Wow! What happens when a company with no truck heritage makes a truck? They come up with something mould-breaking, something different from what the incumbents are pushing, something cool. This is the new Hyundai Santa Cruz and it’s all of the above. Let’s take a closer look at this “Sport Adventure Vehicle”.
The “Hyundai truck” has been in the making for years now, so the Santa Cruz is far from a surprise. It’s finally out, made in America for Americans, for now. Hyundai says that the 2022 Santa Cruz breaks new ground within the SUV, truck and crossover segments (note the naming of all three popular segments) by offering a SAV unlike anything else in the US market. More for California millennials than the Rust Belt states.
The original Honda Ridgeline is the closest in concept to the Santa Cruz, but it’s tough to be different. Honda bowed to market pressure and the second-generation Ridgeline debut in 2016 with very safe design. It has since been facelifted to look even more square and butch. That’s… every truck in the market.
The Santa Cruz is actually a faithful reproduction of the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck concept from 2015, although it doesn’t seem so at first glance because the concept wore Hyundai’s hexagonal face of that era, and the production truck has the new Tucson SUV’s bold face, where LED daytime running lights are hidden within the full-width grille. The concept had just two doors, but the overall design and proportions remain.
The Santa Cruz looks like no other truck thanks to the rake on the A- and C-pillars – the latter especially stands out because trucks typically have a vertical border between cab and bed. The faster pillars are matched with large 20-inch alloys and armour-like wheel arches (18-inch wheels with thicker tyres are available). The Tucson’s rather extreme creases on the profile aren’t here, but there’s still good side volume, which contrasts with triangular surfaces and tight radius character lines.
At the back, you’ll find horizontal “T” lighting signatures that go deep into the tailgate. The open bed area features a lockable in-bed storage, integrated corner bumper steps and a lockable tonneau cover. All of these blend rather seamlessly into the overall design.
The tail lamps are embossed with “Designed in California” as a reference to Hyundai’s California-based design team. Small, discrete design details such as this can be found throughout the exterior and interior – you can play spot the Santa Cruz icon in the gallery below.
How compact is this truck? With no visual goalpost provided, let’s bring out the tape. The Santa Cruz measures 4,971 mm long and 1,905 mm wide, which is shorter than the Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier. Width is in the ballpark, but the Hyundai doesn’t stand as tall as those midsize pick-up trucks.
The Hyundai’s bed is intentionally shorter and less capacious than a regular truck’s, which means our ASEAN one-tonne trucks like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux are longer. See the table below for exact figures in inches.
However, the Santa Cruz is larger than the typical midsize SUV. Compared to the new Tucson – which is sold in the US in LWB form – the unibody truck is 341 mm longer and 41 mm wider, while its 3,005 mm wheelbase is 249 mm longer than the 2022 Tucson, which it shares a platform with. The new Tucson has a larger footprint than the third-generation TL we’re familiar with, by the way. The smallest truck in America is also the easiest to manoeuvre and park, with a curb-to-curb turning radius of only six metres.
Hyundai’s truck comes with two 2.5 litre engine options, both paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions. The standard engine is a direct-injection naturally aspirated four-pot with an estimated 190+ hp and over 245 Nm of torque. This NA engine is paired with a conventional torque converter gearbox. There’s also a turbo option (estimated 275+ hp, over 420 Nm) with a dual-clutch gearbox and steering shift paddles.
Both NA and turbo 2.5L engines offer HTRAC all-wheel drive. The AWD is a multi-mode system, providing an electronic, variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control between the front and rear axles. The Sport setting gives a more agile feel by sending more torque to the rear wheels. Towing capacity is surprisingly strong for the Santa Cruz’s size – the Turbo AWD can pull 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), which some have pointed out is more than the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon.
As a go-anywhere SUV with a bed, of course the Santa Cruz comes with all the safety and convenience features that one expects. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (AEB) with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Lane Keeping Assist and Driver Attention Warning are standard.
Top models will get the full Hyundai SmartSense suite that will add on Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Assist, Blind-spot View Monitor, Highway Drive Assist, Surround View Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist.
As for kit, the Santa Cruz comes with a standard 8.0-inch colour touchscreen with available wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also available are a Qi wireless charger, Digital Key (lock/unlock car, panic alert, start engine with an Android app), navigation with split-screen, remote engine start with seat heating/ventilation and profile selection, and eight-speaker Bose sound system. Hyundai’s Blue Link connected car service is available too.
A note on the cabin. Strangely, Hyundai’s official images pack did not include pics of the dashboard, but we took some screenshots from the official reveal video, attached below. Looks like the Santa Cruz carries over the new Tucson’s stylish dual-cockpit design, but with the SUV’s gear selector buttons swapped for a traditional gear lever, which is fitting for a truck.
What do you think of the Santa Cruz? It’s not everyday that someone breaks the mould and goes its own way. Doing so is risky, but here’s hoping that fortune favours this brave move. I love it.
