2009 Honda Pilot vs. Ford Flex, Chevy Traverse, Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander

2009 Honda Pilot vs. Ford Flex, Chevy Traverse, Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander - Beat of a different Drummond: We compare six family haulers and, amazingly, drown none of them.

BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON KILEY
November 2008


When we last visited Michigan’s Drummond Island [“Mud Puppies,” February 2008], we compared nine Lilliput SUVs and quickly found ourselves in over our heads. Which is to say, we sank a Jeep Liberty. See, the island—a short ferry ride from the eastern tip of the state’s Upper Peninsula—is a 25-mile-long series of limestone bowls (which hold water) and cedar swamps (ditto) surrounded by Lake Huron (ditto times a million). Drummond Island, thou art thine own soggy enemy.

This time, we asked Drummond Island Resort’s driving expert, Craig Hoffman, to sketch out a somewhat drier 16-mile loop, two-thirds of which comprised twisty, smooth pavement and one-third of which bumped through the resort’s private off-road facility. On any off-roader’s scale of difficulty, these private trails (notice we said “private” twice?) hover wholly in Wally Cox territory yet still represent pretty much the worst that any owner would throw at his investment. Along this route, we then ran the vehicles back-to-back until the local bowling alley’s neon “BEER” sign lit up.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison_test/crossovers_and_suvs/2009_honda_pilot_vs_ford_flex_chevy_traverse_hyundai_veracruz_mazda_cx_9_toyota_highlander_comparison_test

2006 Hyundai Azera SE

2006 Hyundai Azera SE - We were surprised, because the Azera has a nondescript look to it, especially when shod with the 16-inch wheels that come on the base SE version. The sheetmetal blends American, Japanese, and Korean styling elements in a nearly cohesive, if slightly dull, way. From the plain look of it, one would never suspect the Azera is capable of running from 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds and turning a quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds at 96 mph.

The source of the Azera’s speed is an emboldened 263-hp, 3.8-liter version of Hyundai’s 3.3-liter DOHC V-6. Although it’s down five horses from the Avalon’s rerated 268-hp V-6, Hyundai’s larger-displacement 3.8-liter makes more torque. Coupled to the engine is a five-speed automatic that does its job smoothly and unobtrusively but did show some reluctance to downshift.

Despite the eager and thirsty engine, the rest of the package doesn’t exactly encourage one to search out twisty back roads. Steering feel is on the numb side yet accurate enough not to be considered sloppy. The Azera doesn’t suffer from mirror-scraping body roll, but neither does it turn in like Fernando Alonso’s Renault. Let’s just say it’s flatter than a Kia Amanti’s handling profile, a car that an American Kia official once described — quite privately — as the Korean Packard.

The structure is essentially a long-wheelbase version (the wheelbase has been stretched two inches) of the mid-size Sonata unibody architecture. The extra length provides a spacious and comfortable back seat as well as a 16.6-cubic-foot trunk. At highway speeds the cabin is isolated and serene (we recorded a low 66 decibels at 70 mph). It’s more quiet inside at that speed than an Avalon or even the last Cadillac STS we tested.

The cabin has all the luxury-car cues: tightly grained plastics, a band of fake wood that wraps around the dash and cabin, multiple shades of beige, and switchgear that has a Lexus-like look, if not feel, to it. About the only gripes we had with the interior were the econocar-like gauges and the not-quite-terry-cloth-but-definitely-not-Alcantara seats.

2007 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited

2007 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited - Hyundai’s modest Santa Fe sport-ute is seven years old, and it’s experiencing a growth spurt. The new-for-2007 SUV is 3.2 inches longer between the wheels — now 106.3 — and has been stretched almost seven inches from nose to tail, up to 184.1. So, although it used to belong in the compact-SUV class, the new Santa Fe is about as big as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. Those larger outside dimensions pay dividends inside. Interior volume is way up over the previous Santa Fe’s; it now has a cavernous 59 cubic feet in front and 49 in the back seat (versus 54 and 47, respectively). Plus, there are 34 cubic feet of cargo space behind the seats (up from 31).

The base Santa Fe GLS comes with a 2.7-liter V-6 that makes 185 horsepower. It hooks up to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic that adds $1200 to the tab. The SE and Limited models get the all-aluminum 3.3-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic first seen in the Sonata. In this application, the 3.3 makes a healthy 242 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque.

Driving the new Santa Fe is a pleasure. The interior of the front-drive $26,595 Limited model that we tested was well isolated from outside intrusions. At 70 mph, road noise was just 69 decibels.

The engine is Toyota smooth and has a broad power band, although we expected slightly better results from the 3.3-liter than 8.0 seconds to 60 and 16.4 seconds at 87 mph for the quarter-mile.

Every Santa Fe model comes standard with six airbags and stability control, as well as niceties such as keyless entry and a six-speaker stereo with a CD player and MP3 capability. The starting price of a GLS model is $21,595, and that’s within $700 of the four-cylinder RAV4’s base price of $20,905.

