Until three years ago, you couldn’t buy a small truck in this country. And you still can’t.
But you can buy a small pick-up that looks like a truck – that can do many of the things you could do with a small truck, such as carry a load in a bed and pull a 5,000 trailer.
Which for the record us something many of the small trucks you can’t buy new anymore couldn’t do.
What It Is
The Santa Cruz is Hyundai’s answer to the Ford Maverick, which was the first small pick-up to become available in this country since the cancellation of the old model Ranger back in 2011 (Ford brought back a much larger Ranger in 2019). Both the Maverick and the Santa Cruz fill the gap left by the 2011 Ranger and also the compact-sized versions of the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma – both of which have become mid-sized trucks (that are nearly the same size as the full-size trucks of the 1990s and before).
They are both built on light-duty (unibody) underthings and have powertrains based on front-drive layouts, with AWD available optionally. Neither have a two-speed transfer case and 4WD Low range gearing, as most trucks have or offer. But both can tow as much as the no-longer-available compact-sized versions of the Ranger, Frontier and Tacoma could and they get much better gas mileage.
The Santa Cruz differs from the Maverick in looking a bit less like a truck than the squared-off Ford. It also offers a much stronger optional engine – and a higher max tow rating (5,000 LBS.)
The Ford offers a standard hybrid drivetrain – and much better fuel economy.
Prices start at $28,750 for the base SE trim with a 191 horsepower 2.5 liter engine (no turbo) and eight speed automatic and FWD; AWD is available as a stand-alone option and brings the MSRP up to $30,250.
The next-up SEL trim ($30,450 to start) adds roof rails, seat heaters and dual zone climate control. You can also opt for an Activity Package that adds a retractable tonneau cover, sliding rear window, LED bed lighting (plus a 120V household power outlet in the bed) and a larger (12.3 inch) digital instrument cluster. So equipped, the MSRP is $33,450.
Sport-themed XRT ($40,25) and top-of-the-line Limited $42,75) trims both come standard a turbocharged version of the 2.5 liter engine paired with an eight speed dual clutch automatic (for quicker shifts) paired with standard torque-vectoring AWD. The XRT has 18 inch wheels with all terrain tires while the Limited gets 20 inch wheels and a more powerful Bose stereo.
What’s New for 2025
Changes/updates for the new model year include a redesigned dash layout with a larger 12.3 inch standard touchscreen.
XRT and Limited trims get a new dual-screen set-up with a fingerprint scanner system (more about that follows below).
What’s Good
In some ways – such as towing – this pick-up is more capable than many of the compact-sized trucks you can’t buy anymore.
Much better performance – and gas mileage – than any of the compact-sized trucks you can’t buy anymore.
Four-door (“crew cab”) body provides as much people-carrying space as most crossovers this size.
What’s Not So Good
More expensive to start than the Maverick hybrid – which also gets much better gas mileage.
Bed is just shy of two feet shorter than the six foot beds that came standard in the compact-sized trucks you can’t buy anymore.
Powerful turbo engine is only available in the much more expensive XRT and Limited trims.
Under The Hood
The standard engine in the Santa Cruz is a 2.5 liter four cylinder – not turbocharged – that touts 191 horsepower. As it happens, this is exactly the same rated output touted by the Ford Maverick – which is also equipped with a 2.5 liter four as its standard engine. But the Ford comes standard with additional drivetrain elements – an electric motor and a battery pack. It’s a hybrid, in other words. And because it is, the Ford can tout 42 miles-per-gallon in city driving and 35 miles-per-gallon on the highway. The Hyundai’s touted mileage is 22 city and 30 on the highway, which is obviously a lot less than the hybrid Maverick delivers. The Ford also costs less, which further reduces ownership costs vs. the Hyundai.
But Hyundai offers two other things to make up for that. The first is a turbocharged variant of the 2.5 liter engine that touts 281 horsepower – significantly more power (and more engine) than the Ford’s optional 2.0 liter (250 horsepower) turbocharged four. Equipped with this engine, the Santa Cruz isn’t just quick (both get to 60 in about 6 seconds),
It can pull more.
