Hyundai saw a market for folks who don’t need a full-size pickup, so they debuted their Santa Cruz compact pickup that is essentially a Hyundai Tucson SUV with a pickup bed that Hyundai likes to call a “Sport Adventure Vehicle.”
Santa Cruz is smaller than Toyota’s Tacoma, Ford’s Ranger/Maverick or Honda’s Ridgeline, and has a shorter cargo bed. It’s similar to the small and former Baja and Sport Trac, but only in concept. Baja had a 42-inch long cargo bed while the bed in Santa Cruz measures 48 inches. And bed length is the only demerit with the Santa Cruz. Perhaps Hyundai could lengthen the bed by a foot, then it would be a bit more useable. Hyundai could name it the Santa Cruz XL. Other than that, Santa Cruz is a nifty and cute runabout with decent fuel economy.
The 2026 Santa Cruz is offered in FWD and AWD and in SE, SEL, SEL Activity, XRT (that we tested) and Limited.
There are two engine choices with the base engine for the SE being a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder putting out 191-hp and 181 lb/ft of torque. We tested the higher output 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that generates 281 hp and 311-lb/ft of torque. When coupled to the 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, it offered EPA mileage estimates of 18 city, 25-highway mpg. The combination is tow rated for up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes. This engine is only available with AWD that’s needed here in the Snowbelt.
Santa Cruz’s exterior styling with unit-body design gives the pickup a seamless, solid look. Its bold grille has LED head and running lights and a skid plate under the front fascia that entertains an acute approach angle of 17.5 degrees while it helps protect the trucks’ undercarriage vitals when off-roading.
The composite bed houses a 7-inch deep almost full width under-bed trunk that has a drain plug so it can be used to stow (and drain) ice to keep drinks cold. If the tailgate is locked, the under-bed bin cannot be opened. The tailgate has to be opened to open the trunk.
The test truck came with a lockable composite sliding tonneau cover takes up 12 inches of top space. But items can be stowed beneath it. There are also detents molded into the bedsides for two-tier loading. Lift-over onto the open tailgate (that opens remotely via the keyfob) is a low 31.5 inches.
Upon a 20-inch step-in into the cockpit that is handsome and workable it boasts comfy supportive heated/ventilated front seats.
The center stack houses a 26-inch full display of which 10.25 inches is the touchscreen that serves the audio, navigation, rearview/front view cameras, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. The other half houses the 10.25-inch gauge cluster with a driver information display within it. The dash resembles what’s called a “glass cockpit” in modern jets.
Flush HVAC controls are aligned on a touchscreen with selections displayed on the large touchscreen along with other functions and features.
Behind the gear selector is a pod with a Terrain/Drive Mode toggle switch for Normal, Sport and Smart modes. Switch over to Terrain Mode and there’s Snow, Mud and Sand modes. There’s only one feature missing that should go along with Terrain Mode is an AWD Lock mode as the Hyundai Kona SUV has as did the 2023 Santa Cruz we tested back then.
All modes are displayed within the 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster. Residing on the steering wheel is a steer assist switch that maintains the Santa Cruz between the highway lines provided at least one hand is lightly on the wheel. Otherwise an instrument cluster alert comes on.
Santa Cruz has a ground clearance of 8.6 inches to get it through modest snow depths and over some mild off-roads.
Santa Cruz’s back seat is comfy for two adults but legroom is on the tight side, especially if the fronts are racked well rearward. Headroom is ample and there are assist handles over all four doors. The rear seat bottoms flip up against the bulkhead exposing a hidden full-length 7-inch deep bin for small item storage.
As for ride, it resembles that in Hyundai’s fine SUVs, albeit with a cargo box. It’s smooth with no jiggly feeling and it parks easily thanks to its size and maneuverability. And the 2.5L turbo feels like a V6 under the hood when pressing hard on the accelerator.
The 2026 Santa Cruz came with two extra cost options and that being carpeted floor mats ($240) and Blue Stone paint ($500). Otherwise the standard feature list is exhaustive and includes such most needed safety features like forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping/following assist, driver attention warning, blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, safe exit warning, remote engine start and many more. And lest I forget, and like all Hyundai vehicles, Santa Cruz had cameras built into the outside mirrors that activate when using the left or right turn signals. A super accident saver for vehicles or cyclists that may sneak up on the blind side when turning.
For all that plus satellite radio, Bose audio and Blue Link connected services, Santa Fe bottom lined at $43,335 with delivery after a base price of $41,100.
Added to this you get Hyundai’s generous warranty of 5 year/60K new vehicle warranty, 10/100K powertrain, 7/Unlimited perforation, 3/36K complimentary maintenance and 5/Unlimited roadside assistance. Unbeatable coverage.
For those who take jaunts in the great outdoors and do some semi-rugged off-roading, or merely hauling bagged mulch and garden supplies, the Santa Cruz can take you there and tow some toys like a 14-foot aluminum boat or ATV trailer. It’s multifaceted and loads of fun to drive. And damn cute to boot.