For an SUV that costs well under 30 grand, you get a lot here: a roomy interior, decent feature content, reasonable refinement, and V-6 power. The Santa Fe is definitely worth checking out.

2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited

2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited - If the Veracruz likewise depletes U.S. wallets, it won’t be by much. The base front-drive GLS begins at $26,995; five trim levels later, this Hyundai tops out at $34,695. All ride on a stretched Santa Fe platform; all are powered by the 260-horse, 3.8-liter V-6 found in the Azera sedan; all come with a third-row seat; and all include an Aisin six-speed automatic, Hyundai’s first.

Our front-drive Limited test sample ($33,120) arrived with an alluring load of standard-equipment creature comforts: leather, an A/C-cooled center console, a sunroof, a tilting-and-telescoping wheel, a power liftgate, backup radar, a 315-watt Infinity stereo, stability control, and more.

Inside and out, the Veracruz emits a strong whiff of Lexus RX350—not a bad SUV to copy. Even the center stack, with its zillion buttons and switches, is Lexus-like. Three rotary HVAC controls would have simplified matters, but Americans nowadays equate complexity with luxury.

Fire up the Veracruz and what you notice first is what you don’t notice. There’s minimal road noise or engine noise, and the exhaust is as mute as Harpo. At both idle and WOT, the Veracruz is quieter than the Pilot or Highlander. Even the turn-signal stalk’s clicks are subdued.

Similarly Lexus-ish is throttle tip-in—gentle, gradual, almost lazy. Disable the stability control and you can churn the front Michelins for four feet at step-off. In the sprint to 60 mph, the Veracruz is 0.2 second behind the Pilot but 0.3 second ahead of a V-6 Highlander. Full-throttle upshifts are supremely smooth, and the V-6 evinces no peaks or valleys as it pulls to its 6500-rpm redline. Torque steer manifests only when you combine major throttle with a 90-degree turn.

Except for a low seat cushion, the split middle bench is a gem—roomy for three and adjustable fore-and-aft by five inches. Yank one lever and the middle seat pivots forward to afford access to the third row, where a pair of adults can ride without complaint for, well, 20 minutes. With both rows folded flat, usable floor space measures about six feet deep and 45 inches wide—in total, an excellent 87 cubic feet, sufficient to swallow a bicycle whole.

Our beefs were few. The foot-operated parking brake hangs so low it sometimes rubs your shin. Rear visibility is diminished by the fat D-pillars. Although the speed-sensitive steering tracks like a champ and is nicely weighted, it doesn’t transmit much info about road textures, and your first warning of understeer is the stability control, which is aggressive about pulling out engine spark.

Off the freeway, the Veracruz isn’t quite as engaging as the Pilot or Highlander, which are a titch more visceral, more hard-wired to the driver’s inputs. But the Hyundai’s ride, extra measure of isolation, and myriad standard features will be construed by many as a bonus layer of luxury. In fact, the Veracruz represents so much bang for the buck that Hyundai would do well to ditch its old flying-H logo, which still carries the “it’s all I could afford” stigma.

2006 Hyundai Sonata LX

2006 Hyundai Sonata LX - During that spell, the silver Sonata LX V-6 averaged 23 mpg (versus EPA ratings of 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway) and even after 40,000 miles was capable of galloping to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, making it as quick as the last Honda Civic Si we tested. Frank wasn’t as flashy as most of his other long-term stablemates and thus made fewer major treks, although he did wind up in Patrick Bedard’s Arizona garage for a few months, made three trips to Wisconsin, and was twice in Florida, including spring break in Daytona. After that, the cockpit smelled as if it had pulled an all-nighter with the Rat Pack—we were afraid to ask for details—and a thorough disinfecting was ordered.

We ordered our LX V-6 with exactly zero options, because its standard equipment included stability control, a five-speed automatic with manumatic, a CD/MP3 player, cruise control, fog lights, electric seat adjustments for the driver, heated front seats, 17-inch alloys, a tilting-and-telescoping wheel, and a five-year/60,000-mile warranty buttressed by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

After 40,000 miles, everything still operated as advertised, zero repairs required. The turn-signal and wiper stalks still moved with silky ease. The leather looked fine—even the leather on the steering wheel hadn’t become shiny. And the vinyl and plastic trim pieces, previously a Hyundai weakness, showed few scars or scuffs.

Otherwise, our complaints included a driver’s-side wiper that was tapping the top of the A-pillar. Everyone bitched about an overly sensitive sensor in the passenger seat that triggered a seatbelt warning light even if something as insubstantial as a briefcase was resting on the cushion. There were several gripes that the transmission was slow to shift. The steering was a tad too quick just off-center. And the AM-radio reception was mysteriously subpar.

Over and over, editors said of our Seoul train, “It reminds me of the previous-generation Accord.” Like the Accord, this most-recent Sonata succeeds because it is quiet, dignified, practical, comfortable, and reliable. That it goes unnoticed on America’s highways is perhaps its most obvious peccadillo, but there are plenty of over-40-somethings who take great satisfaction in going unnoticed.

