This is the Hyundai santa cruz and it’s not the first time we’ve seen this thing
In fact two summers ago us and Cars.com were the first journalists to get to spend a week with it
But now it’s back in the winter and we’re going to hit the highlights….both good and bad
The Hyundai Santa Cruz, spoiler alert, I really like this thing…which is obvious because I like weird cars and this thing is definitely weird.
But it’s not perfect so let’s talk about my least favorite things about it
1 – no volume knob on the center stack
Is this going to be a huge deal to you if you own the car? Maybe not, but more than once I got in the car in the morning and the energy and volume I had the night before did not match the energy i had in the morning
And i found myself looking for a volume knob to quickly turn it down but no dice…just a bunch presses or toggles on the steering wheel
2 – no WIRELESS car play
This is kind of a nit pick and a fringe issue. The only reason i have it on the negative list is that this is the range-topping limited trim and as tested it’s over 40k so it’s a good chunk of change
So at this price and trim i might expect wireless car play
3 – rear seats aren’t super big
This is a problem for really anyone over like 5’6”. It’s really cramped in terms of legroom back here
The headroom is fine, but with a 4 foot bed and being as compact as it is, they had to borrow space from somewhere
Also it’s really dark back here. No pano roof and the shape of the rear door doesn’t leave a lot of window
You DO get USB-Cs back here though and climate vents
4 – doesnt offer a hybrid like the Maverick
This is one shortcoming of the Santa Cruz…simply the choice not to offer a hybrid
Hyundai has an array of hybrid AND plugIns in their lineup, and yet they don’t offer a hybrid
Of course a hybrid would be more pricey and the Santa Cruz is already more expensive than the Maverick so maybe they didnt want to pile on
HOWEVER, the 22 mpg combined is a lower figure than i’d expect while the Maverick is closer to 40
5 – it’s pricey
Yeah as tested with the turbo engine and the limited trim it’s over 40k
And that’s a lot moe than a maverick but it’s a lot more car than the maverick
You get loads more features
The interior is nicer
You get more payload
More towing
Idk to me the extra money might be worth it
1 – it’s weird
That’s my favorite thing. It’s a weird concept from an unexpected manufacturer and it triggers truck people which is always fun
2 – The ride is really good
It’s unibody…unlike a conventional pickup so the suspension is more refined, the steering is better, and it handles bumps better…and most importantly this week…it comes with full time AWD and it’s been very good on ice
Also you do have a nice high seating position like you would in a truck
3 – It’s quick
This is the upgraded turbo engine which means 280 hp and 311 lbft
With that and AWD traction 0-60 is done in just 6 seconds
The turbo effect is very apparent here as well, once it’s spooled up you GO
It’s a tsunami of torque
4 – The bed
Yeah no shit it’s small – it’s 4 feet
But you bought the tiny truck so what did you expect?
Still fits my snowboard so im good
Payload 1750 lbs…pretty impressive..more than maverick
But there’s a bunch of added practicality and useability here
For one they all come wit these tonneau covers
They all come with a bed liner
You get these two cubbies on either side of the bed
It’s got a 120V outlet
You get hooks and tie downs
AND you get the incognito pouch which is something every truck-that-truck-people-wouldnt call-a-truck should have
The incognito pounch also has a drain so you can tailgate next a Silverado owner and make them mad while you get cold beers from your little hidden bed pouch
5 – towing
With the upgraded turbo engine we have here we can tow up to 5000 lbs
Thats the same as my old 4runner…not bad
Plus little bed steps here in the rear bumper
5 – the face
It’s a tucson until a tucson pulls up…or you look at the side
But the grille and hidden running lights are cool..idk why but again weird and i like that
6 – Interior
It’s again very tucson in here which means nice low dash
Clean design
Comfy seats
Heated and cooled seats
Heated steering wheel
10 inch Digital cluster
10 inch screen
It’s all very nice
7 – tech
You get car play and yes it’s wired but you also get HDAS which is a top 3 or 5 autopilot system and we constantly praise the hyundai driver assist tech
Plus quiet mode
And sounds of nature…classic
6 – easter eggs
Triangles
Santa cruzes everywhere
Rear bumper
Bed sides
Each wheel arch
Conclusion
So that’s it those are the highlights and lowlights of the hyundai santa cruz
Like i said, i like this thing – it’s just weird and kinda scratches a very specific itch
The question I have to ask is…how many people have this itch
I hope people buy this so we can get more weird cars on the road