2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz review: SUV comfort, truck utility
Smaller pick-up trucks are making a well-deserved comeback. They offer the versatility of a truck bed — garden centre runs, anyone? — but leave off the huge capability and tow ratings of larger trucks that not everyone needs. And they also skip the high prices full-size trucks seem to come with by default these days, making them more accessible to the average buyer. In this 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz review, we’ll examine a compact truck that’s doing things differently.
I tested the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz in its Ultimate trim, provided on loan for this review by Hyundai Canada. After picking up the truck at Focus Hyundai in Winnipeg, I took it on a road trip through southern Manitoba. Have questions about the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz? Ask the automotive experts in our Facebook community!
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz pros and cons
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz pros
- Drives more like an SUV than a truck
- Classy and comfortable interior
- Great tech features
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz cons
- No hybrid option
- Bed isn’t as versatile as the competition
- Pricier than its closest competitor
What’s new on the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Following on its 2022 model year launch, the Hyundai Santa Cruz receives its first refresh in 2025. This brings a restyled grille with a more rugged look, available twin 12.3-inch digital displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a standard driver attention monitor, USB-C ports, over-the-air software updates, and new colours and wheel designs.
A new Santa Cruz XRT model launches for 2025 with more off-road oriented features, including 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, front tow hooks, an improved approach angle, and exclusive design elements, among other features. This adds more capability than an appearance package, but it’s not quite as off-road ready as a Ford Maverick Tremor, which offers a locking rear differential off-road tuned suspension, and one-pedal trail control system.
What competes with the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Currently, the only direct competitor to the Hyundai Santa Cruz in the compact truck segment is the Ford Maverick. In some ways, though, these trucks aren’t even intended for the same type of buyer. The Santa Cruz feels more like a compact crossover that happens to have a bed in the back, and it offers features and comforts similar to the average small SUV. The Maverick, on the other hand, is more of a budget-oriented option for confirmed pick-up truck drivers.
Some people may choose to cross-shop the Santa Cruz against mid-size trucks such as the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, or Toyota Tacoma. These aren’t really an apples-to-apples comparison, though. They come with body-on-frame construction along with more off-road features and truck functionality, and they also tend to be more expensive. The Santa Cruz is better thought of as a truck for people who would drive a small SUV if they didn’t find a separate bed to be so darned useful.
Size and exterior design
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz is 4,970 millimetres long, 1,905 mm wide, 1,695 mm high, and has a 3,005-mm wheelbase. The exception is the XRT trim, which comes with front tow hooks that add 5 mm to the overall length. Interestingly, that’s larger in every dimension than the Hyundai Tucson compact SUV with which it shares Hyundai and Kia’s versatile N3 platform (up to 4,650 mm long, 1,865 mm wide, 1,685 mm high, and 2,755 mm wheelbase).
What’s even more interesting is to put the Santa Cruz side by side with the Ford Maverick, which is 5,076 millimetres long, 1,844 mm wide, 1,748 mm high, and has a 3,076-mm wheelbase. Those differences aren’t enough to sway a buyer one way or the other, but the Santa Cruz’s extra width in particular contributes to its planted stance and relatively stable drive feel.
The Santa Cruz’s design is reminiscent of the Tucson but has its own distinct features. The new grille introduced with the refresh is much more squared off and has a large lower air intake, giving the front end a more aggressive look. The doors on the Santa Cruz have always had a smoother design than the Tucson, which delivers a less dramatic and more traditionally truck-like appearance.
Interior design
If you’ve ever seen the interior of a Hyundai Tucson, then you’ve seen the interior of a Santa Cruz. Inside, the two vehicles are nearly identical. This means Hyundai’s compact truck benefits from the same elements that make the Tucson’s interior one of the best in its class. These include fabric door inserts, upscale screens and displays, and soft-touch materials in the right places.
