The 2024 Santa Cruz combines compact-truck utility with funky looks and a fun-to-drive attitude. It's a bit pricier than its main rival, the Ford Maverick, and the styling may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has a long list of features and a premium interior that certainly justify the bigger price tag.Read full review
Part of the first Santa Cruz generation introduced for 2022
Overview
by the Edmunds Experts
10/3/2023
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 $2.99 per gallon for regular unleaded in Florida.
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.
Edmunds Expert Rating
edmunds TESTED
by the Edmunds Experts
Great
8.1
out of 10
We drove the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.The Edmunds 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.
Performance
8/10
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
8/10
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.
Interior
7.5/10
How’s the interior? The Santa Cruz's cabin has plenty of headroom and good legroom up front, as well as a highly adjustable driver's seat. The back seat is a bit cramped for adults, though.
There's a distinct future-forward look to the cabin thanks to the optional big center touchscreen and full digital instrument panel ahead of the driver. The shortcut buttons below the touchscreen are too cute for their own good, however. They're touch-sensitive pads instead of regular buttons, and they're distracting to locate and use while driving. Otherwise, everything is well labeled and organized in logical spots, and there are a number of redundant steering wheel controls too.
Visibility out of the rear window is compromised, but the optional 360-degree parking camera and high-resolution screen are excellent additions.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
Save as much as $3,550 with Edmunds Click on the trim you’re interested in to see what Edmunds suggests you should pay to get a good deal. Savings vary by trim; $3,550 refers to estimated savings off of MSRP for the Limited trim.
How’s the tech? Hyundai's optional 10.25-inch center touchscreen and the optional 10.25-inch digital driver's display both come on the top Limited trim. They've got crisp high-resolution graphics that are easy to read and don't wash out in direct sunlight. The optional Bose sound system is top-notch too, with good sound quality in most of the volume range. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect wirelessly on base trims, but the bigger screen requires a USB connection. Thankfully it connects to smartphones very quickly, and we had no dropouts in connection during our test.
A number of driver aids are standard on the Santa Cruz, including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance and forward collision warning. The adaptive cruise control and lane keeping systems work well, but we found the warnings for other systems to be overly sensitive and annoying after a while.
Towing and Storage
7.5/10
How are the towing and storage? The Santa Cruz's bed is relatively short but almost identical in dimensions to the Maverick's. The tailgate can be adjusted to match the height of the wheelwells so that 4-by-8 sheets of plywood can be carried in the bed. The in-bed trunk with the drain can be used to store wet or muddy gear, or even ice for tailgating.
The cupholders and center console storage are similar to something you'd find in a compact SUV. Large child seats will be a squeeze in the back seat, but anchors are easily located for securing them.
As far as towing and payload go, the Santa Cruz has an impressive maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. But know that to tow that much weight, you'll need a trailer brake controller — which the Santa Cruz lacks. You'll need to add one from the aftermarket if you plan on towing a heavy trailer.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
Fuel Economy
7.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? Our test vehicle had the optional turbocharged 2.5-liter engine and all-wheel drive. The EPA estimates the Santa Cruz in this configuration will get 22 mpg combined (19 city/27 highway). This isn't the most impressive stat when you consider that the Santa Cruz's main competition, the Maverick, gets 25 mpg with its turbocharged engine, or the bigger Honda Ridgeline gets 21 mpg. In our real-world testing, however, the Santa Cruz overperformed, returning 29 mpg on our 115-mile driving evaluation route.
Value
8.5/10
Is the Santa Cruz a good value? The Santa Cruz's main rival, the Ford Maverick, has a lower price of admission. But for the money, the Santa Cruz offers a lot of equipment and one of the best warranties in the industry. Our test Santa Cruz Limited rang in at more than $40,000, which is a lot for a compact truck, but it was also fully loaded. It's easily worth the price.
Hyundai's five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty are both unrivaled. So are the rust coverage for seven years/unlimited miles, roadside assistance for five years/unlimited miles, and free maintenance for three years/36,000 miles.