Up to 5,000 lbs. vs. a maximum of 4,000 lbs. for the Ford.
It’s also worth a mention that even with its standard (non-turbocharged) engine, the Santa Cruz is rated to pull up to 3,500 lbs., while the Ford’s standard maximum towing capacity is just 1,500 lbs. Put another way, the base Santa Cruz is capable of pulling a small camper/travel trailer while the base Maverick isn’t. Even when it is optioned out to pull its maximum of 4,000 lbs., the Ford would be near its limit pulling a 3,500 lb. trailer while the Hyundai – with the turbo engine – would be well within the green zone of its capabilities pulling a 4,000 lb. trailer.
On the downside, in order to get that 5,000 lb. maximum towing capacity, you have to buy either the XRT or the Limited iterations of the Santa Cruz – because they are the only iterations of this little pickup that come with the turbo 2.5 engine – and the least expensive iteration is the $40,250 to start XRT. This version of the Santa Cruz is about $8,000 more expensive than a Maverick XLT hybrid equipped with the newly available for 2025 all-wheel-drive option, which gives you 4,000 lbs. of maximum tow capacity for $32,185 ($29,995 for the Maverick XLT hybrid plus $2,200 for the optional AWD set-up).
On The Road
If you can remember the VW Rabbit pick-up – or the Subaru BRAT – you will have some idea how the Santa Cruz drives. In that it does not drive like a truck. Because – like the Rabbit pickup and the BRAT – it isn’t one.
It – and the Maverick – are both basically cars with beds. Just like the Rabbit pickup and the BRAT were. Technically, the Santa Cruz and Maverick are based on crossovers. The Maverick being a truck-looking version of the Escape and the Santa Cruz a truck-looking version of the Tucson. Both of those crossovers are more closely related to cars than trucks – and so are the Santa Cruz and the Maverick.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
In fact, there’s a lot right with that.
Trucks drive like . . . trucks. And that’s fine, if you like the way trucks drive. If you like the lighter, nimbler feel of a car with a bed then you will like the Santa Cruz. You’ll also probably like how much quicker it is than any of the compact-sized trucks that were once available, such as the pre-2004 iterations of the Nissan Frontier and the similarly compact-sized versions of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma – all of which were several seconds slower getting to 60, even with their available V6 engines, because (being trucks and having body-on frame construction) they were much heavier. They were also much thirstier. This writer currently owns one of those old Frontiers and previously owned an older one. Even with the standard four cylinder engine and a manual transmission, these trucks never deliver better than about 22 miles-per-gallon.
On the highway.
And their ride and handling is . . . truck-like. Because they have leaf spring/solid axle rear suspensions and a lot more unsprung mass that tends to bounce around whenever there’s a dip in the road or a pothole. The Santa Cruz has a much more comfortable ride, precisely because it is not a truck. And it handles vastly better – once again, because it is not a truck.
But you can pick things up with it.
And you can do things with it as you would with a truck. I took the Santa Cruz down into my field to carry back some logs I’d cut up. I could not do that with my truck – because my 2WD truck would have never made it back out of the field.
The AWD Santa Cruz made it back easily.
And once on the road, there’s no comparison. I love my old truck – but I am well-aware that it is a truck, because it never lets me forget that it is. When driving the Santa Cruz, it is easy to forget there’s a bed out back.
Because this thing isn’t a truck.
At The Curb
The Santa Cruz looks more like the BRAT than the Maverick – which looks more like a truck than either of them.
But it has the bed that defines all of them. It is not a big bed – just over four feet long. But that is probably big enough to meet the needs of people who do not need a truck but do like the idea of having a place outside the interior to carry things like trash to the dump or a wet and muddy dog back home from a day spent having fun down by the river. There’s also room under the bed to store things out of sight (and out of the weather) as well as an optional roll-back tonneau cover that can do the same for whatever you want to leave in the bed – and out of the weather.
