The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a four-door compact pickup truck manufactured and marketed by Hyundai. Released in 2021 for the 2022 model year, the Santa Cruz is the first four-door pickup truck sold by Hyundai in the North American market. The vehicle is based on the Tucson crossover SUV, and uses a unibody chassis design.
Industry analysts expected the Santa Cruz to attract car or crossover SUV buyers instead of people who have owned a larger, traditional pickup truck.[4]
The production model debuted in April 2021 for the North American market. Marketed as a "Sport Adventure Vehicle",[4] it is closely related to the fourth-generation Tucson, sharing the same project code (NX4, with additional 'a' to denote American production and 'OB' suffix, meaning 'open bed'),[6] production site, and dashboard design.[7] It also features a similar styling introduced on the fourth-generation Tucson, with its front end dominated by the grille with integrated daytime running lights.[8]
The Santa Cruz uses a front-wheel-drive configuration as the base model, with an available upgrade to the HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. The HTRAC system allows for the rear wheels to receive up to 50 percent of the drive power via a lockable clutched center differential. It is equipped with strut suspension for the front wheels and a multi-link independent suspension in the rear. The rear suspension is equipped with self-leveling shock absorbers to keep the truck level even when there is weight on the bed or a trailer on the hitch.[9]
Rear view
Interior
2025 facelift
The facelifted Santa Cruz was revealed on 27 March 2024. Changes include new headlights with redesigned LED daytime running lights, a new front fascia, a new grille, new exterior colors, new alloy wheel designs, a new curved panoramic screen with two 12.3-inch displays, the inclusion of physical controls for the HVAC and infotainment shortcuts, a new steering wheel, new air-con vents, updated features for safety and technology, and the XRT version received a few visual changes.[10][11]
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT
Rear view
Powertrain
The Santa Cruz is available with the standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine that produces 191 hp (194 PS; 142 kW) and 181 lb⋅ft (245 N⋅m; 25.0 kg⋅m) of torque (U.S. only). A turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that produces 281 hp (285 PS; 210 kW) and 311 lb⋅ft (422 N⋅m; 43.0 kg⋅m) of torque is available as an option (standard in Canada). The base engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the turbocharged engine gets an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters.[12]
Safety
The 2022 Santa Cruz was awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS.[13]
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