In summary, the Hyundai Santa Cruz from 2022 is not a hybrid. For this new compact vehicle, we believe a hybrid powertrain option would improve the portfolio. It loses a lot of ground to the Ford Maverick, its closest rival, due to its poorer fuel efficiency. Ford’s offering is far superior in this regard because a hybrid powertrain is included as standard. Thankfully, the Santa Cruz makes up for it in other areas by providing more opulent amenities and equipment in its most expensive trim levels.
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Platform enables cutting-edge powertrains
The hybrid, electric, or internal combustion engine Santa Cruz is not a workhorse like the body-on-frame Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux. Similar to the Honda Ridgeline, it is more of a recreational or light-duty vehicle that can carry camping goods, motorcycles, bicycles, and other light-duty tools and machinery.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz Electric, if introduced in the present generation, would be a conversion of the current ICE vehicle rather than a brand-new truck created from scratch. Although its general size and proportions might be comparable, its front and rear may be significantly altered. For instance, it might feature functional adjustments like a radiator grille that is covered and body-colored, aerodynamic alloy wheels, and revised tail lights and bumpers.
Santa Cruz vs. Maverick: On the Street
The top-trim Santa Cruz outperforms the comparable Maverick when it comes to handling. The Santa Cruz produces 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque when outfitted with Hyundai’s optional 2.5L turbocharged engine as opposed to the Maverick’s 250 and 277. With its speedy Sport mode, snappy paddle shifters, and quick-reacting dual-clutch automatic, the Santa Cruz feels far quicker than the turbo Maverick, which isn’t exactly a pokey vehicle.
AWD torque vectoring and the Santa Cruz’s quick steering give it a sports-sedan feel by pickup standards. Its wide stance also contributes to a planted feeling. On the road, the Maverick is without a doubt the more agreeable of the two vehicles to travel in. But it lacks the dynamic verve of the Hyundai due to its rather sluggish steering and upright, truck-like driving stance.
However, the base trims depict a somewhat different picture. Despite only having 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque, the Maverick’s standard hybrid powertrain nonetheless makes the truck seem appropriately propelled. It also scores a staggering 42 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the interstate, and 37 mpg overall. The Santa Cruz, on the other hand, doesn’t come with a hybrid option, and its base 191-horsepower gas engine feels awfully lethargic while only getting a dismal 23 mpg combined. Although neither base engine comes with AWD, the Maverick is the undisputed champion if a base model is what you’re after.
Our on-road conclusion is that Maverick delivers a better base model, while Santa Cruz triumphs when comparing top trims.
Crossover or pickup? Hybrid or turbo? Hyundai Tucson vs. Hyundai Santa Cruz
Since its release, Ford’s new Maverick truck has caused a stir in the marketplace, but it’s crucial to keep in mind that it isn’t the only model available in the emerging small, crossover-based pickup market.
The new Santa Cruz truck from Hyundai will be a compelling option for many purchasers. Additionally, the Santa Cruz and Hyundai Tucson CUVs have identical mechanical underpinnings, just as the Maverick and Escape CUV do with their respective underpinnings.
If the Santa Cruz is on your list of potential daily drivers or adventure vehicles, you’ve undoubtedly also considered its cousin, the Tuscon. What specifically does the Santa Cruz offer in contrast to its SUV equivalent, if anything?
That is what we will analyze in this section. Although all models have a similar fundamental structure, you’ll see there are some significant changes between them.
What category does the Hyundai Santa Cruz fall under?
How do we compare the Santa Cruz’s capability and versatility to competitors if Hyundai doesn’t designate it as a truck and gives it a sector of its own? Do we contrast it with midsize pickups like the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Chevrolet Colorado? Or should we contrast it with off-road-ready vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler as Hyundai labels it a “Sport Adventure Vehicle”?
It’s a conundrum of “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” proportions that many people find difficult to resolve. But since it has a truck bed, it only seems reasonable to compare the Santa Cruz’s performance to that of other pickup competitors, particularly those with unibody construction like the Honda Ridgeline. The Santa Cruz is categorized as a compact truck, although the Ridgeline belongs to the medium sector, so even this comes with a caveat.
With its optional 2.5L turbocharged engine and HTRAC all-wheel-drive system, Hyundai makes no bones about providing the Santa Cruz with plenty of power or capabilities. The engine has a towing capacity of 2,268 kg and produces 281 horsepower, 311 lb-ft of torque, when paired with an 8-speed automated transmission. Additionally, you can adjust this power and capability with modes like Snow, Mud, and Sand thanks to the Santa Cruz’s Drive Mode Select.
The bigger, 3.5L V6 engine and 9-speed automatic transmission are standard on Honda’s 2022 Ridgeline. With the engine producing 280 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque, and a 2,268 kg towing capability, it demonstrates that bigger isn’t always better. Although the Ridgeline and Santa Cruz both have the same amount of horsepower and towing capacity, the Santa Cruz is a better hauler due to its higher torque rating. Why? While the Ridgeline has to work harder, the Santa Cruz has more torque and can tow a hefty load while effortlessly maintaining its momentum.
Hyundai will produce a Santa Cruz in 2023?
- Updates to the Santa Cruz small pickup truck have been announced by Hyundai for 2023.
- Although the base price has increased by $1010, driver assistance features are now standard.
- Starting at $37,105, a new Night variant with black trim has been added to the inventory.
The Santa Cruz, a small pickup vehicle from Hyundai, is entering its second model year with some upgrades and new, more expensive price. The entry-level SE model now costs $26,745 after an increase of $1010 and has access to certain additional standard driver-assistance technologies. Additionally, a new blacked-out trim level called Night is added to the roster with a starting price of $37,105.