The one significant difference between the two interiors is the gear shifter. In the Santa Cruz, the stalk shifter that’s become common in Hyundais is traded for a chunky traditional lever. It takes up more space in the centre console, but since I’m not a huge fan of the stalk design, this is a swap I’m happy to see.
The Tucson has an available panoramic sunroof, but the shorter cabin of the Santa Cruz doesn’t allow it to be used here. A standard-size moonroof is equipped on the XRT and Ultimate trims instead. This is on par with the Maverick and the mid-size truck class.
How much interior storage does the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz have?
For its size, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz offers decent storage options. The rear seat cushions lift up to reveal storage bins underneath. In our tester, the right side was dedicated to tire changing tools, while the other side had enough space for a couple of small grocery bags.
In front of the front passenger, a new shelf is integrated into the dashboard as part of the 2025 refresh. The centre console bin is large enough to hold a small handbag and has a hanging bin for smaller loose items.
Rear passengers have access to four cupholders in total. Two are integrated into the door armrests, while two more are in the drop-down centre armrest, which is new for 2025. However, loose item storage is otherwise limited to the mesh pockets on the front seatbacks.
Seat comfort
The front seats in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz are very comfortable and supportive for longer road trips. The door and centre console armrests are level and provide a place for drivers to rest their elbows. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard equipment. On the Ultimate trim, the front seats are also ventilated, a feature that isn’t offered at all on the Ford Maverick. (Neither truck offers heated rear seats.)
How many car seats fit in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz can accommodate one LATCH-equipped car seat in the rear centre position or two seats in the outboard positions. It’s possible three seats could fit on the rear bench, but the middle one would need to be secured with a seat belt and all three would need to be narrow-profile seats designed for this purpose. Note the top tether hook is located at the top of the rear seats behind the headrests.
How much cargo space is in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
With measurements of 1,230 millimeters from the top to the tailgate and 1,323 mm along the bottom (or 4 feet, 4 inches), the bed in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz can hold up to 764 litres of cargo. This is 59 millimetres less than the Ford Maverick’s bed length, which measures 1,382 mm in length (4 feet, 6 inches).
On one hand, the slightly shorter bed length has one benefit for people with shorter limbs: when bags slide to the back, you’re more likely to be able to pull them out without climbing in. The Santa Cruz also comes with a standard retractable cover with a pull strap, which is a handy built-in convenience. Heavy-duty tie-downs and a standard adjustable track rail offer multiple options for securing cargo.
On the other hand, the Ford Maverick has slots in the bed where pieces of wood can act as a bed divider, and its simple half-lower tailgate solution makes hauling sheets of drywall or plywood much more secure. The Santa Cruz also has a small section at the cab side where the case for the built-in cover extends over the bed slightly. Depending on how you plan to use your tiny truck, this may make or break your versatility considerations.
The Santa Cruz comes with a storage tray at the bottom of the bed and two small bins on the sides, including one with a built-in household plug. These offer places to stow small items so they’re not rattling around loose in the bed. They can also keep those items cleaner: on our round-trip on Manitoba Highway 19, a gravel road that runs through Riding Mountain National Park, the bed collected a good few millimetres of dust despite the tonneau cover being closed.
Infotainment and technology features
One of the most significant changes to the Hyundai Santa Cruz in 2025 is the newly available twin 12.3-inch screens. (The 12.3-inch infotainment screen is standard, while the digital instrument cluster starts at the XRT grade.) When equipped, both screens are encased in a long, curved display that spans much of the dashboard. It’s an arrangement that’s becoming common across the industry, but that’s because it works: the screens are mounted high enough that they’re well within the driver’s sightlines.
The Santa Cruz also hasn’t yet been hit by the trend of pushing climate controls into the infotainment screen. It still has plenty of audio and climate controls managed by dials and buttons. Some of these controls are on a capacitive-touch panel, which isn’t ideal for finding and using them without taking your eyes off the road. But it certainly beats having to search through screen-based digital controls.
