2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a truck like no other. It has a head-turning aesthetic, but its appeal is more than skin-deep. The Santa Cruz benefits from comfortable and responsive driving dynamics thanks to its car-like unibody construction, plus a truck bed giving it greater utility than an SUV this size. Being a Hyundai, it also boasts a class-leading warranty.

Other unibody trucks include the more affordable Ford Maverick and the larger, pricier Honda Ridgeline.

There are some minor changes to the Hyundai Santa Cruz for 2024. The most significant is the introduction of the rugged XRT trim replacing the SEL Premium trim. The XRT model brings a rugged appearance package, durable faux-leather seating surfaces, and a generous list of tech features.

Other updates for 2024 include standard bi-LED projector headlights on all models, dual-zone automatic climate control on all but the base trim, wider availability of the 10.25-inch touchscreen, and a standard haptic feedback steering wheel.

Before buying a Santa Cruz, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Hyundai Santa Cruz resale value is about average for the segment.

The lower trims of the Hyundai Santa Cruz are powered by a 191-horsepower 4-cylinder engine matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. The more popular engine is a 281-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder, which uses the same 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive comes standard with the turbo engine.

We found the base engine’s acceleration adequate for daily driving and light pickup work. But it can feel a bit underpowered when loaded with passengers and/or fuller cargo loads.

It doesn’t surprise us that the optional turbo engine is the more popular choice. We love the quicker acceleration and greater maximum towing capacity (up to 5,000 pounds) compared to the base engine, and it’s easy to recommend if it fits your budget.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz doesn’t drive like a typical pickup truck. Instead, it drives like a modern compact SUV. That’s because it’s mechanically similar to the Hyundai Tucson, with the obvious difference being the back of the body. The unibody construction and small footprint make the Santa Cruz easy to drive and park.

The available all-wheel-drive (AWD) system makes the Santa Cruz better for dirt roads and inclement weather. However, even in the rugged-looking XRT trim, it doesn’t have the off-road chops of the Ford Maverick with the FX4 or Tremor packages.

Fuel Economy

The more popular turbo engine with standard AWD gives the Santa Cruz a combined fuel economy rating of 22 mpg. The turbo engine in the similarly sized Ford Maverick gets 25 mpg with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, and the bigger Ridgeline returns 21 mpg.

The base engine in the Santa Cruz is barely more efficient than the more powerful turbo variant. It gets 23 mpg with both FWD and AWD.

If max efficiency in a small truck is what you seek, the Maverick is also available with a hybrid powertrain, which returns 37 mpg.

We’re impressed with the level of comfort and refinement inside the Hyundai Santa Cruz. It reminds us a lot of the Hyundai Tucson SUV, which is a good thing. The seats are comfortable, the controls are easy to use, and there’s a good amount of space. There’s 36.5 inches of rear legroom, almost identical to the rear-seat space in the Ford Maverick and the bigger Honda Ridgeline.

We love the edgy styling of the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Except for the aesthetically similar Hyundai Tucson SUV, nothing else on the road looks quite like the Santa Cruz. We’re pleased that the bi-LED projector headlights are now standard on every trim since they improve both style and safety.

The bed is 48.4 inches long and has 27 cubic feet of space. That’s a bit smaller than the bed in the boxier Ford Maverick, which is 54.4 inches long with 33.3 cubic feet of volume. The larger Honda Ridgeline boasts a 64-inch bed with 33.9 cubic feet of volume.

Available turbo engine
The optional turbocharged engine in the Santa Cruz delivers more satisfying power and gives it an impressive maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds.

Hyundai SmartSense
The Santa Cruz is well-equipped with standard safety features, namely blind-spot monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Safe Exit Warning. Other standard Hyundai SmartSense features include automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and driver attention warning.

Versatile cargo bed
The cargo bed in this Hyundai has a mostly flat floor and a lockable in-bed trunk that doubles as a cooler. The upper trims and the SEL Activity package have a handy integrated tonneau cover.

Highway Driving Assist
The top Limited trim of the Santa Cruz comes with the Highway Driving Assist semi-autonomous driving system. It combines features like navigation-based adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist to make highway driving more relaxed.

XRT trim
The new XRT trim for 2024 adds a rugged appearance package to the Santa Cruz with scratch-resistant fender cladding, functional side steps, dark exterior trim, and unique wheels with orange anodized center caps.

Optional 10.25-inch touchscreen
We love the available 10.25-inch touchscreen in the Santa Cruz. This system is user-friendly and loaded with features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, navigation, SiriusXM, and more.

The most popular engine in the Hyundai Santa Cruz lineup — and the one we’d recommend to most buyers — is a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine generating a stout 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It’s matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The acceptable base engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder rated at 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. It’s also paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, but offered in front-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive formats.

5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

The Hyundai Santa Fe boasts the best warranty in its class. It’s covered by a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Additionally, Hyundai throws in a 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan for routine service.

Safety

The Hyundai Santa Cruz gets impressive crash test ratings with the top “Good” rating from the IIHS in every crashworthiness category. It’s also well-equipped with standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. The Santa Cruz gets a little safer this year thanks to the standard bi-LED projector headlights improving visibility.