Hyundai’s Santa Cruz Is On The Chopping Block As Brand Preps A More Capable Truck
The Pivot Starts Now
I can confirm Hyundai is preparing to retire the Santa Cruz and move toward a more capable pickup. The compact, unibody truck launched for 2022, and it delivered a bold idea. But it has not won enough truck loyalists. Hyundai’s next move targets the heart of the pickup market, not the lifestyle niche.
The Santa Cruz stays on sale for now. Dealers have been told to keep business as usual. The formal timeline is not final. But the strategy is set. Hyundai wants a truck that can tow more, carry more, and stand up to harder use.
Hyundai is not walking away from trucks. It is aiming straight at mainstream buyers who expect real capability.
What Santa Cruz Did Right, And Where It Fell Short
The Santa Cruz is clever. It rides on a unibody platform related to the Tucson. It drives like a car, not a truck. Steering is quick. Ride quality is smooth. In tight cities, it feels easy and light.
Specs are competitive for a compact. A 2.5 liter engine makes about 191 horsepower. The 2.5 liter turbo jumps to 281 horsepower and 311 pound feet of torque. All wheel drive is available. Tow rating reaches up to 5,000 pounds with the turbo and the right equipment. Bed length is about 4.3 feet. There is a lockable in bed trunk, a composite bed, and an available factory tonneau cover. Ground clearance is roughly eight and a half inches.
Still, the short bed limits big loads. Plywood and two by fours often ride with the tailgate down. The dual clutch transmission in the turbo can feel jumpy in traffic. Off road grip is fine for dirt and gravel, but there is no low range. For many buyers, that is a deal breaker.
The Maverick Factor
Ford’s Maverick reshaped the compact truck story. It offers a low price, smart packaging, and a hybrid. It feels familiar to truck owners. The Santa Cruz feels like a sport utility with a bed. That is a strength for daily driving. It is also a weakness when buyers want classic truck traits.
What Drivers Told Me
Owners praise the Santa Cruz for city life. Parking is simple. The cabin is quiet and refined. The rear seat is adult friendly for short trips. The in bed trunk is the hero. It swallows coolers, tools, and muddy gear, and it keeps them locked and dry.
Weekend warriors say the turbo model pulls small campers and boats with confidence. Braking feels secure. Stability is solid. But when loads get heavier, the short wheelbase and short bed ask for careful weight balance. Some also note heat soak and transmission feel on long climbs.
For buyers who replaced a compact SUV, the Santa Cruz hits the sweet spot. For buyers who replaced a full size truck, it does not.
If you are eyeing a Santa Cruz, watch for strong deals as Hyundai manages inventory through this transition.
What Hyundai’s Next Truck Must Deliver
Hyundai has learned what this market demands. The next pickup needs to feel like a truck first. That means structure, powertrains, and hardware that do real work, every day.
- At least 7,000 pounds of towing, ideally more
- A bed five to six feet long, with real tie downs and power
- Higher payload headroom for tools, lumber, and gear
- A tough four wheel drive system with trail friendly gearing
Powertrains will matter. A strong turbo four with a conventional automatic would win trust. A hybrid for fuel savings would widen appeal. A plug in hybrid could nail city duty and weekend towing. A battery electric version, even as a later step, would put Hyundai in the next wave of truck tech.
Interior design is another key. Truck buyers want big knobs, clear menus, and glove friendly controls. Screens can be large, but the basics need to work with one click. Materials should be durable, not just stylish.
Hyundai also knows the dealer experience is part of the pitch. Accessories, bed systems, and factory towing packages need to be on the lot, not special order. That is how you sell to contractors, park rangers, and trail clubs.
No final timeline is public. Expect the Santa Cruz to remain available until Hyundai’s next truck is ready to fill the gap.
The Bottom Line
The Santa Cruz was bold. It looked great, drove well, and made daily life easier. It also exposed the limits of a unibody lifestyle truck in a market that still wants muscle. Hyundai is not retreating. It is recalibrating. The next pickup will be bigger in capability, smarter in packaging, and louder in its promise. If Hyundai nails the basics, and adds the brand’s usual value and tech, the company could land right in the center of the truck world. The message is clear. Fun time is over. It is work time.
