HyundaiSanta Cruz

　　

2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Review

byJared GallCorrespondent

　　Jared Gall started his career in the auto industry in 2001 with an internship at Car and Driver. He has written and edited many thousands of car reviews, technological deep-dives, industry analyses, and personality profiles. He is a correspondent at zzdcar and still has the 1969 Chevrolet C20 he dragged out of his parents' barn and drove until Car and Driver started giving him cars to evaluate.

　　, rating written byJared GallDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　Like plants and people, cars and trucks tend to grow. Today's Honda Civic is as big as your father's Accord, and today's heavy-duty pickups are for many buyers' purposes practically as capable as the semi tractors Granddad would recognize. Hyundai sees an opportunity here and offers the 2024 Santa Cruz for people who need pickup-style utility but don't want to deal with the bulk and expense of today's latest midsize or full-size trucks.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$161/mo  for Santa Cruz SE

　　Santa Cruz SE

　　SE 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) - $26,900 MSRPSE 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) - $28,400 MSRPSEL 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) - $29,650 MSRPSEL 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) (Most Popular) - $31,150 MSRPNight 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) - $38,460 MSRPXRT 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) - $40,100 MSRPLimited 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) - $41,320 MSRP

　　vs

　　$219/mo

　　Avg. Compact Truck

　　The Santa Cruz is significantly smaller than a midsize truck but offers enough payload and towing capability to satisfy a lot of truck buyers. Plus, the Santa Cruz's sleek styling goes well beyond the pickup norm of an open box for the stuff attached to an enclosed one for the people. Think of it less as a pickup and more as an SUV with a more versatile cargo area. Based on the Tucson's unibody platform, the Santa Cruz rides much more comfortably than a traditional body-on-frame pickup.

　　Currently, there's only one other compact truck on the market: the Ford Maverick. Both vehicles have similar capabilities but go about their business in different ways. Check out our test team's Expert Rating below to learn more about the Santa Cruz and help you decide whether it's the best truck for you.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Santa Cruz drive? Because the Santa Cruz uses a stiffer car-like body structure, rather than a body-on-frame structure like a more traditional pickup truck, it's much better to drive than many competitors. Steering and handling are impressive. You can have fun when the road gets curvy, and the optional turbocharged engine makes excellent power.

　　In our testing, the Santa Cruz with the turbo engine accelerated to 60 mph from a stop in just 6.5 seconds, which is both quicker than any midsize truck and comparable to Ford's new small truck, the Maverick. Shifts from the dual-clutch automatic transmission are quick and crisp too, which further increases the Santa Cruz's fun factor. With 8.6 inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive, the Santa Cruz can handle most graded dirt roads and slippery surfaces. Just don't expect it to be a dedicated off-roader.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Santa Cruz? The Santa Cruz is smooth-riding over pretty much any surface. Road imperfections are absorbed well, and long highway journeys are made easier thanks to comfortable and supportive front seats. The seats up front are also heated and ventilated (on upper trims), a rare feature among compact and midsize trucks, and they change temperature quickly.

　　On the downside, the rear seats are set upright and aren't nearly as comfortable. Wind noise over the sideview mirrors is noticeable at speed, as is road noise from underneath the body.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below