I recently discovered a truck that’s just my size. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD is an industry disrupter, offering a very different kind of vehicle—kind of a cross between an SUV and a truck. There’s lots to love about the Santa Cruz, but its ability to maneuver in and out of tight spaces is one of my favorite things.
Because I live an urban lifestyle, with most of my daily excursions inside the city limits, I’m not a fan of large SUVs or pickup trucks. Smaller, more compact vehicles are much more suited to my daily life, since they are easier to maneuver in traffic and into parking spaces.
The Santa Cruz operates on a powerful 2.5 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, with 8 speed transmission with ShifTronics. Santa Cruz features self-leveling rear suspension and HTRAC all-wheel drive, with drive mode select and paddle shifters.
Santa Cruz Promises Adventure
Photo: Hyundai
The 2022 Santa Cruz and is being promoted primarily as a sport adventure vehicle. While I wasn’t able to take it on any adventures, I did enjoy driving a Santa Cruz around town for a week, but the next time I drive this fun vehicle, we’ll schedule a weekend jaunt to one of our beautiful Texas state parks.
“Santa Cruz, with its bold styling, breaks open all new segment territory, both for Hyundai and the industry as a whole. Open-bed flexibility coupled with closed-cabin security meets the changing everyday needs of its adventure-oriented buyers, while powerful and efficient engines and superb maneuverability ensure it is a pleasure to drive in urban or off-road environments. Our customers will wonder just how they managed before owning one,” said Jose Munoz, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America.
Another feature I liked was the secure truck bed with its lockable cover. While I didn’t have a need to haul anything during my week of driving, it’s great to know anything stored in the truck bed can be protected and secured from view.
Photo: Hyundai
Santa Cruz Limited features all the technology a driver might need at no additional cost, including a rearview monitor with parking guidance. It also boasted luxury touches like leather trimmed seats and Bose premium audio system. Bold design features include a power sunroof and roof side rails, plus rear sliding glass with defroster and 20” alloy wheels.
My test vehicle had an extremely affordable MSRP of only $38,720, and a fuel economy of 19 mpg in town and 27 mpg on the highway for an average of 22 mpg.