Unlike the BRAT and the old VW Rabbit pickup, both of which were “regular cabs” – i.e., two-doors – the Santa Cruz, like the Maverick, is a “crew cab,” meaning four doors and so room for five people, though a bit less legroom for the rearseat people. The Tucson on which the Santa Cruz is based has 41.3 inches of backseat legroom because it doesn’t have a bed behind the rear seats. Because the Santa Cruz does, it only has 36.5 inches of backseat legroom – but that’s still enough to allow most adults to sit back there normally – i.e., without having to tuck up their legs such that their kneecaps are up against their chests.
Hyundai could have made the backseats roomier, by making the Santa Cruz longer (so as to allow the extra inches for both legroom and bed) but then it would no longer be a compact-sized pickup and then it would lose part of its appeal for people who do not want or need something larger than a compact-sized pickup.
XRT and Limited trims now come standard with a single-sheet LCD main instrument cluster/infotainment screen that curves slightly toward the driver. It is eerily similar to the displays you used to have to buy a top-of-the-line Mercedes, BMW or Audi to get. This makes a $30k Hyundai look like a $100k Mercedes – and a $100k Mercedes look cheap.
The screen is tap/swipe but several important functions – such as the volume control and tuning – still employ ergonomically sensible knobs that can be turned by feel and much more accurately than trying to tap/swipe a screen in a moving vehicle.
The Rest
Al trims – including the base trim – come standard with four USB-C (the round type) charge ports for external devices but to get the roll-back tonneau cover for the bed (and a 120V outlet in the bed) you have to step up to the SEL Activity trim.
The XRT and Limited trims have a fingerprint-access system embedded in the big LCD touchscreen, on the left side. It can be used tin lieu of the key to start the vehicle. More finely, it can be used in lieu of the fob to unlock the ignition security system so that you can start the car without having to carry the fob.
The Bottom Line
It’s not a truck. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great little pickup.
. . .
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Re: tow ratings. I have much experience towing big and small. 9K to 4K trailers.
I would never tow a 5K trailer with a 5K max tow rating, never.
I wouldn’t even tow a 4K trailer with a 5K rating. maybe 3500.
And why when I needed a new vehicle to tow 4500lbs, I chose a RWD based grand cherokee L with teh v8, rated to 7200lbs. The only other RWD based mid-sized suv is the Explorer and it is only rated to 5K lbs, no dice (for me). The V6 GC is rated to 6200lbs, nope, not when a V8 was avail.
For perspective, I don’t mean towing 20 miles to somewhere, I mean towing 3 hrs to 7hrs a day going through the Appalachians or Rockies.
A full sized pickup/suv would be best, but I didn’t want any of them at the moment.
I noticed that the market is finally responding to these insane prices. The Slate, a highly customizable electric, is coming. Crank windows on an electric car. for around $20K, it is like the MSRP of my ’71 Hornet Sportabout.
They should make a commuter car next.
Adjusted for inflation, naturally.
It seems to be possibly step in the right direction, Scooter, were it not for the inconveniences and negative aspects of electric transit.
I appreciate manual windows, but is this Slate “connected”? Is it to be “updated” periodically by some shadowy vehicular overlord?
To sell something of this sort, the simplicity and low-maintenance aspects of proper electric vehicle design must be leveraged to make the vehicle more like $10k. This truck is to be sold at around $27,500, and only $20k after “incentives”. I think it could be done, but probably not with onerous US saaaafety requirements. Use LiFePO4 batteries, and that 52kWh battery pack probably costs at least $6k, so MAYBE you could build that truck for $10k, but you still need to make some profit.
It’s said to haul 1,400 lbs, which is decent, but the towing capacity is 1,000 lbs, which is pretty weak, and you can expect a really lousy range with such loads. People would much rather have the Hilux Champ for a truck at $13k.
Why not make this a car? Low to the ground for much less wind resistance and lighter frame for less weight and a lighter battery pack. A sub $10k electric car with a range of 150 miles might actually sell.
You have to read all of the words.
I see one Santa Cruz driving on the streets, sporty looking. I’m too old to buy one, so I won’t have to know what it is like to have one.
A CyberTruck is rolling around here and there too.
For a new vehicle, the Santa Cruz will be the first choice, new engine, 30 plus grand at a low interest rate will be a sell. A CyberTruck can burn you, literally.
A 1967 Cougar is more like it for my age back then.
