2009 Hyundai Veracruz Review Middleburg FL

TheCarConnection.com has driven the Hyundai Veracruz in order to give you an expert opinion, presented here alongside highlights from available road tests on the Veracruz.

Likes
Numerous conveniences and creature comforts
Available in either front- or all-wheel drive
Affluent interior appointments and styling
Standard third-row seating

Dislikes
Uninspiring driving performance
No optional backup camera
Limited storage behind third-row seating

The 2009 Hyundai Veracruz looks a lot like a Lexus RX 350 , and that's the intent. With the Veracruz, Hyundai aims to take on luxury crossovers, though with a much lower price.

The exterior style of the Hyundai Veracruz is sleek and flowing, rather than rugged, from a distance; up close Hyundai has taken its own direction with the details, with upscale interior styling and attractive, soft-touch surfaces.

A 260-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine moves the 2009 Hyundai Veracruz. It's hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission and delivers power via front- or all-wheel drive. The powertrain provides adequate performance, though the transmission isn't as decisive or quick to downshift as most others in rival vehicles.

The seven-passenger Hyundai Veracruz has three rows of seating to accommodate up to seven, but the third row is quite cramped. Whether with cloth or leather upholstery, the interior is pleasant but not quite luxury-caliber, though functionally the Veracruz is every bit as useful and comfortable, with plenty of headroom and legroom for the first and second rows and family-friendly cubbies throughout.

The 2009 Hyundai Veracruz sacrifices some interior space, but Hyundai's crossover is a quality-built vehicle and one of the safest in its class. With styling borrowed from more expensive luxury crossovers, the affordable Veracruz impresses with its list of features and design attributes; its driving experience, however, ranks squarely as average among its many mid-size competitors.

Handy features available in the Veracruz include a cooler box, an AC power outlet, and a powerful 605-watt premium sound system. For 2009 Hyundai simplified the Veracruz's trim level packages by eliminating the SE model and narrowing the choice to the GLS and the Limited, with the GLS Preferred Package incorporating the most popular SE features.

The Bottom Line: The 2009 Hyundai Veracruz is an impressive SUV for the price, but it's no Lexus .

Other Choices
If you like the 2009 Hyundai Veracruz, also consider:

- Mazda CX-9
- Toyota Highlander
- Honda Pilot
- Ford Edge

Reason Why:
The 2009 Hyundai Veracruz is closer in appearance to the Ford Edge than the Mazda CX-9 . Both the Mazda and the Ford feel sportier than the comfortable, feature-oriented Veracruz. Compared to the new Honda Pilot , the Veracruz comes across as more comfortable, with safer styling than the Honda's faux-rugged look and a sleeker appearance than the new Toyota Highlander .

Buying Tip
To save a lot of money, purchase the base GLS model Veracruz instead of the Limited model. You'll still get the third-row seating along with the same powertrain and refinement for thousands less.

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Review was originally published at TheCarConnection.com
© 2009 TheCarConnection.com