PROS
Eye-catching layout
Compact however sensible mattress
Quality cabin with masses of toys in better trims
2.5L rapid engine is punchy and eager
CONS
Non-rapid engine is down on strength
Lower trims lack an awful lot of the tech
No hybrid alternative
Parked subsequent to an F-a hundred and fifty or a Silverado, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz very well greenbacks the fashion in pickups during the last decade or so. At a time while it has grow to be more and more more tough to discover a smaller truck, as they regularly develop in length in addition to skills, Hyundai poses a one of a kind question. Just how an awful lot pickup do you really, really need?
Hyundai’s present day layout language is leagues farfar from the dreary, forgettable fashions that regarded decided to earn an nameless spot on an Avis courtyard. The grille is extensive and bold, punctuated with the Santa Cruz’s headlamps and sunlight hours strolling lights. From the aspect, the sculpted fenders and curvaceous roofline and C-pillar mixture go away the diminutive pickup searching extra like a moon buggy than a terrestrial truck.
It’s chunky, and endearing, and pleasingly sensible too. At simply shy of 2 hundred inches lengthy and seventy five inches extensive, it’s approximately a foot and a 1/2 of longer than the Tucson it’s carefully associated to. Almost 4.five foot of that duration is going at the mattress, that’s 52.1 inches lengthy and 53.nine inches extensive. The wheel wells slim that right all the way down to simply beneathneath forty three inches.
In macho truck world, there’s no scarcity of color thrown on the Santa Cruz. Despite that, it’s tough to assume the Hyundai’s skills retaining up for the considerable majority of pickup owners. In the front-wheel force shape it’ll take care of as much as 1,753 kilos of payload, engine and trim depending; all-wheel force lowers that to 1,609 kilos. For towing, you’re searching at as much as 3,500 kilos for the FWD, or five,000 for the AWD.
Hyundai’s mattress is a realistic one, too. The slide-out tough tonneau cover – trendy on SEL Premium and Limited trims – locks into location for security, and there’s a good sized shipment container under that’s additionally lockable and has drainage holes for smooth rinsing. Even getting as much as the mattress is extra straightforward, with molded steps withinside the rear bumper, and there are masses of tie-down loops along side the sliding rail anchors.
If you’ve ever attempted to suit a mountain motormotorcycle or smooth chair into the again of an SUV, or for that count number tried to comb out the baggage compartment after hauling a group of chopped wood, the concept of a extra rugged – aleven though now no longer oversized – mattress possibly already makes feel to you. The disadvantage is that extra area for shipment there method much less legroom withinside the 2d row, in comparison to the Tucson. Adults will suit, however it’s virtually extra cushty for his or her legs; the upside is that lifting the bench famous a few reachable more garage bins.
Base fashions get a 2.five-liter 4-cylinder fueloline engine, with 191 horsepower and 181 lb-feet of torque. Front-wheel force is trendy, with an 8-pace torque converter automatic; all-wheel force is a $1,500 alternative. The improve is a much punchier 2.five-liter rapid version, with 281 hp and 311 lb-feet. It has an 8-pace moist twin grasp with paddle-shifters, AWD, and the capacity to fasten the middle diff for a 50/50 strength split.
My inclination might be to pass Hyundai’s ok however now no longer precisely interesting naturally-aspirated 4-pot, and cross directly to the some distance extra enticing rapid. It has extra than sufficient strength to preserve up withinside the speedy lane, and is pleasingly punchy day to day. Ride, too, is extra SUV-like than maximum trucks, with masses of composure regardless of the mattress loaded up. Hyundai fees the bottom engine with FWD as suitable for 21 mpg withinside the metropolis and 26 mpg at the highway, at the same time as the AWD Turbo must do 19 mpg withinside the metropolis and 27 mpg at the highway. In my own, blended riding withinside the latter I noticed simply quick of twenty-two mpg.
