The Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the first pickup truck made by the Korean automaker, and it is a uniquely advanced vehicle. This should come as no surprise. Much like the Tucson, the Hyundai Santa Cruz truck is based on the Tucson platform, adds a 52.1-inch versatile cargo box but retains its sleek interior and responsive driving dynamics.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a stylish, high-quality pickup that features a bold new design for 2022. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is surprisingly off-road, although its low height and large wheels limit its off-road capabilities. The compact Santa Cruz is less than 200 inches tall and has the smallest box on the pickup market, yet offers modest loading capacity, yet sporty handling, bold style and a classy interior, and loads of technology.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz truck is more precise and engaging to drive. It is also a more livable vehicle that fits the daily operations of conventional mid-size trucks. And I think it can pull the rug out from rivals from Ford and Honda, yes it’s more expensive than Ford, but the Santa Cruz comes with Hyundai’s industry-leading warranty, which makes up for some of the disparity. Yes, it’s unconventional, but the Hyundai Santa Cruz is aimed at buyers who need a small, livable pickup that’s as easy to use as a crossover, and Santa does that role well.
The Ridgeline was the pickup truck that most closely resembled a regular car, and now a new contender has entered town. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the smartest and best compact pickup on the market, and it has a silky ride by truck standards. Let’s examine it in depth and accuracy to know what its advantages, disadvantages and speed are, and learn about its performance, so continue reading.
New 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
The S Anta Cruze is Hyundai’s first pickup truck, an all-new vehicle for 2022 , available with two engine options, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque in the SE and SEL grades, and the second with a supercharger Turbo, 2.5-liter, 281 horsepower, 311 pound-feet of torque, available on SEL Premium and Limited models
Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022 competitors
If the Santa Cruz crossover-based pickup recipe sounds familiar, it’s because Honda has been making a mid-size truck like this since 2005, under the Ridgeline name. The Ridgeline and the all-new Ford Maverick follow the same downsizing and layout. At just under 200 inches in length, they are the first two compact trucks that have been street-friendly for nearly two decades. Both are similar to crossovers, making them comfortable and practical family cars.
Santa Cruz is the smallest of this trio, more unconventional, and offers plenty of surprises. Its trunk is the smallest, and it has a locking locking lid. It also has a slightly smaller load capacity, but it tows up to 5,000 pounds, offers plenty of smart features, and can do most of the tasks pickup buyers expect.
The past years have seen Honda come under fire from some buyers but Hyundai’s bold, almost crazy design is different, and even the design of the cargo box, makes it not look as dull as some other trucks. Inside, the Tucson’s cabin is quiet and sophisticated, with nice materials and smooth interfaces, and we’d have preferred the standard 8.0-inch infotainment screen and physical buttons over the 10.3-inch screen, and we’d like the touch-sensitive controls in the higher trims.
Engine Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
Hyundai Santa Cruz has a standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and an all-wheel drive (AWD) option is available for $1,500. The Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD weighs nearly two tons, which means the base model has a slow ride and a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.
The SEL Premium and Limited grades get a turbocharged engine, producing 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with standard all-wheel drive. Of course, this translates to more speed, to match the Honda Ridgeline’s power, and this engine boosts the towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. Hyundai cites payload capacity figures ranging from 1,521-1,753 pounds, and the maximum curb weight is 1,411 pounds. It weighs about 100 pounds less than a Ford or Honda.
Driving and performance impressions of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Yes, the weight of the load in the Hyundai Santa Cruz is light, but it is light in movement, especially in the category presented with a turbocharger. It takes six seconds to accelerate from zero to 60 mph, and I found that the truck moves like no other. While Maverick and Ridgeline also have similar but harsher driving behaviors.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the most agile and agile on asphalt, offering responsive handling. I noticed that the turbo hesitates a little when starting from a standstill, but then becomes fast. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD is fully capable of light off-road tasks as well, but a long front end, all-season tires and 20-inch wheels limit its handling potential.
Hyundai Santa Cruz fuel economy
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a compact truck, and the EPA rating showed that Hyundai’s non-turbocharged Santa Cruz engine was no more than 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. Oddly enough, however, the AWD models don’t seem to weigh on their own, losing just 1 mpg on the highway with the non-turbo engine and 1 mpg with the turbo.
The Ford Maverick Hybrid is the fuel-economy champ among trucks by mileage, reaching 37 mpg combined, and non-hybrid all-wheel drives with 25 mpg combined. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is also 2 to 3 mpg more efficient than the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma and slightly ahead of the larger Honda Ridgeline (21 mpg combined).
The exterior design of the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is just as bold as the platform-based Tucson. Decked out with a distinctive set of daytime running lights, it has a strong stance, and the cabin of the Hyundai Santa Cruz is spacious and shaped well from most angles, which isn’t really the case for a Honda truck. It takes on an overall look with a sporty effect, looking handsome rather than aggressive, but at night with the lights on it can look more aggressive.
