Hyundai may be onto something with the introduction of its 2022 Santa Cruz.
Is it a car? Is it a truck? Is it an SUV? Is it a crossover? It seems to defy classification.
Hyundai calls it a “sport adventure vehicle unlike anything else in the U.S. market.”
Santa Cruz boasts bold yet sophisticated design, powerful and efficient powertrain options, a flexible open bed for gear, cutting-edge connectivity and a highly maneuverable all-wheel drive platform that is equally at home in urban and adventure-focused environments.
“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.
Whatever it’s called, I loved it. To me, it was a combination of everything: car, truck, SUV and crossover. Santa Cruz, with four doors, seats up to five adults, thanks to a back seat or crew cab. And then there’s the bed.
Smaller than a short bed on a standard size pickup, Santa Cruz features a secure, open bed area which includes a lockable tonneau cover and hidden bed storage. It was large enough to transport a garage full of junk to the dump and a love seat to Goodwill. It will easily stow golf clubs and bags, groceries, or gear needed to enjoy weekend getaways.
Powered by a Smartsteam 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and mated to an eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission with Shiftronic, Santa Cruz delivers just under 30 miles per gallon fuel economy down the highway, and enough power to not feel underpowered. To be exact, the engine is rated at 275+ horsepower and 310+ lb.-ft. of torque.
My tester included HTRAC AWD, developed as a multi-mode system, providing an electronic, variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control between the front and rear axles. The system provides traction in all seasons, and the engine is powerful enough to two light payloads.
Santa Cruz drives like a car, only at a height somewhere between that and a truck. It’s compact enough to handle easily in the city and parallel park without fear. It cuts a tough, yet alluring swath – again defying classification.
Creature comforts include leather trimmed seats, Smart Cruise control with stop and go, push-button start, dual automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, navigation system, surround view monitor, Bose premium audio system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wire device charging, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, and more.
Santa Cruz offers excellent safety and convenience features, with an array of advanced safety technologies as part of the Hyundai SmartSense feature suite.
Highlights include forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping and following assist, drive attention warning, rear passenger alert, blind spot collision avoidance, assist, rear cross-traffic avoidance assist, electronic stability control, downhill brake control, hill start assist control, and more.
Sounds like Santa Cruz should cost an arm and leg, right? Wrong. My tester included the Limited trim level and everything was included. No options. I’d make a beeline for a test drive as orders will most likely outpace production.
Base Price: $41,100
Price As Driven: $41,100
Destination charge is included in base price. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
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