Wildcard
9/10
The Santa Cruz is fun to drive in ways you wouldn't expect a pickup truck to be. Steering and handling are impressive, it's maneuverable in tight spaces, and it really scoots along when you ask it to. Whether or not you enjoy the funky looks is a matter of individual taste, but the Santa Cruz certainly stands out in a crowd. Sprinkle in the fact that it's got the cool in-bed trunk and a premium interior and this is a unique vehicle that has captured our attention.
Which Santa Cruz does Edmunds recommend?
Within the Santa Cruz lineup, our pick is the new XRT. It comes loaded with desirable features — side steps, synthetic leather upholstery, a larger touchscreen and traffic-adaptive cruise control — as well as the punchy turbocharged engine. It's the one to get if your budget allows. If not, the SEL should suffice for a value pick.
2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A)
Base engine has plenty of power but is not meant for towing. I average 26-27 miles highway. Spacious cabin. I am 6' 3" and have room galore as the driver. Excellent safety technology. It is difficult to change radio stations (push channels) when driving. The bed is great with the tonneau cover. Ice chest/storage bin recessed into the bed sure comes in handy. I am age 73 and it is easy … entry and exit from the vehicle. It is what it is-a comfortable SUV with a truck bed. You can't go wrong buying a Santa Cruz.
I would love this car, but it just hasn’t run right since I bought it. I had to take it into service before I even had 100 miles on it because it threw a code. The service department said it was only because the gas cap was not tightened down. Although, since that time, it has not been running right. It has a hesitation when I start off sometimes at the beginning, and sometimes between … like second and third gear. It makes a popping sound in the back rear end. It feels at times that the brake is on or it’s in all wheel drive when it’s not. As for the infotainment system, occasionally my phone works with it, and occasionally it doesn’t. I have an iPhone 14 and if I have it plugged in to the car with the cord I have to re-plug it in every time I start and stop the car or it won’t work. At times it will work through the car system. At times it just works through my phone. I have not been able to actually make a call on my phone through the car system, it is very hit and miss. So I will be taking it back to have it serviced again when it doesn’t even have 1000 miles on it.
Loved so much got 2!
5 out of 5 stars
Happy one , 02/21/2024
2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)
Is it traditional? No. Do some think it’s ugly? Yes, but so many love it. I am constantly stopped and have people asking to “check it out”. I love that it’s different. I don’t consider it a truck, more of an suv with a small bed, that drives like a sports sedan. With all the bells and whistles and super comfy seats it’s had to find any negatives. There have been zero issues thus far. It … gets around 25 mpg mixed, and is to date the most practical vehicle I’ve ever owned. I love that I was able to bring home a large washing machine in this vehicle, in a traditional SUV that would’ve been a challenge. I love the metal tonneau cover and elec tailgate. I will update as I put miles on this vehicle.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz has plenty of get-up-and-go! At 281 horsepower, this small truck has tight maneuverability with plenty of added acceleration (and I am not exaggerating).There is just about every technology feature one can think of, and more... For example, if you are at a red light looking at your cell, a signal alerts you that the vehicle in front of you is moving away. … Visibilities are inclusive all-the-way-around, from every angle, and are featured not only on the side-view mirrors but also on dashboard readouts. The computer screen is just the right size and offers a wealth of settings to customize your Santa Cruz just-the-way-you-want-it. Comfortable front bucket seats that provide your kidneys with that nice, snug feeling (although the back seats are not built for adults). 20" Michelins offer excellent maneuverability. There are four (4) differ drive modes which all respond with no hesitations given the turbos. If you punch it - trust me, it will fly... The Santa Cruz is built tight with numerous interior color settings (even a color wheel if you want to customize your personal color). Again, technology galore along with a center console shifter that can also engage manual shifts to redlines, if preferable. The automatic shifts smooth as silk. Turning radius is comparatively small where it makes it easy to make a U-turn. Hyundai comes with factory links/programs that offer up to a 12% insurance premium discounts. Bose speakers (too many to count) produces crisp, clean, distinguishable sounds with cell phones chargers fifteen-ways-to-Sunday. Sliding rear window offers a way to carry elongated items. Payload bed has lights, outlets, a cooler-with drain plug (for tailgating) and a water tight locking tonneau cover with a light tailgate that automatically opens with the key fob. Side steps also allow easy access to getting up into the bed. Automatic start from the key fob and dual AC controls that can be programed depending on the weather. Heated steering wheel, wrapped in a high grade leather to match those perorated bucket seats with hot & cold ventilation (which blow ice cubes). Another nice feature is the AC has a "diffuser" that will circulate the air so it prevents your eyes from watering (how cool it that?). Sleek dynamics assist in good gas mileage, in spite of its fast acceleration capabilities, with regular unleaded. All in all, if one is seeking a small truck that has excellent warranties (factory and optional) and performs like a bat-at-of-hell, the 2024 Santa Cruz checks all the boxes...
