Quick Take: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Small trucks are becoming in vogue at the moment, offering a high degree of versatility, efficiency, and maneuverability in an urban environment as well as on tight trails during excursions off the beaten path. Responding to consumers’ desires, Hyundai has created the Santa Cruz small pickup truck, based on a crossover, rather than a truck platform. The Cartrast team managed to spend some time with a Santa Cruz on the hilly paths of Malibu during the Motor Press Guild’s Drive Day program and we discovered why small trucks may end up selling in larger numbers than previously believed.
We tried out the top-end Limited trim of the Santa Cruz which came with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 275 horsepower paired to an 8-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission and the HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. (Lower-end Santa Cruzes get a 190-horsepower engine.) Driving dynamics of the Santa Cruz were first-rate, feeling very much like a car or compact SUV to the extent where we wondered if most shoppers even needed to opt for a midsize truck anymore, while the engine delivered more than enough grunt climbing the hilly roads.
Comfort of the Santa Cruz was also terrific, with features such as ventilated front seats, an 8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support, smart cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and self-leveling rear suspension, Other equipment that comes on the Limited includes dual 10.25 screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, navigation, 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a power sunroof, an integrated tonneau cover for the bed, a surround view monitor, and a Bose sound system. Adding to the convenience factor, the Santa Cruz also has under-bed and sidewall storage compartments while the rear seat has a 60/40 split and can flip up for additional storage space inside. The bed even has a 115-volt power inverter and LED lighting.
On the whole, compact trucks like the Santa Cruz will likely become a favorite for people in urban areas who need that open-air area to carry extra cargo such as surfboards or oversized boxes. Efficiency (our Santa Cruz test vehicle was rated at 22 miles per gallon combined) and maneuverability will likely be major considerations too, enhancing the appeal of the Santa Cruz. We think we’ll be seeing more of these on the street in the near future, helping their owners haul their oversized things.