One of the more coolish Springs in memory, this is not global warming at all.
You can lead a bull to the whatchamacallit, but you can’t make him stampede.
Let’s face it the Santa Cruz isn’t truck bro’ approved.
Gotsta’ be able to jack em’ up, put rock thrower wheels on it, and then drive em’ 5mph below the posted speed limit in the left lane despite having 400-500 hp on tap. All about looking cool n’ having bragging rights.
Never mind they will never use the capability to haul or even accelerate at more than a snails pace.
Exactly so, BID –
I’d actually like to have a “truck” like this – if were available with a manual transmission and cost around $18k…
The Honda Ridgeline should be the best selling truck given it’s superb handling/on-road performance, comfortable interior, occasional Home Depot runs, 5k tow rating and outstanding fuel mileage with the (when not being recalled due to manufacturing problems) legendary and durable 3.5.
But nope…not enough aftermarket support to add spacers for the ‘Stomper’ wheels and have ball joints & wheel bearings stressed to within a millimeter of their lives.
It’s just too practical, boring and reasonably priced for the suburban warriors out there.
I agree, Flip –
Especially as regards the current model, which does not look weird – as the original arguably did. I’d love to have a Ridgeline as it would more than meet my needs. For anyone reading this who is interested in a useful vehicle that does 85 percent of the things a ’90s half-ton could and many other things better, I recommend it.
Any word on the reliability of the hyundai 2.5 ?
Hi Dan,
Nothing specifically that I am aware of – but I personally would choose the non-turbo iteration for long-term durability. If only it were available with a manual transmission…
I somewhat like the look of the Santa Cruz, save for it is basically just a crossover with the back hatch removed. The trim that can pull 5,000 lbs is impressive, but also it cost $40.
I might be a bit too excited about it for my own good, but that Toyota Hilux Champ can haul 2,200 lbs and tow 5,500… For $13k.
*Le sigh*
If Trump really wanted to help the little man, he could scrap every safety and CAFE mandate and let automakers build whatever they want. Then we could have our Hilux Champ. If that happened, I’d be beating on the Toyota dealership’s doors when the first ones arrived, check in hand.
As it is, the cheapest real truck you can buy is a Nissan Frontier with a big V-6, lots of capability, but still too expensive and too much capability for most folks. Shoot, a full-sized 3/4 ton truck is too much truck for 90% of folks out there.
“If Trump really wanted to help the little man, he could scrap every safety and CAFE mandate and let automakers build whatever they want.”
Yes, Dr. Mantis, that would be quite the moment. But there isn’t even a rumor of such a thing happening. And you wouldn’t be alone in banging on Toyota’s doors to get a Champ, I guarantee it.
The 2025 Nissan Frontier starts at about $33k, so you’re right, and it still only comes with a 5 or 6-foot bed, and the haul capacity is about 1,600 lbs, falling short of the capabilities of the Champ, though it tows more and is probably much quicker.
But hell, for less than one new Frontier, you could buy the both the Hilux Champ and something like the Mitsubishi Mirage ($17k), which gets incredible (35-37 mpg) gas mileage. For $30k, that gets you both a proper workhorse and a nice sedan for road trips.
I like the styling of the SC, better than the Mav. Still wouldn’t pay for one. There’s a derelict 69 El Camino in a backyard down the street, owner says he has title and for probably 5k I can have a really nice car-truck with more metal, better style, and no depreciation. If the project list wasn’t already too long I’d grab it.
‘a derelict 69 El Camino … I can have a really nice car-truck’ — Ernie
HELL yeah. The 1969 El Camino is one of the most beautiful truck-themed vehicles ever made.
This article calls the SS 396 version of the El Camino the first muscle truck.
https://www.ebay.com/motors/blog/this-1969-el-camino-ss-396-is-ready-to-go-or-show/
I’ve been looking at it for a very long time. Agree on that being a very choice body style. Being a diesel weirdo I’d seriously considering doing a 6.2 or 6.5 turbo diesel bolt in with a 4 or 5 speed. The big rat motor has always been fun, but they’re so bloody expensive to build and feed. My discipline has been improving, I won’t move on it until I knock out 3 unfinished projects.