Hyundai Santa Cruz

Truck shoppers have had two broad categories to choose from in recent years: midsize trucks and full-size trucks. But the 2022 model year is different because now there's now a third alternative: compact trucks. And one of two new pioneers for this class is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. If you don't want all of the full-blown capability and expense of a midsize or full-size truck, the new Santa Cruz is worth checking out.

There are some differences between the Santa Cruz and other traditional trucks. For starters, it's 10-15 inches shorter than most midsize rivals. It also uses unibody construction rather than the traditional body-on-frame pickup underpinnings. What does that mean? Well, underneath, it shares a basic platform with the redesigned 2022 Hyundai Tucson small crossover SUV. This car-like construction results in a more comfortable ride than a traditional truck's body-on-frame construction would. It's also more nimble around turns.

The Santa Cruz does have lower overall towing, hauling and off-roading capabilities than traditional trucks, but for a lot of people the Santa Cruz could still be enough. For example, max towing is between 3,500 and 5,000 pounds, which is pretty strong and suitable for small boats or two-wheel trailers. Unfortunately, you can't get a factory-installed trailer brake controller with the Santa Cruz (a feature that allows you to adjust the trailer's brakes from the cabin), but you could add an aftermarket one to take full advantage of the towing capacity. It also has some cool features such as an underfloor cargo bed storage bin and an available retractable cargo bed cover.

Overall, we like how the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz combines the comfort of a small SUV with most of the utility of a pickup. It also has some significant advantages over its similarly new rival, the Ford Maverick. For more on the Santa Cruz's strengths and weaknesses, check out our full Expert Rating.

Which Santa Cruz does MatoCar recommend?

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a small crew-cab pickup that's available in four trim levels: SE, SEL, SEL Premium and Limited. Standard feature highlights for the Santa Cruz include:

SE Has a basic set of features, including:

• 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (191 horsepower, 181 lb-ft of torque)
• Eight-speed automatic transmission
• Standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive
• Composite cargo bed
• 60/40-split rear seats
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity)
• Six-speaker sound system
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the Santa Cruz back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

SEL Comes with more convenience features, such as:

• Heated mirrors
• Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
• Lockable cargo bed storage bin
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated front seats
• Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the Santa Cruz back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot)
• Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your path while you're in reverse)

An optional Activity package for the SEL adds:

• Cargo bed tonneau cover
• Sunroof
• Roof rails
• Sliding rear window
• Household-style power outlet in the bed
• Utility LED bed lighting
• Digital instrument cluster
• Wireless smartphone charging

SEL Premium Adds to the SEL with:

• Turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (281 hp, 311 lb-ft of torque)
• Standard all-wheel drive
• Contents of the SEL's Activity package
• LED headlights
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Digital key capability (can use select phones as a vehicle key)

Limited Loads up the Santa Cruz with:

• Leather upholstery
• Rear-seat USB ports
• Ventilated front seats
• 10.25-inch touchscreen (deletes wireless connectivity for smartphone integration)
• Navigation system
• Bose premium sound system
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Santa Cruz and the car in front)
• 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Santa Cruz and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)