Previously only available on the SEL and above, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard equipment on the base SE. The SEL ($29,085) trim of the 2023 Santa Cruz is up just $150, while the SEL Premium ($37,425) and top Limited ($41,615) are up $1220 and $150, respectively.
The Santa Cruz’s new Night trim level, which costs $37,105, is the least expensive model available with the optional 2.5-liter inline-four turbo engine with 281 horsepower. This engine is also available in the SEL Premium and Limited variants, and all turbo models come standard with all-wheel drive. The Night trim also features adjustments like dark grille trim, black 20-inch wheels, black mirror caps and door handles, and side steps, as we’ve come to expect from these kinds of blacked-out look packages.
The Santa Cruz debuted alongside its closest rival, the Ford Maverick, in a new class of compact trucks last year thanks to its unibody chassis, which was also used by the Tucson crossover. With the Maverick moving 38,753 units through the first half of 2022 and the Santa Cruz selling 18,203 units during the same time period, Ford is currently ahead of Hyundai in the sales competition. As both brands enter the 2023 model year, we’ll see how this rivalry develops. For its part, the Maverick added a new trim for the 2019 model year, the off-road-focused Tremor.
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Will Hyundai release a hybrid SUV?
We thought, “Why not take our most popular SUV—and make it need less gas?” when it came time to reimagine TUCSON. The first-ever 2022 TUCSON Hybrid is the solution. In addition to having excellent MPG, the TUCSON has all the cutting-edge features that make it a breakthrough in design, technology, and safety. Even better, standard HTRAC All Wheel Drive.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a truck, right?
Although the Hyundai Santa Cruz is an unusual pickup truck, many drivers find it to be the ideal vehicle. It has the practicality and driving qualities of a compact SUV similar to the Hyundai Tucson on which it is based thanks to its small size, car-like chassis, and capacious 4-door body.
Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz trustworthy?
Santa Cruz receives a lower expected dependability rating from Consumer Reports than other vehicles. But that can be the result of first-year tooth discomfort. The Santa Cruz is based on the Hyundai Tucson, which has an extremely good reliability record.
Overall, J.D. Power has given Hyundai honors for Quality and Dependability. The Tucson receives a Great rating from J.D. Power, which is far better than average.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz was made where?
Santa Cruz, 2022 The Santa Cruz is a small SUV with a truck bed that is made in Alabama and shares the same base as the Hyundai Tucson. Santa Cruz gives customers a variety of choices, including an assortment of engines. A 2.5-liter inline-4 with 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque is the basic engine.
Hyundai hybrids are they dependable?
Hyundai hybrids receive generally favorable reliability ratings, while there is considerable variation. U.S. News gave the hybrid Sonata and Tucson models scores of 83 and 88 out of 100, respectively, which are regarded as excellent ratings.
However, the Elantra and Santa Fe both received scores of 80/100, the highest mark that is still regarded as ordinary. Reliability ratings have not yet been assigned to the 2022 IONIQ. A
What is the age of the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Hyundai manufactures the four-door Santa Cruz compact pickup vehicle. The Santa Cruz is Hyundai’s first 4-door pickup truck offered in the North American market, and it will go on sale in 2021 for the 2022 model year. The car features a unibody chassis architecture instead of the ladder frame used in most pickup trucks and is based on the Tucson crossover SUV. According to industry observers, the Santa Cruz is more likely to draw car or crossover buyers than owners of larger, more traditional pickup trucks.
What is an electric vehicle?
In plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), an internal combustion engine is powered by another fuel, such as gasoline, while an electric motor is powered by batteries (ICE). The ICE, a power outlet, a charging device, or regenerative braking can all be used to charge PHEV batteries. The automobile normally uses ICE power until the battery is nearly empty, at which point it switches back to electric power. Find out more information on plug-in hybrid electric cars.
What is the price of the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
A Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL FWD and a Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL AWD are two of the 789 brand-new Hyundai Santa Cruz vehicles that TrueCar has available for purchase nationwide. Currently, the cost of a brand-new Hyundai Santa Cruz ranges from $2,859 to $48,905. By entering your zip code, you can see new Hyundai Santa Cruz inventory at a TrueCar Certified Dealership nearby by viewing the closest matches.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has four or six cylinders.
The Santa Cruz offers two different engine options. Both a 2.5L inline 4-cylinder with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque and a 2.5L inline 4-cylinder turbo with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque are available. Both of the engines are available in FWD and AWD and are connected to an eight-speed transmission.
What distinguishes a hybrid from a plug-in hybrid?
The electric battery in each full hybrid and plug-in hybrid car is the primary functional difference between them:
- A plug-in hybrid’s battery serves a different function than a hybrid’s. The electric battery serves as the car’s main source of power in plug-in hybrid vehicles. The internal combustion engine takes over when the battery drains. In a full hybrid, the battery only supplies enough power to operate the vehicle at lower speeds, such as those seen in cities and residential areas.
- The electric battery in a plug-in hybrid is larger and more expensive to replace than the electric battery in a complete hybrid, hence the size and price of the batteries are different.
- Another difference between a plug-in hybrid and a full hybrid is the capacity for battery recharging. Regenerative braking may enable a plug-in hybrid to obtain a small charge. A plug-in vehicle must be connected to an external power source in order to fully recharge, however, because it depends more on its larger battery. Regenerative braking is a technique used by full hybrids to replenish their electric batteries. They transform the heat that is produced while braking into electricity that the electric battery can store.