Santa Cruz stands out in an era when it seems like every pickup truck should have a macho 5-foot-tall hood. The side profile struts are reminiscent of the first generation Honda Ridgeline with touches from Subaru Baja, Chevrolet Avalanche and even some El Camino.
The front end of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a bolder version of the Tucson, with lighting integrated into its wide grille. The rear part features chunky horizontal lighting that attempts to accentuate its width, although not that wide. The doors also feature less solid lines than the Tucson. All in all, the design will attract attention. I liked her different looks, but some were not. Inclinations may differ from person to person.
Interior Design For Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
For better and worse, the interior of the Hyundai Santa Cruz is basically a Tucson design without the box. At first sight, the interior of the Santa Cruz looks glossy with a 10.3-inch touchscreen display and a 10.3-inch digital instrument panel. But like her Toussaint, the magic fades quickly. The infotainment and climate controls are touch-sensitive, as if Hyundai had learned nothing from Ford’s mistakes, which placed sensitive buttons covered in black plastic that drew dirt like magnets.
Also like the Tucson, the larger 10.3-inch touchscreen doesn’t have wireless connectivity to Apple CarPlay, while the base model’s 8.0-inch touchscreen has that wireless magic. So why pay more and get less.
The spaciousness and spaciousness of the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
The cabin of Santa Cruz is inherited from its brother in Tucson, it is very urban and sophisticated. It’s also quiet, the ride is super smooth, the front seats are supportive and comfortable with plenty of space, but the rear gets more sophisticated. The legroom is 36.5 inches, and the height is 40.1 inches.
Overall, the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s rear seat is less than its competitors, but the Santa Cruz’s rear seat is more spacious than the rear seating in Ranger, Tacoma and Nissan Frontier trucks. Yes, the cabin of the Santa Cruz is not as innovative as that of the Ford Maverick, but its sophisticated style and great materials are better than most other pickups that aren’t full-size luxury pickups.
Safety and driver assistance equipment for the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has not yet been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It includes a combination of the following active safety features:
- Forward automatic emergency braking when pedestrians are detected
- Forward Collision Warnings
- Lane Departure Warnings with Lane Keeping Assist
- Driver alert monitoring system
- Blind spot monitoring and safe exit alerts are now standard on SEL
- Navigation-based adaptive cruise control is standard on Limited, alone
Cargo and storage space in the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has the smallest trunk on the market, at just 52.1 inches tall on the ground, it’s smaller than the Maverick, but low and easy by truck standards, and Chevrolet-like bumper grades make getting into the cargo hold a breeze.
Really, the chest may not be large, but it has features that are useful for city dwellers. Underneath it is a small box to store things out of sight or use as a cooler. The rear safety lock is a nice feature, and the front of the trunk curves inward. The Santa has cabin storage features similar to those found in the Tucson, except that Honda and Ford are more innovative with their in-cabin storage options.
Information and entertainment in the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
The infotainment system itself isn’t bad and easy to learn, but the plethora of tiny touch-sensitive buttons can be frustrating and distracting. So the physical button Santa Cruz is a winner even if it doesn’t look great. All models are equipped with two USB ports on the front. The same is added to the back of the Limited category.
Value for your Santa Cruz 2022 price and the best value category
Offering a good mix of SUV and city car practicality, the Santa Cruz makes the Santa Cruz an easier companion for people who don’t use traditional vans like the Ranger and Tacoma. Hyundai refers to it as a “sports activity vehicle” and not a truck.
The turbocharged trim is priced at $37,075 with the SEL Premium trim. That’s a lot more expensive than the Maverick, and a little less than the Ridgeline, but we’d recommend the base class which still uses the simpler 8.0-inch infotainment unit and is the one we’d recommend as the best value.
How much does Hyundai Santa Cruz insurance cost?
Since Hyundai Santa Cruz is a completely new model, data may vary, but its insurance costs are on par with its competitors. According to our research, we expect an average annual premium of about $1,512, and that compares to $1,344 for a Ford Maverick, $1,719 for a Ford Ranger, $1,882 for a Honda Ridgeline and $1,653 for a Toyota Tacoma.
Maintenance costs and warranty of the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
Hyundai offers the best warranty for its cars and is a pioneer in the automotive industry as follows:
- 5 Years / 60,000 Miles Drive System Warranty:
- 10 Years/100,000 Miles Corrosion Warranty
- 7 years / unlimited miles for roadside assistance
Features of the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
- The ride quality and balanced handling are far superior to most other pickups
- Versatile cargo box, with a family-friendly interior
- Lots of technical features, including a host of standard safety features
Cons of the Hyundai Santa Cruz 2022
- Basic classes are inexpensive but weaker in terms of strength
- The cost of the higher classes is more expensive than the price of the largest medium-sized trucks capable of towing and payload
- The touch screen buttons are only frustrating in the Limited class.
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