For a long time, Hyundai’s 12.3-inch infotainment screens didn’t offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, even when smaller screens did on lower trims. This has finally been resolved, and wireless access to both apps is standard on the Santa Cruz in all its forms. Two USB-C ports at the front of the cabin, including a higher-powered charging port, are also standard. On the XRT and Ultimate trims, two more USB-C ports are built into the back of the centre console, and a wireless charging pad is added.
Put it all together, and among smaller trucks, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz has one of the more tech-forward and user-friendly interiors around.
How much power does the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz have?
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz offers the same powertrain on all trims. A 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine generates 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. It’s matched to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD).
When comparing drivetrains between the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, note Ford advertises the latter as having four-wheel drive (4WD), but its functionality is actually not all that different from Hyundai’s AWD system. While certain Maverick trims come with a locking rear differential and other features that improve off-road capability, both trucks are built on unibody platforms, and neither offers functions that are expected with 4WD such as a low gear set with a transfer case.
How fuel-efficient is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
In the Preferred and Ultimate trims, Natural Resources Canada lists the fuel economy of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz at 12.4 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving, 8.5 on the highway, and 10.7 combined. The Santa Cruz XRT is slightly less fuel efficient at 12.8 L/100 km city, 8.9 highway, and 11.1 combined. I observed a 10.2 L/100 km average during testing, which is in line with the mostly rural drive routes I took through Manitoba.
The Maverick has the Santa Cruz beat: with its 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, its average ranges between 9.4 and 10.1 L/100 km combined depending on trim. And that’s before considering the Maverick Hybrid, which averages 5.6 L/100 km city, 6.7 highway, and 6.2 combined, and which can now be equipped with AWD as of the 2025 model year.
Hyundai has offered a hybrid version of the Tucson throughout the current generation, so it’s puzzling this more efficient powertrain has never been extended to the Santa Cruz. Hyundai needs to offer this sooner than later to keep the Santa Cruz competitive.
What is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz’s towing capacity?
Every trim of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz can tow up to 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) with trailer brakes. Without trailer brakes, towing capacity is limited to 748 kilograms (1,650 pounds). Trailer pre-wiring is standard, as is trailer sway control and a new-for-2025 towing drive mode.
This gives the Santa Cruz an edge over the Ford Maverick, which currently maxes out at 1,814 kilograms (4,000 pounds) of towing capacity. To get this, you need to select the available 4K Towing package. However, the Maverick offers more towing-friendly features such as Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, a factory trailer brake controller, and a higher-capacity radiator and upgraded cooling fan.
Safety features
Standard safety features on the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz include forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, lane follow assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, driver attention warning, rear occupant alert, and automatic high beams.
Higher trims add junction turning detection to the collision avoidance assist system as well as adaptive cruise control, a surround-view monitor, highway driving assist, and Hyundai’s blind-spot view monitor, which projects a camera view of the vehicle’s blind spot onto the digital instrument cluster when the corresponding side’s turn signal is activated.
How much is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz in Canada?
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz has a Canadian starting price of $44,794 for its Preferred trim, including a $2,050 destination charge and other fees. The mid-range XRT trim is priced at $50,294, while the top Ultimate trim costs $53,294, fees in.
Is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz worth buying?
In a vacuum, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is a great little truck that would serve many drivers well. The elephant in the room is the Ford Maverick’s pricing, which is roughly $7,000 lower than the Santa Cruz across its entire trim line-up.
That doesn’t mean you should automatically skip over the Santa Cruz. (Although you may not have a choice: the Santa Cruz is built in the United States, which means new units aren’t coming into the country due to tariffs as of this writing.) Truck buyers looking for truck features may tend to gravitate toward the Maverick, but the Santa Cruz offers a more comfortable and upscale interior with a tech-forward design and a drive feel that’s closer to a compact SUV.
If your lifestyle leans less toward frequent towing and off-roading and more toward hauling mulch and hockey bags in the suburbs, you may find the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a better fit that’s worth the premium.
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