The Hyundai Santa Cruz remains the quintessential “Sport Adventure Vehicle” for 2026. Built on the same unibody platform as the Tucson, it offers a car-like ride with the utility of a 4-foot composite bed. Starting at $29,500, it’s perfect for urban dwellers who need to haul muddy gear or mountain bikes on the weekend but don’t want the fuel thirst or parking headaches of a full-sized truck. The 2026 XRT trim adds even more rugged cladding and all-terrain tires for those who actually take the “adventure” tag seriously.
The Santa Cruz occupies a genuinely unique space in the market. It’s not trying to haul equipment like a Tacoma, tow heavy loads like an F-150, or go off-road like a Bronco. It’s designed for people who occasionally need an open bed for bulky items – bikes, surfboards, camping gear, furniture – while spending most of their time driving a comfortable, fuel-efficient crossover.
2024-2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Specs at a Glance
|
Spec |
Detail |
|---|---|
|
Body style |
Unibody ‘sport adventure vehicle’ (pickup crossover) |
|
Powertrain options |
2.5L NA 4-cyl (191 hp) or 2.5L Turbocharged 4-cyl (281 hp) |
|
Drivetrain |
FWD standard; AWD available on all trims |
|
Towing capacity |
3,500 lbs (NA) / 5,000 lbs (Turbo + AWD) |
|
Payload capacity |
1,748 lbs |
|
Cargo bed length |
48.4 inches (standard) / 54.4 inches (Flexbed extended) |
|
Cargo bed width |
48.7 inches (inside) |
|
Fuel economy (Turbo AWD) |
19 city / 27 hwy mpg |
|
Starting price |
$28,700 (SE FWD) |
Trim Levels and Pricing
|
Trim |
Engine |
Starting Price |
Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SE |
2.5L NA |
$28,700 |
FWD standard; basic but complete |
|
SEL |
2.5L NA |
$31,000 |
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto; blind spot monitoring |
|
SEL Premium |
2.5L Turbo |
$37,000 |
AWD; 10.25-inch nav; sunroof; leather |
|
Limited |
2.5L Turbo |
$41,000 |
Top trim; full tech suite; premium audio |
|
XRT |
2.5L Turbo |
$40,000 |
Off-road appearance; all-terrain tires; AWD |
Santa Cruz Bed Dimensions and Cargo Flexibility
The Santa Cruz’s bed is its most distinctive feature – and its biggest limitation compared to traditional pickups. At 48.4 inches, it can’t handle 4×8 plywood sheets flat. But the Flexbed system extends the usable bed length when the tailgate is down, and the underbed trunk (beneath the bed floor) adds 6.6 cubic feet of lockable covered storage that traditional truck beds simply don’t have.
|
Cargo Feature |
Dimension / Capacity |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard bed length |
48.4 inches |
Shorter than Maverick (54.4 in) |
|
Extended (Flexbed open) |
54.4 inches |
Tailgate folds down; bed extends |
|
Bed width (inside) |
48.7 inches |
Fits most bikes with front wheel removed |
|
Underbed storage |
6.6 cu ft |
Lockable; weatherproof; unique to Santa Cruz |
|
Towing (Turbo AWD) |
5,000 lbs |
Respectable for a crossover platform |
Santa Cruz vs Ford Maverick vs Honda Ridgeline
|
Factor |
Hyundai Santa Cruz |
Ford Maverick |
Honda Ridgeline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Starting price |
$28,700 |
$23,920 |
$40,475 |
|
Bed length |
48.4 in |
54.4 in |
60.0 in |
|
Max towing |
5,000 lbs |
4,000 lbs (turbo) |
5,000 lbs |
|
Platform |
Unibody (Tucson-based) |
Unibody (Bronco Sport-based) |
Unibody (Pilot-based) |
|
Engine options |
2.5L NA or 2.5T |
2.5L Hybrid or 2.0T |
3.5L V6 only |
|
Hybrid option |
No |
Yes (standard on base) |
No |
|
AWD |
Optional |
Optional |
Standard |
|
Best for |
Sport/lifestyle use |
Value; fuel economy |
Practicality; rear trunk |
Who Should Buy the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
- Active lifestyle buyers who need an open bed for bikes, kayaks, or camping gear a few times a month but want a comfortable crossover the rest of the time.
- Urban and suburban drivers who find full-size trucks too large for daily parking but want occasional bed utility.
- Buyers who tow small trailers – the Turbo AWD’s 5,000 lb tow rating handles a small boat or utility trailer without issue.
- Style-conscious buyers – the Santa Cruz has a distinctive, polarizing look that you either love or don’t.
The Santa Cruz won’t satisfy someone who actually needs a truck for work. But for the buyer who mostly needs a crossover and occasionally needs a pickup, it’s one of the more cleverly conceived vehicles in its segment – and that underbed trunk genuinely makes grocery runs, camping trips, and home improvement hauls more practical than any other small truck offers.