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With such small rear bed, sorely highlighted when the bike can’t fit in fully, is this ‘truck’ of any practical use? There is a reason why Ridgeline reverted back to a traditional truck design, and Hyundai is the next to learn this painful truth.
PS Laughably what’s with the mould breaking praise? They weren’t the first to turn SUV into pickup, go see your own article on Geely Farizon FX. lol!
That’s if you compare it to a ford ranger but it’s not even competing in the same class for God’s sake. It’s a better suv for a common household but a lesser truck for an item mover like you.
You’d buy a pickup for the practical rear bed. If you want something household, go get an SUV.
If you read the the article you would have known that Hyundai didn’t intend for it to be a truck, they are calling it a “SAV” – it’s a mix of different segments.
Anyways, I agree – terrible representation of cargo space with the bike however it is probably enough for 90% of mall goers.
Also I searched up the Geely Farizon FX and it looks horrible – what we’re they thinking.
You say that while ignoring the fact 97% of pickups in malaysia is being driven around with empty beds.
This isn’t marketed to Malaysians. In USA, they make practical use of pickup storage.
An interesting alternative to the current offerings. If Hyundai can come up with a shorter (say, 4,700 mm or so) single cab truck (that can still sit 2+2), they may well open up a whole new market segment. Mazda latest 2021 single-cab BT-50 looks really good, though still too big (length-wise). A truly compact single-cab truck will have an untapped market out there – just look at the number of short-wheel based Defender fans out there!
What your asking is nothing new, in Aus its called an ‘Ute’ and single cabs cannot seat 2+2, they are not coupes with extra long doors.
Prefer the concept
Hyundai started more or less around the time Proton started.Both enjoyed gomen protection.
But 3 decades down the road,Hyundai is launching innovative and stylish cars,mpvs,suvs and pickups,and is now the top 5 car manufacturer universally.(with half bradder KIA)
Where is P1? Since Geely “bailout” investment,we only see rebadged X50 and X70.
The Saga,Persona,Exora currently is Jurassic by today’s standards,where the product life cycle of cars is getting shorter every year.
Someone ‘s experiment with P1 failed big time.And this someone bought an Ativa from P2 lately.
You sure have a deep crushin’ love on Proton don’t you? Those “hateful” comments of yours, don’t think that nobody can’t see through it. I mean, if someone brings up Proton in anything, it’s just simply because of the immeasurable amount of adore towards it. Nobody provoke yo, the article never mention about Proton but you just want to show your love (hate). I guess you’re just so happy that Proton sales now is no longer 4X behind the market leader like you said a few years ago.
We understand, YB…
“The Hyundai Motor Company, commonly known as Hyundai, is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul. Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967”
Back by rich chaebols, by the time Proton was born in 1982, Hyundai was a giant multibiliion dollar conglomerate. When Proton was still a newborn, Hyundai were exporting cars to North America.
You like many others (perhaps one and the same) tried to bend history to your agenda but sorry for you, accurate information is widely available.
Not too late to play catch up… asalkan usaha.
It’s always easy to blame others. You can spend your entire life blaming the world, but your success and failures are entirely your own.
“It’s always easy to blame others” Ya mean like how youre blaming proton with wrong historical fact isnt it? Am rite?
Haters gonna hate. But Proton endures.
Naughty Albert being caught out in the open again.
Brazil market was the pioneer of this pickup size category. They have Renault Oroch, Fiat Toro and soon to be launched VW Tarok. Personally, this is the pickup saiz I’ve been waiting!
this pickup truck only fits in kindergarden in USA.
the default truck in USA is Ford F150.
Do u know the population of USA?In a year,u will see the sales figures of at least 50,000 units for this model.You think the AMERICANS are as bodoh as Donald Trump? Housewives,students,kindys,daycares,young teens all are target markets.
Bring Malaysia sub 90k and it will sell
I’m a big fan of Hyundai’s digital cockpit/speedometer as well as infotainment system.
Unibody pickups aren’t new.
Australia has for ages got the utes, which are unibody pickups built on car platforms.
Brazil has the Fiat Strada, Fiat Toro, Dacia Duster Oroch, VW Tarok, Chevy Montana.
we had the Proton Arena once, which still commands high prices now.
A proton model similar to the santa cruz would be a good thing.
Anyway the santa cruz comes out looking very cool for a pickup. Overall very nice design, except for the rear which looks out of place from the rest of the car.
super nice design. yes it has a bit of ridgeline design but honestly ridgeline first gen was hideous. this design is superb. the line blend smoothly. it is not an eyesore design compared to first gen of ridgeline.
To my eyes, this is the only new hyundai design that is not eyesoring, bring it here, put a 3.0 turbo diesel engine and offer it warranty as similar to what the americans get.
this truck is really cool! size is adorable!
East Msia be like take my money.
Love the design, fits the requirement of people like me – those who wants a truck just for the fun of it and not really for any utility purpose.
I want one. Can someone convince Hyudai Malaysia to bring in for Malaysian market