As is true with all Hyundais, the Sonata still carries some of that old built-in-Korea baggage, even though it is assembled in Alabama. Automotive Lease Guide projects that Honda’s vehicles, after 36 months, will hold 53.7 percent of their original value, whereas Hyundai’s will hold only 42.6 percent. If we apply those projections to the Sonata versus an Accord, you’ll experience $2500 more depreciation over three years with the Hyundai. It also proves that stigmas, like Samsonite, are hard to break.

You know that “H” on the grille of every Accord? The Honda guys must hate seeing a flying “H” on the grille of every Sonata.

Hyundai Sonata LX

Hyundai Sonata LX - Engineers at Hyundai appreciated the difficulty of their task, so they set their sights high, selecting the previous-generation Audi A6 as their aspirational goal for the new Sonata. Not surprisingly, they didn't match the $40,000 Audi. But in the $20,000-to-$25,000 segment, the car they created is very impressive.

Take its engine, which is not an area of notable Hyundai achievement in the past. The new G6DB Lambda-family 3.3-liter V-6 in our Sonata LX test car develops 235 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque.

What's perhaps even more surprising is that the Lambda V-6 delivers this performance smoothly and silently. Even when revved to its 6000-rpm redline, the V-6 remains composed and happy. The all-new five-speed automatic helps get the most from the V-6 by shifting seamlessly and intelligently, although it's sometimes slow to kick down.

Credit the modern suspension, with control arms in front and a multilink layout in the rear, and gas shocks and anti-roll bars at both ends. Another helpful factor is the standard electronic stability-control system, which gave Hyundai chassis engineers the freedom to calibrate the car for more neutral balance, knowing that the electronics would save the ham-handed.

This perception of quality is reinforced by the Sonata's clean and tasteful interior styling. The two-tone materials have that expensive, low-gloss look, and the parts that contact your hands and elbows—the upper dashboard, the door panels, and the console covers—are all squishy soft. Although there is nothing novel about the Sonata's control layout, that's not a bad thing in the electronics-happy 21st century.

Although no one will go to bed dreaming of the Sonata's voluptuous styling, this generous interior space is contained in four-door sheetmetal that is slightly shorter and wider than most other cars in the class. Hyundai hasn't forgotten about value in its quest to add sophistication to the new model. All Sonatas—including the entry—level $18,495 GL powered by a 162-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox-come standard with an array of safety features, including front side airbags, curtain airbags front and rear, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, and the aforementioned stability control.

The top-of-the-line LX model, which stickers for $23,495, adds leather upholstery, heated seats with power adjustment for the driver, automatic climate-control and headlight operation, a trip computer, and many other things along with the V-6 engine and 17-inch wheels.

That's an impressive advantage given that most Sonatas will not be built in South Korea but in Hyundai's brand-new plant in Montgomery, Alabama. The cars will come with Hyundai's trademark long warranty—five years or 60,000 miles on the whole car, 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain.

2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited

2007 Hyundai Veracruz Limited - If the Veracruz likewise depletes U.S. wallets, it won’t be by much. The base front-drive GLS begins at $26,995; five trim levels later, this Hyundai tops out at $34,695. All ride on a stretched Santa Fe platform; all are powered by the 260-horse, 3.8-liter V-6 found in the Azera sedan; all come with a third-row seat; and all include an Aisin six-speed automatic, Hyundai’s first.

Our front-drive Limited test sample ($33,120) arrived with an alluring load of standard-equipment creature comforts: leather, an A/C-cooled center console, a sunroof, a tilting-and-telescoping wheel, a power liftgate, backup radar, a 315-watt Infinity stereo, stability control, and more.

All of the Veracruz’s interior surfaces equal or exceed the finish of those in the Pilot or Highlander, apart from the cheesy “brushed aluminum” plastic on the steering-wheel spokes and center console. The front seats are firm and multi-hour comfortable, although the cushions could use more bolstering.

Similarly Lexus-ish is throttle tip-in—gentle, gradual, almost lazy. Disable the stability control and you can churn the front Michelins for four feet at step-off. In the sprint to 60 mph, the Veracruz is 0.2 second behind the Pilot but 0.3 second ahead of a V-6 Highlander. Full-throttle upshifts are supremely smooth, and the V-6 evinces no peaks or valleys as it pulls to its 6500-rpm redline.

Our beefs were few. The foot-operated parking brake hangs so low it sometimes rubs your shin. Rear visibility is diminished by the fat D-pillars. Although the speed-sensitive steering tracks like a champ and is nicely weighted, it doesn’t transmit much info about road textures, and your first warning of understeer is the stability control, which is aggressive about pulling out engine spark. At least you can turn it off.

But the Hyundai’s ride, extra measure of isolation, and myriad standard features will be construed by many as a bonus layer of luxury. In fact, the Veracruz represents so much bang for the buck that Hyundai would do well to ditch its old flying-H logo, which still carries the “it’s all I could afford” stigma.