the high-end version which seems to be the toughest to get. Although I paid $35700 for loaded VC AWD/Limited/Saddle, I was quoted as low as $35000 although that dealer could not find me a vehicle. Don't forget that sales=increased allocation for a new product in tight availability. Despite the tight availability dealers should be motivated. My experience was nowhere near my experience when I purchased a new Ridgeline when they first debuted 2+ years ago. I paid sticker on the Ridgeline. Although I love my Honda, I would not do that again and didn't need to during my Veracruz negotiation.

seaneugene

I’ve forced myself to hold my tongue for a couple weeks, to see if the new car awe would wear off and buyers remorse would set in.. before offering up any opinion.

Neither has happened yet. I am still very pleased, and feel like I’ve got an incredible vehicle at a great price.

It finally rained in Portland Oregon today and I was driving without my wife and kids. I punched my wife’s new VC (like I did during the first test drives back in April) around a corner with railroad tracks, trying to make the rear end spin out. Nope. A little light on the dashboard came on for a second and it took the corner like the tracks weren’t there.

A dealership in Beaverton that we had been visiting told us that no VCs with the Ultimate package were available in a 9 state region. If we paid a couple of couple of thousand over MSRP, they might be able to have one driven in from AZ in the next two weeks, but we would have to commit to buying that night. I said that I we weren’t going to pay MSRP ever again, the Sales Manager laughed at us… actually made my wife cry. Why were we being so cheap.. why were we trying to compare the Honda Pilot to the VC. Why didn’t we just buy the top of the line Sante Fe. A sales manger there named Ryan thinks he is the “closer” via Glengarry Glen Ross.

Bought a VC AWD Limited Ultimate package for just a bit over 35K from a new dealership in Gladstone. I didn’t get to choose the color, as it was the only one in stock and I needed a car that weekend, but that was just fine by me. Got Stone White which wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it looks great.

And drives like a dream. :shades:

I thought my 2 year old daughter would want to watch DVD’s via the Entertainment system.. Turns out, all she wants to do is look out the sun roof and tell me about what she sees.

carbuyer11

It's great to hear good stories about the Veracruz (despite the lousy dealer experience). We've had ours for 1 month. I don't believe it's even seen rain yet since it's also been dry on the other coast (Central Virginia is our home). I would love to hear from owners in the middle part of the country getting all of the bad weather.

I bought my VC (Limited AWD with ultimate/saddle) for just a tad above published invoice. I dealt with 2 dealers before purchase. I truly believe each of them were realistic about Hyundai's "heritage" for rebates/discounting. While I paid sticker for my new Ridgeline 2+ years ago, I didn't even need to break a sweat to get a sizable discount on this vehicle in short supply. And like I said in a previous post, unit sales=increased allocation so I would think that the dealers would be interested in discounting while not trying to get "fat and happy" on Veracruz sales.

Continued good luck with your purchase.

stever

Thanks for the report and congrats!

Please set up your CarSpace page and post some pics in the album there (I like white cars :shades: ).

mjb56

So far, I'm also extremely pleased. As I've posted in the MPG page, I've very happy with the gas mileage. Fit and finish are great. Very comfortable. Just turned 1,300 miles. No warts yet.

lisag2

I test drove the Veracruz this weekend and absolutely love it and plan on buying one. Does anyone know if the Stone White comes with the black/saddle leather rather than the beige. I'm not a big fan of the beige interior but if that is the only way I can get a white veracruz I will deal with.

Thanks.

tenpin288

This is directly from Hyundai's website:

Premium Black/Saddle Interior only available with the following exterior colors: Liquid Silver, Black Diamond, Satin Beige, and Dark Bronze

Sorry, no white!

carbuyer11

That's unfortunate for fans of white. Frankly, I think it would look better with a white exterior than with the Liquid Silver but that's just my opinion. I have Satin Beige with Saddle which looks great together. I agree the beige leather leaves a lot to be desired. It's too light. I saw it on a silver exterior- again, in my opinion, this combination looks awful together. The salesman opened the door, I took one look and closed it without getting in...

jimmyz4

Hyundai has hit a homerun!

I've had my Limited/Ultimate VC for two weeks [2100 miles] and it is superb. My previous car is a Lexus RX300 that I sold today. No regrets and I believe that in certain respects Hyundai has out Lexus the Lexus. Don't get me wrong, Lexus is still an excellent car - just at a bit more money.

I am glad I chose the VC and every time I get in that quiet, library like cabin I love the driving experience. I am past the age that I care whether it is an L or an H on the front of my car or what people think of an L or an H. I want a great driving experience. The VC certainly delivers.

I get 19 MPG around town and 23.5 on the road, though I am not a leadfoot. That is with AC on and 95 Florida degrees outside. And, I keep my tires at exactly 30 pounds. [Keep in mind the low pressure warning light is when tires are way underinflated. No light does not mean your tires are at the recommended 30 PSI.] Dealers are not good at getting them at exactly 30 PSI and weather also changes the ideal pressure.

I am a gadget man, so high on my list of "wow" is the keyless entry, auto windshield wipers and the auto back door lid.

I must say, a VERY comfortable car to drive. Those of you who have a VC know exactly what I am saying. It just seems to follow the road automagically. I don't tire as much in this car as I did in my RX300. My wife puts the seat back and naps easily. Too easily. She loves the dual automatic AC. I like 72, she likes 74.

All in all, I am thrilled and glad to hear that so many of you are too.

Oh, one last thing - the six speed transmission. As the Brits say - brilliant! You have to concentrate to feel the shift points. A real winner that probably also contributes to the very respectable gas mileage for the size car.

Other than some plastic covering the dealer forgot to remove - non complaints. No adjustments needed. Nothing. Just a great car with great design features.

And whoever said the interior finishing was not up to Lexus, bunk.

outback08

I also recently test drove a Veracruz to replace my Pilot that was totaled in an accident. It was nice but it didn't feel like it had 260hp and the six speed transmission was shifting like crazy. As I was starting off and just as I was getting going, it would up shift into 2nd gear. Guess you have to really "get on it" to keep it in a lower gear. The interior was nice but it didn't really get me excited. Some items and surfaces felt low budget.

wog6269

went to (LOOK) at new cars. came home with 07 veracruz , not even in picture of cars to look at. my wife wanted sunroof or ragtop. stopped to look at sonata and saw this car, a little more room and power. wife could not walk away from this car, today she has forgotten a few turns while driving it. hyundai has impressed us with quality,features, and performance. Hyundai has really improved their product line,you can buy a quality car without reservation.

jonnyrocket1

I read and agree with your post! We have a 2011 Veracruz with 9910 miles on it. Basically brand new. When we hit a bump or chuckhole the front struts deal with it fine but rear makes a big thud and bank as it goes through. The dealer says they cannot find anything wrong (of course!).

It IS getting worse. It really affects the overall driving experience since we live in the city where the roads have lots of irregularities in them. I've checked the tire pressure and its within spec.

This thing rides rougher than my truck!! I must admit that overall we are quite please with our vehicle.