2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

2022 Santa Cruz Photos
 Editors' Pick
Autoblog Rating
7.5

Think of it as an alternative to compact SUVs, which swaps in a pickup bed in place of the usual cargo area. High-class cabin, exceptional tech and surprisingly fun to drive.

Industry
8.5
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is an entirely different type of vehicle. Not only is it a compact pickup, measuring far smaller than the Toyota Tacomas of the world, it's of a totally different construction. Rather than a truck's usual body-on-frame setup, it has a car-like unibody. In other words, it's a crossover pickup. That means it's lighter, more agile and more efficient in terms of both fuel consumption and interior space. It also makes it less robust for off-roading and towing (even if its ground clearance and 5,000-pound max are better than the average crossover), while its diminutive size can best be seen in its small 4.3-foot bed length. Really, it's best to view the Santa Cruz as an alternative to compact crossover SUVs rather than midsize pickups. Its open bed, despite being small for a pickup, is still far longer than an SUV's cargo area and obviously offers infinite height. That could make it more useful for certain buyers. At the same time, its clever available cargo cover that rolls back like a garage door maintains the sort of security and all-weather protection provided by an SUV. This body style definitely has potential. The Santa Cruz is already for sale, but demand has been very strong, so you may struggle to find one on a dealer lot (or at least one without a hefty dealer markup). Part of that comes down to global supply shortages, but the Santa Cruz is at least good enough to warrant the interest. Of course, it's only just gained a competitor, and it's even more in demand. The Ford Maverick is similarly a compact crossover pickup and there are certainly similarities because of that, but the two execute that general concept in vastly different ways. The Maverick comes standard as a hybrid, is considerably cheaper and although its interior is highly functional and characterful, it's also of a much lower-quality than the near-lux Santa Cruz. If you can find either one of them, it's definitely worth checking out both to see which might be a better alt-SUV for you.  Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? The Santa Cruz is an all-new model. What are the Santa Cruz interior and in-car technology like? The Santa Cruz interior has a more premium look and feel than average for a compact crossover, owing to the fact everything forward of the B-pillar is shared with the impressive new Hyundai Tucson. This gives the Santa Cruz a leg up on the Ford Maverick and justifies, at least to some extent, its higher price. In the Limited trim, the leather upholstery, extra-mile luxury features like ventilated seats and heated steering wheel, widescreen infotainment system and fancy-looking capacitive touch controls step things up even further. As for the tech, Hyundai's infotainment systems, whether the standard 8-inch unit or the 10.25 widescreen one shown below, …
Full Review
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is an entirely different type of vehicle. Not only is it a compact pickup, measuring far smaller than the Toyota Tacomas of the world, it's of a totally different construction. Rather than a truck's usual body-on-frame setup, it has a car-like unibody. In other words, it's a crossover pickup. That means it's lighter, more agile and more efficient in terms of both fuel consumption and interior space. It also makes it less robust for off-roading and towing (even if its ground clearance and 5,000-pound max are better than the average crossover), while its diminutive size can best be seen in its small 4.3-foot bed length. Really, it's best to view the Santa Cruz as an alternative to compact crossover SUVs rather than midsize pickups. Its open bed, despite being small for a pickup, is still far longer than an SUV's cargo area and obviously offers infinite height. That could make it more useful for certain buyers. At the same time, its clever available cargo cover that rolls back like a garage door maintains the sort of security and all-weather protection provided by an SUV. This body style definitely has potential. The Santa Cruz is already for sale, but demand has been very strong, so you may struggle to find one on a dealer lot (or at least one without a hefty dealer markup). Part of that comes down to global supply shortages, but the Santa Cruz is at least good enough to warrant the interest. Of course, it's only just gained a competitor, and it's even more in demand. The Ford Maverick is similarly a compact crossover pickup and there are certainly similarities because of that, but the two execute that general concept in vastly different ways. The Maverick comes standard as a hybrid, is considerably cheaper and although its interior is highly functional and characterful, it's also of a much lower-quality than the near-lux Santa Cruz. If you can find either one of them, it's definitely worth checking out both to see which might be a better alt-SUV for you.  Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? The Santa Cruz is an all-new model. What are the Santa Cruz interior and in-car technology like? The Santa Cruz interior has a more premium look and feel than average for a compact crossover, owing to the fact everything forward of the B-pillar is shared with the impressive new Hyundai Tucson. This gives the Santa Cruz a leg up on the Ford Maverick and justifies, at least to some extent, its higher price. In the Limited trim, the leather upholstery, extra-mile luxury features like ventilated seats and heated steering wheel, widescreen infotainment system and fancy-looking capacitive touch controls step things up even further. As for the tech, Hyundai's infotainment systems, whether the standard 8-inch unit or the 10.25 widescreen one shown below, …
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Retail Price

$24,440 - $40,170 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.5L I-4
MPG Up to 21 city / 27 highway
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 8-spd auto-shift man w/OD, 8-spd w/OD
Power 191 - 281 hp
Drivetrain HTRAC all wheel, front-wheel
Curb Weight 3,704 - 4,164 lbs
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