With the launch of the 2022 Santa Cruz, Hyundai entered into uncharted territory. It was not only the automaker’s first pickup but also one targeting a market segment that had long been neglected by the auto industry.
Hyundai wasn’t the only brand targeting what manufacturers like to call “white space.” The compact Santa Cruz went up against the equally new Ford Maverick. But the two automakers couldn’t have taken more drastically different approaches.
Maverick was essentially a downsized take on Ford’s bigger truck lines — albeit with a few creative twists — while Hyundai delivered a distinctively styled urban warrior. Think Chevy El Camino for the Millennial era.
Santa Cruz has generated plenty of buzz, if not quite the sales of its Ford rival. But the Korean carmaker is betting that it can increase demand with the mild update on tap for the 2025 model year.
In short: The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz is more than just the classic “mid-cycle refresh.” It builds on the unique design and features that have generated plenty of buzz among young buyers looking for the functionality of a compact pickup and the flexibility of an SUV combined into an affordable, fun-to-drive package.
- Engine: 2.5L na inline-4 or 2.5L turbo-4
- HP/torque: 191/181 base engine; 281/311 for turbo-4
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic, na inline-4; 8-speed wet dual-clutch, turbo-4
- Fuel economy: 2.5L turbo-4: 18/26/22 FWD – XRT; 19/27/23 Limited; 2.5L na inline-4: 22/30/25 FWD; 21/29/24 AWD
- Towing: 3,500 lbs. max: 2.5L na inline-4, 5,000 lbs. max: 2.5L turbo with XRT AWD
Pros
- Great design
- Affordable
- Blends some of the best features of a pickup and an SUV
- Redesigned IP with curved digital screen — and more traditional controls
Cons
- Cramped rear seating
- Too much interior plastic
- 4-foot bed limits cargo capabilities
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Review
It took nearly 6 years for Hyundai to translate the wildly popular Santa Cruz concept into a production model. The good news is that it’s taken just another 3 years for the automaker to launch a mid-cycle update that sharpens its distinctive design while addressing some of the original model’s flaws.
Those who’ve just discovered the Santa Cruz think of it as a “Sport Adventure Vehicle” — or so declares Jose Munoz, CEO of the Korean automaker’s North American operations. Sharing much of its underpinnings with the more familiar Hyundai Tucson — which also gets an update for 2025 — Santa Cruz blends elements of that compact SUV with a short pickup bed.
The design has some inherent compromises but offers additional flexibility that can appeal to young buyers on a budget looking for a vehicle that can maneuver city streets during the week and then head out to the countryside for weekend adventures.
What’s New for 2025: Design
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz gets more updates than you’d typically expect of a vehicle first introduced so recently.
That begins with a number of tweaks to its design. As Munoz suggested when the 2022 Santa Cruz debuted, this “is a vehicle that completely shatters conventional design.” It picks up on the “parametric pixel” design language Hyundai has been rolling out across its lineup, including the angular side panels and the stacked lighting that frames the multilevel grille. The overall look of the front end is now more vertical and muscular.
Santa Cruz’s cabin now features a curved display, including a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen, as well as an optional 12.3-inch gauge cluster. The automaker has also listened to buyers and shifted to more conventional controls for climate and some other vehicle functions. Add new wheel designs and some additional upgrades to the XRT package — which we’ll get back to shortly.
What’s New for 2025: Technology
- Now-standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Improved smartphone-style over-the-air updates
- Upgraded Digital Key 2 (smartphone as key system)
- Fingerprint scanner