Inside, the Tucson connection is obvious. Base trims get an 8-inch touchscreen with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; better-spec fashions have a 10.3-inch screen, however stressed out telecellsmartphone connectivity. That’s an oddity shared with different fashions in Hyundai’s range. Below the show there’s a sleek black panel of touch-touchy buttons for HVAC, navigation, and – sadly – controlling the volume.
Skipping the $24,140 (plus $1,495 destination) SE base trim and going directly to $27,3409 SEL appears wise. That manner, you get heated aspect mirrors with blind-spot warnings, an 8-manner strength motive force’s seat with the front row heating, SiriusXM, and as a minimum the choice of the 10.25-inch virtual motive force’s cluster. The latter is trendy at the $35,830 SEL Premium and $39,870 Limited trims, as is LED mattress lights and a 115V strength outlet, 20-inch wheels, a rear sliding glass window, leather-based steerage wheel and transmission shifter, twin quarter weather manage with rear vents, and a wi-fi telecellsmartphone charger.
The Santa Cruz Limited trim throws in leather-based seats with the front ventilation, a heated steerage wheel, Bose audio, 2d row USB ports, rain-sensing wipers, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, and Highway Assist. Hyundai’s lane-preserving motive force help is one of the higher ones withinside the enterprise, neither too intrusive nor too wishy-washy.
All Santa Cruz trims get ahead collision-avoidance help with pedestrian detection, lane-preserving help and lane-following help, and rear occupant alerts. Limited trim throws in niceties like a 360-diploma digital digicam and blind-view monitor, plus makes use of the navigation information to regulate cruise manage pace in step with the imminent corners.
Ironically, having heard the requires smaller pickups in current years, the enterprise has replied with new fashions. Santa Cruz shoppers may also discover themselves swayed through Ford’s new Maverick, a in addition scaled-down truck with extra conventional seems and a segment-upending trendy hybrid engine.
Having hung out with each, aleven though, it does experience like they’re one of a kind processes that each ended up with a extra compact pickup – and, for that count number, designed for 2 one of a kind organizations of people. The Ford feels resolutely like a truck meant for the ones interested in an F-a hundred and fifty workhorse handiest looking it smaller: each in bodily length and fee. Its attraction is on the entry-level, in which that 40+ mpg succesful hybrid EcoBoost engine may be located with – “marketplace adjustments” notwithstanding – a $20k fee tag, or thereabouts.
The Santa Cruze, meanwhile, feels some distance extra like a Hyundai SUV for individuals who convey extraordinary things. It’s attraction feels maximum major at better trim levels, in which the cabin appears like someplace you’d nevertheless now no longer need to get too muddy. The paintings boots that is probably welcome withinside the Maverick’s cab are possibly going to be relegated to the Hyundai’s beneathneath-mattress shipment container instead.
It’s a grey line of division, I’ll accept, however I assume it demonstrates that there’s area withinside the segment – small that it’s miles proper now – for each Hyundai and Ford’s processes. Where the Maverick appears like a truck for conventional pickup shoppers extra rational approximately their honestly requirements, the Santa Cruz excels as an alternative for crossover drivers whose pursuits and sports have outgrown the SUV container.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Verdict
Bigger isn’t always mechanically higher. Being rational approximately your real desires can get you a truck that’s extra affordable, extra sensible day to day, and which doesn’t sacrifice such things as experience consolation withinside the call of a huge mattress you’ll seldom – if ever – use.
A hybrid alternative is the maximum obvious omission; it’s tough now no longer to appearance enviously throughout the aisle to Ford’s frugal Maverick, aleven though it’s really well worth noting that the EcoBoost hybrid can handiest be had with the front-wheel force at present. For trendy experience consolation, cabin cosseting, and extra top class appeal, aleven though, the Santa Cruz has the edge. If there’s one factor that’s clear, it’s that choosing a smaller truck isn’t approximately compromising, and in case your shipment desires don’t suit in the SUV container then a compact pickup should nicely be the answer.