Santa Cruz is more car than truck, a home run for Hyundai 

HYUNDAI

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz has better ride quality than expected for a truck.

Hyundai is a home run-hitting company.

Seems like everything the company touches turns to success. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when the company got into the pickup business with the Santa Cruz.

If you haven’t seen a Santa Cruz, think both iterations of the Subaru BRAT, the cute but fairly impractical truck/car thing. Those that are older may even see traces of Chevrolet’s El Camino. The Santa Cruz has been around since 2022 and become very popular on the road. The 2025 model has been refreshed a bit with a new grille and headlight configuration.

The Santa Cruz is based more on a car than truck. That makes it a little less rugged than, say a Ford Maverick, but certainly drives better. My test vehicle was equipped with all-wheel drive and a 2.5-liter turbo engine that makes 281 horsepower and 321 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a slick, dual-clutch eight-speed that shifts almost unnoticeably.

The car-like structure certainly adds to the Santa Cruz’s handling prowess. The turbo engine can push the Santa Cru to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds which is fairly quick. This is certainly enough go-power to zip through traffic with authority. Need to pass something? You can. 

The Santa Cruz’s engine and transmission setup will not disappoint. Take the Santa Cruz on the wide-open highway and you’ll be just as satisfied. The all-wheel-drive system with take care of inclement weather while adding some grip on dry roads. If the roads get curvy, the Santa Cruz will delight.

The ride quality is better than expected from a truck. The road has to get kinda rough to upset the Santa Cruz. The cabin remains fairly quiet, but you will notice wind noise around the mirrors and some road noise. It’s most noticeable at higher speeds.

If you want to use the Santa Cruz as a truck for hauling, you can. This is a short bed so you may have to make several trips. A helpful tonneau coverall keep you haul dry in case of rain. There are also tie-down hooks to secure your load. You can carry up to 27 cubic feet of stuff and tow as much as 5,000 pounds.

The interior of the Santa Cruz has been updated. There are dual 12.3-inch screens for digital gauge cluster and touch screen controls. The air vents are now in a straight-line configuration. The steering wheel is heated as are the front seats, both of which are power operated.

All Santa Cruz models come with lots of safety features that include lane keeping assist, forward collision mitigation, blind-spot intervention and rear cross-traffic warning. My test vehicle was also equipped with a Bose audio system, sunroof, leather wrapped steering wheel, blind-spot camera system, leather upholstery and interior ambient lighting.

The Santa Cruz starts at $28,750 for the non-turbo engine and goes up to $42,750 for the dolled-out limited. There is a happy medium there for price conscious shoppers, but if you want the Turbo engine you need to got for the XRT or Limited.

The Santa Cruz has its place. If you need a very light duty truck but want a car-like ride and handling, this may be the ticket.

Pros:

• Redesigned grille

• Updated interior

• Larger gauge cluster and touch screen

• Powerful engine available

• Standard all-wheel drive on some trims

• Car-like handling

• Smooth ride

• Slick transmission

Cons:

• Equipment comes at a price

• Some noise on highway

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