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.
The genuinely compact pickup is revived with the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
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.
The price of the Hyundai Santa Cruz in 2022.
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.
Is there a truck from Hyundai for 2022?
- I adored its adaptable bed with plenty of storage compartments and its enjoyable driving experience.
- The Santa Cruz starts at a starting price of about $24,000. The cost of our tester was just over $41,000.
You don’t like the tank-sized Fords and Chevys of today, but you still want a pickup truck. Your pleas have been heard by Hyundai.
Its brand-new 2022 Santa Cruz offers a more urbane and small-footprint substitute to the current fad’s trucks. It is constructed more like an SUV than a typical truck, making it more maneuverable and simple to drive than a big Ford F-150.
We tested Hyundai’s new vehicle and discovered eight benefits and drawbacks to weigh before purchasing.
What is the name of a Hyundai truck?
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.
Will Kia produce a pickup truck?
By 2027, Kia intends to release 14 new electric vehicles (EVs), including its first pickup truck. The idea was presented by the Korean manufacturer, which is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, this week as part of its “roadmap to 2030” event.
Hyundai is there a Santa Cruz for 2023?
The pickup truck on a unibody platform enters its second model year with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The new Night package for the vehicle broadens the brand’s product offering. Prices have increased by as much as $1,780 throughout the lineup.
All-wheel drive and every piece of equipment from the SEL Activity trim level are included in the Santa Cruz Night grade. This model has a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission in place of the 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine.
Do Subaru trucks exist?
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 vehicle to compete in the popular midsize pickup sector 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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What is the name of the Kia truck?
The Bongo is a pickup truck made by Kia, however it isn’t offered for sale in the US. For rollbacks, flatbeds, and other work truck applications, it is offered as a pickup or chassis-cab in a cab-over configuration. A single cab, extended cab, or double cab variation of the Bongo is available. It was initially released in 1980.
Kia has attempted to create a pickup vehicle before. Kia started working on a truck in the early 2000s to fill in some of the “gaps” in its line of products. The Sorento SUV architecture would serve as the foundation for the new truck. The V6-powered Sorento had a ladder frame design.
In 2004, the KCV-4 Mojave concept truck made its premiere at the Chicago Auto Show. The Sorento frame was extended to provide room for the bed. Additionally, it had all-wheel drive, which came standard on all models of the Sorento.
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.
Who produces the Santa Fe truck?
Although Hyundai expanded the Santa Fe portfolio for 2022 with the tough-looking XRT variant, there aren’t many other significant variations between the 2021 and 2022 vehicles. The Hyundai Santa Fe has seen the following significant alterations over the past few model years: launched the XRT trim in 2022
The Hyundai Santa Cruz’s lifespan
The Santa Cruz ought to be able to go for a fair number of kilometers thanks to accolades like the 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick and Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance. To get the most use out of your little truck, it’s essential to do routine maintenance and make any necessary repairs.
The conventional wisdom holds that a pickup should be body-on-frame. The Santa Cruz offers greater comfort and a smoother ride because it is a unibody truck. Even if a car like this would not be as capable as a Toyota Tacoma, it ought to be adequate for most purposes. It is also undoubtedly less expensive.
The Hyundai Tucson, on which the Santa Cruz is based, has an average lifespan of 200,000 kilometers, per Vehicle History. Consequently, you might be able to anticipate the same level of durability from Hyundai’s little truck. But whether this vehicle will be able to accomplish those kinds of numbers remains to be seen.