“While J.D. Power classifies the Santa Cruz as a midsize pickup, Hyundai is marketing it as a Sport Adventure Vehicle and targeting buyers who wouldn’t necessarily be interested in larger, more rugged truck-based offerings – or any sort of truck at all” –jdpower.com
“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” -autoblog.com
WHAT’S IT LOOK LIKE?
“This is a fantastic-looking new vehicle and it’s been a while since anything I’ve driven has gotten this much attention from strangers. The whole package comes together well, and the design overall is cohesive and fun, displaying both its rugged and urban ethos proudly” –autotrader.ca
IS IT CAPABLE?
“Practicality is where the Santa Cruz shines. It’s not a body-on-frame truck, so it won’t have that type of outright capability, but its towing capacity is still rated at an impressive 2,268 kg (5,000 lb), which is enough to tow a couple dirt bikes, pretty much any personal watercraft or a small boat. And with the right racks (which can be ordered right at the dealership), paddle boards, bikes, skis, snowboards, cargo boxes, and kayaks can be strapped right to the roof” –autotrader.ca
HOW ABOUT THE INTERIOR?
“Inside, the Santa Cruz has one of the nicest cabins among mid-size pickups. Hyundai has made a habit of building vehicles with attractive materials and desirable modern features that would look right in costlier vehicles. It’s the first truck in its class to offer a fully digital gauge cluster, and we appreciate that it has a traditional shifter on the centre console instead of a finicky rotary knob or push-button setup. The Santa Cruz is only available with a four-door crew cab, and passenger space in the front and the back is competitive with similarly sized trucks” –caranddriver.com
WHAT’S THE TECH LIKE?
“As for the tech, Hyundai’s infotainment systems, whether the standard 8-inch unit or the 10.25 widescreen one shown below, are some of the easiest to use on the market while being feature-packed and modern in appearance” –autoblog.com
“All Santa Cruz trim levels come with the Hyundai SmartSense suite of advanced driver-assist features. The system includes forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, driver attention warning, lane-keeping assist and a rear-seat occupancy alert. Also included is a clever bit of kit: Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, which lets a Santa Cruz driver know when the car in front has begun moving — a great feature to avoid the embarrassment of sitting at a green light or being honked at by impatient drivers” –ourautoexpert.com
HOW DOES IT DRIVE?
“Steering is responsive and gives you a good sense of what the front wheels are doing at all times. The steering wheel gains some extra resistance in Sport mode, but in Normal mode, it’s light enough to manoeuvre into the tightest of parking spots with ease. Handling is impressive too, with generally flat cornering. Unlike a number of body-on-frame midsize trucks, the Santa Cruz is entertaining to drive on a winding canyon road” –Edmunds.com
CLOSING THOUGHTS
“Putting the fun in functional, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz combines the utility of a truck with the ride quality of a crossover” –thecarconnection.com
If you’re interested in test driving a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, please click the button below. Depending on current conditions, traditional test drives may not be available so we’ll contact you to discuss what is possible. Thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.
Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.