Best Trucks Under $60K | Which Pickups Offer the Best Bang for the Buck? | F-150, Tacoma, Maverick
NOTE: This video is about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, but since the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.
The Santa Cruz has only one direct competitor, but by pickup standards even these two are pretty different. Blocky and upright, the Maverick looks appropriately trucklike, while the Santa Cruz only looks truckish in that it has an open box behind the passenger cabin. Inside, the Hyundai is far classier than the Ford, but by the time you've optioned up to a bigger engine and all-wheel drive, the Santa Cruz gets vastly more expensive.
You say you want a car-like pickup but slightly larger than the Santa Cruz? Again, your options are limited, in this case to one. Luckily, Honda's Ridgeline satisfies in every way. It's comfortable and roomy, drives great, and has a bigger bed than the Santa Cruz. Hyundai even cribbed the idea for the Santa Cruz's underbed storage from the Ridgeline, which boasts a cavernous hold beneath the rear of the bed. Bigger costs more, however, and for the price of a base Ridgeline, you can get a well-equipped Santa Cruz.
For buyers of smaller-than-full-size pickups, the Tacoma has been the go-to for years. It's great at truck stuff, particularly truck stuff that involves going off-road. It can also tow and haul more than the Santa Cruz and will benefit from a full redesign for the 2024 model year. But if you're not regularly towing or bouncing along trails, you might be happier with the more civilized Hyundai.
The Santa Cruz is Hyundai's trucklet-style alternative to the sea of crossover SUVs on our roadways these days. It's a unibody vehicle, meaning there's no ladder chassis (or frame) underneath the Santa Cruz. It also drives largely like its Hyundai Tucson SUV counterpart. So what's the appeal? Simply put: It's different. The Santa Cruz is fun to be in and better to drive than you'd expect, with a set of useful features that make day-to-day life with one altogether less boring.
We don't expect the formula to change much for 2024. The Santa Cruz first went on sale for the 2021 model year and we don't expect a face-lift of any kind until perhaps 2025. If anything, we expect Hyundai to pay more attention to its Tucson crossover for the 2024 model year and let those changes trickle over to the Santa Cruz a year later.
Edmunds says
The Santa Cruz was an Edmunds Top Rated Truck finalist for 2023, and if you want a crossover with a little extra flair, this trucklet might be worth a serious look.
FAQ
Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2024 Santa Cruz both on the road and at the track, giving it a 8.1 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2024 Santa Cruz gets an average rating of 5 stars out of 5 (based on 33 reviews) And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Hyundai Santa Cruz. Learn more
What's new in the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz:
New XRT trim replaces the previous SEL Premium
Minor revisions to standard feature availability
Part of the first Santa Cruz generation introduced for 2022
To determine whether the Hyundai Santa Cruz is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Santa Cruz. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Santa Cruz's 5-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2024 Santa Cruz and gave it a 8.1 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2024 Santa Cruz gets an average rating of 5 stars out of 5 (based on 33 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2024 Santa Cruz is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
The least-expensive 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $26,900.
Other versions include:
SE 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $26,900
SE 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $28,400
SEL 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $29,650
SEL 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A) which starts at $31,150
Night 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $38,460
XRT 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $40,100
Limited 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $41,320
What are the different models of Hyundai Santa Cruz?
If you're interested in the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the next question is, which Santa Cruz model is right for you? Santa Cruz variants include SE 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A), SE 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A), SEL 4dr Crew Cab SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A), and SEL 4dr Crew Cab AWD SB (2.5L 4cyl 8A). For a full list of Santa Cruz models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
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