2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is an interesting little vehicle that combines the inherent comfort and ease of use we associate with crossovers but throws in funky styling and a truck bed for increased utility. The Tucson on which the Santa Cruz is based gets a handful of updates for 2025 (you can check out the changes made to this trucklet's SUV counterpart here) and the same enhancements carry over to this wee pickup. For 2025, the Santa Cruz is infused with upgrades that make it a touch more rugged on the outside and a pinch more tech-forward on the inside.

In short, it's not that different from the current truck. The exterior gets a redux that includes a new grille, a new front fascia, new daytime running lights and fresh wheel designs. The rear and sides of the Santa Cruz are pretty much unchanged, however. The XRT trim, which replaced the SEL Premium model for 2024, gets its own set of tweaks with a different grille, XRT-specific bumpers, and distinct 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. It also gains a surround-view camera — which may prove useful off-road — and blind-spot warning.

Inside the Santa Cruz also gets a light touch-up. The dashboard is easily the most striking change, with a new panoramic curved display that houses two 12.3-inch displays. The one in front of the driver serves as the instrument cluster, and while not as versatile as digital displays from other brands (like Honda, which allows for more customization), Hyundai's displays are crisp and easy to read. The touchscreen is a little bigger than last year (up from 10.25 inches), and though the interface is largely the same, the Santa Cruz can now get over-the-air updates and is eligible for Hyundai's Bluelink+. Another notable change is that wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are finally standard on the Santa Cruz.

Additional changes to the Santa Cruz's interior include a new steering wheel, redesigned air vents, and a new layout for the HVAC and radio controls. The change mimics what Hyundai's been doing with its newer models and reminds us of the new Kona and Sonata. 

When it comes to engines and drivetrains, the story is the same as it was last year. The base powertrain is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and can be had in either front- or all-wheel drive. If you want a little more poke, you can opt for a higher trim with the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder. It makes 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, is mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and is all-wheel-drive only. 

The only notable change to the powertrain isn't even physical — for 2025, turbocharged models get a new tow mode. The base powertrain can tow up to 3,500 pounds and the turbocharged engine has a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz does many things right. It drives smoothly like an SUV, and its trucklet design gives you the advantage of having a light-duty workhorse. Hopefully the updates to the 2025 model make it so we see more of these clever little cars on the road.