Hyundai Veracruz

Launched in December 2006 for the 2007 model year, the Veracruz replaced the body-on-frame Terracan, shifting from off-road brawn to family-oriented luxury. Primarily aimed at North American buyers, the seven-seater filled the space between compact Santa Fe and the later Palisade, bowing out after the 2012 model year when the expanded Santa Fe lineup absorbed its slot.

At 4.84 m long and nearly 2 m wide, the Veracruz was one of the largest Hyundai passenger vehicles of its era. The chunky, upright silhouette flaunted tall 1.96 m proportions, while smooth surfacing and a chrome-laden grille aligned it with contemporary U.S. SUV aesthetics rather than traditional Korean design cues.

Built on Hyundai’s unibody platform with available front- or all-wheel drive, the Veracruz used a transverse 3.8-liter V6 sending power through a six-speed automatic. Its portly 4.3-tonne curb weight favored quiet cruising over agility, delivering confident straight-line performance but modest fuel economy by later standards.

Despite respectable safety scores and a quiet cabin, slow sales—especially against established rivals from Japan—ended production in late 2012. The knowledge gained in packaging three full rows, sound deadening and near-luxury fitment directly informed the 2013 Santa Fe XL and current Palisade, ensuring the Veracruz concept lived on in Hyundai’s expanding SUV range.