It’s up for dispute whether the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz counts as a proper pickup truck, but there’s less disagreement over its unique appearance and practical cargo box. The Hyundai’s maximum towing capacity is 5000 pounds, and there are mid-size vehicles that can handle mud and rough terrain better. However, the Santa Cruz isn’t attempting to pass like one of those irate-looking, trail-eating, jobsite mule pickups. Consider it as a little Hyundai Tucson with a truck bed instead. After all, the vehicles’ platforms and drivetrains are similar. A weak 191 horsepower four-cylinder and a 281 horsepower turbo-four that is an option both power the Santa Cruz’s performance. The stronger engine is only compatible with all-wheel drive; it is only offered with the top two trim levels. The stronger engine is available with either front- or all-wheel drive. The SEL Premium and Limited offer the best technology and the nicest interiors, but they forego a greater number of physical controls in favor of less practical touchscreen buttons and are significantly more expensive than the less expensive variants. However, the 2023 Santa Cruz stands out for striking a mix between usability and enjoyable driving characteristics.
In This Article...
The Hyundai Santa Cruz, which costs $24,000, is a truck that drives like an SUV, making it the ideal vehicle for adventures.
- The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is unlike anything else on the market, being both a pickup and an SUV.
- It has a modest but surprisingly adaptable truck bed and costs $24,000.
- It’s the ideal vehicle for weekend activities since it combines SUV proportions with pickup-truck functionality.
Three different people approached me and asked the identical question in the course of just one afternoon while I was driving Hyundai’s new pickup truck, the 2022 Santa Cruz: “What the heck is that thing?”
If we didn’t live in a time when many people’s social skills have completely vanished, much like their early-pandemic sourdough starters or their desire to dress oneself below the Zoom line, I imagine the figure would have been higher.
The majority of folks haven’t actually seen a Santa Cruz up close because it only came onto the scene this summer. However, there’s another reason why people always ask inquiries and give Hyundai’s small truck perplexed looks: it’s freakin’ strange.
The Santa Cruz is unlike anything else you can purchase today, occupying the odd space between a pickup and an SUV. In essence, Hyundai took an SUV, removed a sizable portion of the roof, and added a tiny truck bed where the trunk should have been.
Although the end result sounds horrifying, it flawlessly combines the functionality of a pickup truck with the comfortable form and feel of an SUV. The Santa Cruz is a brilliantly funky response to the big trucks and generic crossovers that rule US roadways, and it is in a league of its own.
SERPRESULT
The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the best little truck you can purchase right now, and its lack of competition shouldn’t take away from that fact.
Based on the outstanding prototype unveiled in 2015, Hyundai engineers and designers have been working diligently ever since to create a pickup truck.
Does Hyundai still produce pickup trucks?
The Santa Cruz, a brand-new addition to the range for the Korean carmaker this year, is Hyundai’s first pickup for the US market. The Ford Maverick, which is essentially its only direct rival, has a starting price of $23,990 before fees, which is very similar to the Santa Cruz’s.
That applies to the base SE grade, which has front-wheel drive and a 191 horsepower four-cylinder engine. There are a total of four model levels, with the top two — SEL Premium and Limited — coming standard with all-wheel drive and a more potent turbocharged engine. Last month, Hyundai lent me a fully loaded Limited model for a short period of time. The whole cost, with destination charges included, was slightly over $41,000.
There are several SUV-based trucks, but none compare to the Santa Cruz. Hyundai’s latest entry is less of a normal midsize truck than Honda’s Ridgeline, which has boxy dimensions, a longer bed, and a larger overall footprint. Similar to the Santa Cruz, Ford’s recently released Maverick is about the same size but resembles the F-150 more than it does anything else.
Hyundai does it have a truck?
The new Hyundai vehicle was just released in 2021, so it does now. The Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup is what it is named. It aims to combine the versatility and comfort of an open-bed truck with the room and comfort of an SUV.
Does Hyundai produce compact pickup trucks?
The brand-new 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a two-row, crew-cab style vehicle that is aimed at city people seeking weekend getaways. The tiny pickup holds four adults in the cabin and has space for their belongings in the bed. It is the manufacturer’s first consumer pickup truck of any size or design to be marketed in the U.S.
An adequate amount of luggage and recreational equipment may fit in the pickup bed’s four feet, and a locking, metal roll-up tonneau cover keeps them safe and secure. The tonneau is a sensible feature that will probably be a well-liked factory option. In addition, the Santa Cruz has a lockable storage space built into the floor of the bed, similar to the Honda Ridgeline’s bed storage box.
What brand does the new Hyundai truck go by?
Overview. Contrary to popular belief, the new Hyundai Santa Cruz is a pickup truck. Even though it lacks a full-size tow rig due to its smaller dimensions and unibody construction, we nevertheless think highly enough of it to include it on our list of Editors’ Choices.
Will Hyundai release a full-size truck?
In conclusion, the only Hyundai pickup truck is the Santa Cruz from 2022. It is a unibody vehicle around the same size as the Ford Maverick. It has plenty of storage and can tow a moderate amount of weight despite its compact size. The tech-filled interior of the vehicle feels opulent, especially in higher grades. This model won’t take the place of your work truck, but it might make a great midsize truck, crossover, or SUV substitute.
Hyundai is there a Santa Cruz for 2023?
Cost and Release Date Hyundai has revealed the starting MSRP and destination fees for the 2023 Santa Cruz, which is $26,745 for the base SE front-wheel drive model. The Santa Cruz costs as much as $41,615 for the Limited trim level.
