Anthony’Second Analytics: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Express Awd

electric current generation Ford Ranger. Think the truck equivalent of a Volkswagen Golf. There aren’t a lot of these trucks inwards the U.S.. In fact, at that place are alone ii pickups sold that are inwards the teeny-tiny class. Interestingly, Hyundai is i of the few automakers that accept a pocket-size pickup.

Hold on! Hyundai doesn’t make a pickup; it makes a “sports chance vehicle”. Hyundai’sec Santa Cruz is their showtime vehicle amongst a truck-similar bed. If you lot alone expect at the Santa Cruz caput-on, it looks simply like a Tucson. When you lot do a walk-about of the Santa Cruz, y'all can encounter that Hyundai really didn’t want to produce a traditional pickup. I make admire Hyundai doing something this bold, simply none of us are precisely surprised. Hyundai has teased the Santa Cruz for years in addition to like a shot it has to agree up.

Who here remembers when we had small pickups Anthony’s Analytics: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD

Pickups are usually real boxy, just the Santa Cruz isn’t a pickup, and so it isn’t. Instead, in that location are curves too blueprint elements that closely resemble the Tucson SUV. At the front end, the Santa Cruz looks nigh the same as the Tucson amongst the cool lights integrated into the grill. The side profile has a nice crease inwards the bodywork from the forepart doors to the raise of the SAV, just Hyundai did brand a mistake. The rear windows are also small as well as in that location’s a gap betwixt the drinking glass in addition to the parent. I’1000 not a fan of that, just I am a fan of the Sage Green pigment in addition to 20-inch wheels. You won’t forget it’sec a Santa Cruz because it’second stamped loud together with proud on the tailgate.

Remember when I said the outside of the Santa Cruz looks similar a Tucson inwards the previous paragraph? The interior looks like a mixture of the Tucson in addition to Elantra. Thankfully, that agency that the blueprint is straightforward as well as not hard to function. This acme-of-the-job Santa Cruz has a lot of features, starting amongst the digital dials which demonstrate a video feed in i of the dials when yous flip on your plow indicator. Steering cycle controls are your basic media together with adaptive cruise control buttons. Hyundai’second infotainment systems are easy to use since they are touchscreen as well as include Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. They besides decided to take haptic-feedback buttons under the infotainment arrangement on pianoforte black which smudged a lot.

This Limited Santa Cruz likewise has both heated too cooled seats, along amongst a heated steering wheel. The buttons are adjacent to the driver and then yous have to await at which push button y'all’re pressing. This isn’t a real big vehicle, too the backseat of the Santa Cruz is tiny. The seats are skilful only zilch to write dwelling house near. What is something to write home almost is the minor truck bed. In total, the truck bed is 52.1-inches long, or iv.v-feet long. That’second not large, only you could jibe a wheel inward the dorsum?

It may non take the biggest bed (it mightiness be the smallest), but the Santa Cruz Limited does has Hyundai’second two.five-liter turbocharged inline-four. That means it produces 281-horsepower too 311 lb-ft. Combined with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic as well as all-bike-movement, the Santa Cruz goes from 0-threescore MPH inwards 6 seconds. If yous’ve driven a Tucson, this feels nigh just the same. The engine makes enough of power as well as you lot won’t live asking for more than. In fact, yous’ll forget that you’re inward a vehicle similar to what others call a “pickup”. The Santa Cruz is really comfortable as well as feels more planted than a lot of trucks a form size higher. There are likewise a few driving modes in the Santa Cruz which includes Smart, Auto, Sport, too Snow. Beyond that, in that location are other modes for various terrain as well as towing. I did become around 22 MPG which seems depression, but it was near thirty degrees here and then I’ll accept that.

So, what do y'all get amongst this top-of-the-occupation Santa Cruz Limited? First, a bill for $41,500. That includes the upgraded turbo-charged engine, 20-inch wheels, all of Hyundai’sec prophylactic features such as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise command. Other features in the Limited are that with leather seats that are heated and cooled, heated steering bike, sunroof, in addition to x.25-inch digital dials as well as infotainment system. All of this adds upward to quite a lot of engineering together with features just it comes at a steep cost. While I similar the Limited, I would stride-down to the SEL Premium for nigh $four,000 less. This is such a small thing that having environment-thought cameras seems similar a waste product.

There is a lot of character in the Hyundai Santa Cruz. It feels like a crossover amongst a truck bed, though it is more complicated than that. The Santa Cruz reminds me of how Honda created the Ridgeline. The Santa Cruz tin in all likelihood do a skilful total of what near other trucks tin can make spell maintaining existence adept-to-campaign inward whatever state of affairs. I’m yet non certain what I would fill up the Santa Cruz’sec truck bed with? If y'all know the answer, perchance yous should take a expect at the Hyundai Santa Cruz? It’sec an interesting truck not-truck sports chance vehicle.

The numbers

Engine	2.v-liter turbocharged inline-4	Power: 281-horsepower Torque: 311 lb-ft
0-sixty MPH	half dozen.0 seconds	This lilliputian non truck has roughly punch.
Fuel Economy	22 MPG	Low, simply I did accept all the heating elements on.
Transmission	8-speed dual-clutch automatic	As e'er, a good in addition to quick transmission.
Price	$41,000	Small SAV, big price!
Drivetrain	AWD	It’second expert to accept to reel inward more or less of the power.
Verdict equally a Number	viii.iii/10	A fun lilliputian non-truck, but a fiddling expensive.