Trends come and go – and then sometimes they come back. Take the small pickup truck. In the 70’s and 80’s they were huge. Small Toyotas, Datsun/Nissan Li’l Hustler, Chevy Luv. And later you had interesting things like the Subaru Brat. Then came the SUV craze and the diminutive pickup was put on the back burner.
But now small trucks are back! And one of the most interesting, stylish and fun is the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Could it lure you away from a small Crossover/SUV? Let’s find out!
Truck Cool
While the compact pickups of old were pretty utilitarian, the Santa Cruz brings some real style to the segment.
Up front, you’ll immediately know it’s a Hyundai, with the “parametric grille” with half-mirror daytime running lights that are only visible when illuminated. It’s a fashion forward look that started with the Tucson SUV and it’s as eye-catching here as on the Tucson.
The profile really sets it apart from pickups of yore, with the Hyundai creased origami-like cut-in lines and fender flares giving a muscular look. Like the Honda Ridgeline, you get the feeling of an SUV that’s had the rear third chopped away – it could easily be a one-off show car!
Hyundai adds to the fun with armor-like wheel arches with an easter-egg Santa Cruz silhouette stamped in the top, and blacked out lower trim for a capable off-road look. Another thing that gives the ‘Cruz a custom look are the massive 20-inch alloy wheels.
At the rear, it’s pure pickup, with a large folding tailgate with SANTA CRUZ stamped in for rugged looks, and a lower bumper with a handy step for easy access to the bed. Speaking of bed, we loved the integrated hard-shell cargo cover that accordions to open up for easy access.
Giving our tester a bit of a Hot Wheels vibe was the Blue Stone exterior paint, a creamy light blue that really helps show off the lines. Hyundai actually offers an exciting color palette for the Santa Cruz, including California Sand and Sage Gray along with Black, White and Charcoal options – frankly the vehicle looks stunning in any of them!
A Cab with Extra
Open the door, and any thoughts you have about a truck being utilitarian are dashed – this is a luxurious, high-tech place to spend time.
Your first clue are the well-padded heated and ventilated leather front seats. A heated leather steering wheel helps keep the hands comfy, too. We’re really starting to like the “open-H” design of the Hyundai steering wheel – elegant and unique.
Behind that wheel is a state-of-the-art digital gauge display including a tachometer and speedometer that become a camera display for the respective side of the vehicle when you signal for a turn. Very cool! Info-tainment comes from a handsome 10.25-inch screen that’s angled towards the driver for your viewing pleasure.
Underneath the screen are controls for audio and navigation. If we have a complaint here, we’d still like to have a knob for volume (and maybe tuning). Beneath that, there’s another set of controls for the climate control system, with a handy slot for wireless phone charging beneath. A small point – although you get wireless charging, when you have Hyundai’s big screen system, Apple CarPlay an Android Auto still require a cord. Harumph.
There’s so much that’s done right, that doesn’t bother you much. There’s a nice traditional shift lever with a grippy handle, surrounded by controls for the 4WD system, and a switch that activates the 360-degree Surround View monitor – handy when parking.
Rear seat room is generous, and you can flip up the seat bottoms for a handy built-in storage area that keeps things safe and out of sight.
Business out Back
Opting for a truck over a crossover means a different set of priorities – less interior storage, but more room for work and play items that would mess up a nice cabin. The Santa Cruz makes good use of the space. There’s a sheet molded-composite bed to resist dents, damage and rust, and it’s easy to hose out.
There’s also a hidden underfloor storage that includes drain plugs, so if you’re going tailgating, you’ve got a built-in cooler. The bed also has two storage areas behind the wheel wells, with the one on the right also featuring a small AC power outlet. The bed walls also have channels with sliding cleats for easy tie downs of whatever you bring along. The hard-shell tonneau cover slides easily and locks for safety.
There are some compromises here – the bed itself is only 4 feet long. Need more space? Accessories to the rescue! Hyundai makes a cargo bed extender that lets you drop down the tailgate and fit in longer items like dirt bikes and such.
Uncompromising Performance
There are no such compromises when it comes to the drive. The term “car-like” has gone from being a dirty word, to the expected level when it comes to trucks. Blame SUVs, for that!
Being based on one of Hyundai’s sportiest SUVs pays dividends here.
While lower trims feature a potent 191 horsepower 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, our tester enjoyed the turbo version, which serves up a muscular 281 horsepower and 311 lb. ft. of torque at just 1700 rpm. That’s sports car territory!
Another bonus is Hyundai’s quick shifting 8-speed DCT transmission, and the ‘Cruz really responds to being in Sport mode (which turns the gauges red!) with strong off-the-line acceleration and easy freeway merging and passing.
If you haven’t driven a truck in a few years, the ride and handling of the Santa Cruz will amaze you. With a multi-link rear suspension, the ride is SUV smooth and quiet, and the HTRAC All-Wheel-Drive helps make sure all those horses get to the pavement and can also send torque to the rear wheels for enhanced handling and steering feel. More sport sedan than truck is the impression we came away with. If you plan to do serious towing, we’d opt for the turbo engine that has an impressive 5,000 lb. towing capacity. (Non turbo models top out at 3,500 lb.)
Another step up from trucks of past is safety. With the Santa Cruz, you get You also get Hyundai’s SmartSense safety suite, with standard Forward Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Lane Keep Assist and Driver Attention warning. For 2023, Hyundai has stepped up their game making Blind Spot Collision Avoidance and Rear Traffic Collision Avoidance standard on all Santa Cruz models. Nice.
Shall I Cruz Over and Buy One?
Hyundai gives you choices – but like most SUV’s, climbing the trim level ladder can get expensive. You can get into a Santa Cruz SE starting at $26,650 – as a fun way to get around with the added flexibility of a truck bed, that’s a great way to go.
Our Limited AWD model is the whole enchilada, loaded with no options offered or needed. Pricing starts at $40,320, throw in $210 for carpeted floor mats, and $1,295 for Destination and we rang the bell at $41,825.
The small truck market is a small one right now – your main competitor would be the Ford Maverick at $38,635. It’s more of a traditional truck, and if we were thinking Maverick, we’d go for the base model at $23,400. If you are interested in something larger, we’d have to include the 2023 Honda Ridgeline, you’ll pay a bit more for one, though at $45,185. We’d recommend that you wait for the 2024 model that’s coming soon and promises some notable improvements.
If you love what the Hyundai has to offer, but are thinking you could go for a crossover, we think the Tucson plug-in hybrid with 261 horsepower and 35 mpg is a pretty cool way to go. At $44,000 it is a bit pricier than the Santa Cruz, though. Lower priced Tucson models exist.
With great looks, a crossover-like drive and luxurious interior, the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz breaks new ground in small trucks!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.