A 2020 Hyundai truck’s price.
Although the two pickups’ characteristics are extremely similar, the Maverick has a lower starting price of at $19,995 (plus a $1,495 destination fee). The top Lariat trim of it starts at $25,490. But with upgrades, additional AWD, and a more potent 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, it approaches the $40,000 mark.
A Hyundai Santa Cruz may be purchased.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz will go on sale in the summer of 2021, with prices starting at $23,990. That applies to a front-wheel-drive Santa Cruz SE with a 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine.
Does Subaru produce a truck?
Fans of performance and trucks will want the Subtle Solutions rendering shown above of a new Subaru midsize pickup in their garage. An FA24 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer engine in a new Subaru vehicle with a hood scoop would offer close to 300 horsepower and more torque for hauling. We believe it to be the all-wheel-drive model that Subaru of America is lacking, and it would be a best-seller for the Camden, New Jersey-based company.
Subaru would be in a wonderful position to profit from the growing popularity of pickup trucks if they went further and created a new Wilderness truck to join the Outback and Forester Wilderness sub-brands. A Subaru Wilderness truck would surpass Hyundai’s brand-new Santa Cruz Sport-Adventure Vehicle (SAV), which had just been unveiled.
The midsize Subaru Ascent-based Wilderness truck would probably be popular and would close a gap in the all-wheel-drive lineup for the Japanese carmaker. The new pickup would be the ideal candidate for the company’s Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, which is sure to be popular with truck purchasers who want to go off-road.
The Ascent platform might still be used by the Japanese automaker thanks to the new Subaru Global Platform. Subaru’s engineers could quickly remove the back and make exterior design adjustments to create a stylish 4-door all-wheel-drive truck for its American customers.
It would be produced in Lafayette, Indiana, alongside the Ascent 3-Row family hauler, and have a 2.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder boxer engine as its powertrain. Like the Outback Wilderness with an improved suspension, the new Wilderness vehicle would sit higher off the ground with at least 9.4 inches of ground clearance.
Base, Premium, Limited, Sport, and Wilderness trim options would be available for the new truck. The Subaru Wilderness would include dual-function X-Mode all-terrain all-wheel drive, black alloy wheels, interior, exterior highlights, and badging.
Tens of thousands of purchasers of midsize trucks would be attracted to a brand-new pickup built on the Ascent, which would fit in in with Subaru’s lineup of specialized all-wheel-drive cars. Subaru now has a truck to compete in the popular midsize pickup segment alongside the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado, and GMC Canyon thanks to the Ascent platform. It would be the final component of the Subaru lineup for all-wheel drive.
Subaru’s new midsize truck should retain the Baja nameplate, in our opinion. If the Japanese carmaker introduced the tough 2023 Subaru Baja Wilderness midsize pickup the following year, would you purchase one?
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Have you seen the Hyundai Santa Cruz yet?
Release of the new Hyundai Santa Cruz is scheduled for 2022. According to a story from November 2020, Hyundai has announced that they would start selling their first truck in 2021. It might not, however, go on sale until the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022.
What’s the price of a Hyundai small truck?
The SE basic variant of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is priced at $26,885. The SEL, SEL Premium, or Limited are all available after that for $30,085, $37,075 and $41,115, respectively.
The 2022 Santa Cruz appeals to individuals deciding between a compact vehicle and something a little larger because it is smaller than most midsize pickups. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque is included as standard. Although all-wheel drive is an option, that is paired with a front-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
A six-speaker sound system and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are also included. The 2022 Santa Cruz has forward collision warning and lane-keep assist as standard safety features. One of the nicest aspects of the Hyundai Santa Cruz, according to Edmunds, is how it almost seems like an SUV thanks to these features.
Does the Hyundai Santa Cruz have all four wheels?
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has all four wheels, right? Yes, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is available in all four trim levels with HTRAC(r) All-Wheel Drive. The top two model levels, the SEL Premium and Limited, both come standard with all-wheel drive while the SE and SEL are both optional.
Who creates vehicles with truck beds?
The Chevrolet El Camino is perhaps the first vehicle that comes to mind when you discuss a car with a truck bed. Even though you don’t often see the El Camino hauling a noteworthy quantity of cargo in the truck bed, many people nevertheless adore its novelty. This sportster, which is categorized as a coupe utility muscle car, looks to have it all.
Can a Hyundai Santa Cruz be flat-towed?
My brother, who lives a few states away, purchased my Hyundai Santa Cruz from me. I wanted to be sure I didn’t harm the Santa Cruz so I decided against towing it behind my heavy-duty pickup. Is a Santa Cruz capable of flat towing?
In less than two minutes, find out if your auto insurance is being overcharged.
No, you cannot flat tow a Hyundai Santa Cruz, regardless of its drivetrain, trim level, or model year. If you try to flat tow the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the platform, together with the drivetrain and transmission, could sustain serious damage.
If your Santa Cruz has front-wheel drive, you can utilize a two-wheel dolly as long as the front wheels are elevated. The Santa Cruz with all-wheel drive can only be trailered using a flatbed. (The front-wheel-drive version can also use this.) Page 8 to page 24 of your owner’s manual (2022) contain extra information about safe trailering.
You may be getting rid of your Hyundai Santa Cruz, but you can still share some of your brother’s wisdom on auto insurance. Help your brother save money on insurance for his Hyundai Santa Cruz when you drop off the truck at his residence by letting him know about the Jerry app.
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