<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"      FINAL REPORT - February 2009    All things--including comfortable, reliable things with heated leather, XM radio and separate driver, passenger and rear-seat climate controls--must come to an end. It&amp;#039;s time to part with the Hyundai Veracruz after a year in which it made good on its promise to set a new bar for the marque and compete with (if not quite equal) the Lexus RX\u00C2 350. From the start, we appreciated the interior details, which include easy-to-use controls and adjustable pedals. The vehicle gets high marks from everyone who climbs inside (up to seven passengers; only five fit in the Lexus). Driving performance has been respectable. The 3.8-liter DOHC V6 and six-speed automatic combine for easy passing, though acceleration from a standstill could be snappier--it was better when we handled the gearshifts in manual. Handling was as poised as the best three-row crossovers&amp;#039;, the steering felt responsive, and we found the interior quiet on the highway, if a bit noisy over washboarded dirt roads. The Hyundai excelled in the snow--and in the shop, too. A recall involving a minor snafu with the transmission and clutch control unit was fixed promptly. We drove an insane number of miles (more than 35,000 in 12 months) and never needed more than scheduled maintenance. That helped seal the deal--in the Veracruz, Hyundai has crafted a keeper. --Jerry Beilinson      DRIVERS&amp;#039; NOTEBOOK   * The power liftgate is nice to have, but slow--really slow when you&amp;#039;re waiting to load the skis in a snowstorm. * The AM radio was briefly possessed by demons who grooved on pure static--then left. One reader e-mailed us with a similar complaint. * One recall was handled at the most recent service.       END DATA    THIRD REPORT - November 2008   The Veracruz continues to handle everything we throw at it with grace, from short-haul Home Depot runs to thousand-mile odysseys carrying camping gear, coolers and, on one occasion, Girl Scouts. (The DVD player was quite useful on that trip.) Okay, the vehicle did bog down in deep sand on North Carolina&amp;#039;s Outer Banks--but that was our fault, and the Cruz selflessly gave up its floor mats to help us get unstuck. With 260 hp and 257 lb.-ft. of torque moving 2-plus tons of vehicle, the Veracruz may not own the passing lane, but it does have ample punch, and noticeably more when we dip into manual mode. Seven people can ride in relative comfort, as long as the shorter, nimbler passengers clamber into the rear. These same back-seat regulars enjoy having their own climate-control options, the aforementioned DVD player, numerous cup holders and lots of spots to stash iPods, books and other road-trip supplies. Other details, from the keyless entry to the adjustable pedals, are spot on. --Jerry Beilinson      DRIVERS&amp;#039; NOTEBOOK   * A Hyundai mechanic checked every connection, then finally solved the radio&amp;#039;s heavy static--the MP3 port has to be turned off. Go figure. * Sagging trim was fixed under warranty--okay, but after nine months, we&amp;#039;d like the interior to still look new.       DATA SO FAR    SECOND REPORT - August 2008   The first comment we got on the Veracruz was, &amp;quot;Hey, is that the new Lexus?&amp;quot; That was 18,000 miles ago, and the admiring words have continued, from observers, passengers and, most critically, drivers. A stiff chassis and four-wheel independent suspension help keep the handling smooth and nimble on hairpin country roads--body roll is minimal for a largish crossover. Gear shifts are buttery, whether the driver lets the car do the thinking or employs the manual-shift mode. The Veracruz&amp;#039;s awd system blazes through high-country snowstorms that leave lesser vehicles taking dry-road detours. And it has proven a comfortable, even luxurious, commuter (though it&amp;#039;s not exactly a Prius for that role). One negative: You get ample rear cargo room with the back seats folded down, but employ seating for seven, and you couldn&amp;#039;t fit bag lunches in back, let alone tailgating supplies. --Jerry Beilinson      DRIVERS&amp;#039; NOTEBOOK   * Adjustable pedals and telescoping steering column make this an easy-to-share vehicle. * The smart key--which can stay in a pocket while you unlock the doors and drive away--is addictive. * Many miles driven, zero repairs required.       DATA SO FAR    FIRST REPORT - April 2008   Crossover vehicles let a lot of drivers off the hook. Even in this enlightened age, many people find it hard to square their hip self-image with the purchase of a minivan, no matter how many kids and bags of fertilizer they have to cart around. The driveways of these people are rapidly filling up with vehicles like the Hyundai Veracruz, which has much of that minivan practicality mixed with SUV attitude. We first tested the 2008 Veracruz against five of its classmates last summer, and it proved to be one of the best. A week after joining our long-term test fleet in December, the Veracruz ran a lap from New England down to Florida and back, and then took on hard duty as a commuter and weekend ski-country mule. In all its tasks, the Cruz has continued to impress, with a quiet cabin, stable handling and ample power fed through a smooth six-speed automatic. Luxuries include heated front seats, adjustable pedals, DVD viewing for the kids, loads of convincing faux wood and plain old attention to details such as the placement of a/c and entertainment controls. With the third row folded, the Veracruz has around 40 cu. ft. of cargo space--not quite minivan level, though close. With those seats in play, the storage space nearly disappears, but there&amp;#039;s respectable seating for seven. One quibble is the relatively vague steering. Also, we&amp;#039;ve had two incidents in which the fuel door wouldn&amp;#039;t pop open using the remote release. Restarting the car and driving for a minute or so solved the problem, and we&amp;#039;ll ask about it at the first service. --Jerry Beilinson       VITAL STATISTICS   EPA fuel economy: 15 city/22 hwy  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/a4215/4313811/>