by Anthony Fongaro - photos via Hyundai - 04/08/2022
Small vehicles with pickup beds are growing in size, from zero to two. I have to say pickup bed because one manufacturer doesn't like calling their vehicle a "truck". Hyundai's Santa Cruz is a "Sports Activity Vehicle", thanks to us marketers. The thing is, the Santa Cruz is good whatever people call it. I reviewed it last year, so this year, I wanted to do a bit of an adventure. What was it? Looks like you'll have to read on to find out.
Before we do, let's talk about the styling. It can be hit-or-miss, depending on the angle and who you talk to. Two of my friends said from the side, it looks like there were two different designers. The side angle is definitely the worst part of the Santa Cruz with a slight homage to a Subaru Brat. Otherwise, the Santa Cruz looks like a now traditional Hyundai with the bold grille and lights.
The part that really matters for this white Santa Cruz is the truck bed, which is a good size for the city. The interior is by far and away from the best part of the Santa Cruz. Hyundai has been making some high-quality and tech-ladened interiors with digital dials, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and many advanced safety features. One of my favorites included informing the driver the vehicle in front is starting to accelerate.
My adventure with the Hyundai Santa Cruz was splashing it out on some mud and doing some very light off-roading. The 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four feels way faster than the Santa Cruz’s rival, the Ford Maverick. This engine produces 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft. Zero to 60 takes six seconds, but that number seemed irrelevant. It feels way faster but the 8-speed dual-clutch decided to shift at high RPMs. That could be why it only got around 22 MPG.
I got the Santa Cruz pretty muddy, but it felt a little odd. For some reason, the Santa Cruz felt out of place. I can see this more in the city or for someone who sort of wants a…vehicle with a truck bed for smaller projects. Speaking of small, the rear seats are definitely a little too small for adults over six feet.
When I was done with this $41,000 Santa Cruz, my thoughts about the SAV didn’t change. It’s a lovely vehicle with a high price but more tech than it even needs. Can you take it to a construction site? I did, and it was perfectly fine. The Hyundai Santa Cruz may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a great first start for Hyundai.
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