The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz flawlessly merges the usefulness of a truck with the comfortable experience of a crossover, establishing itself at the crossroads of sedans, SUVs, and pickups. Its exposed bed and seating for five set it in rivalry with compact pickups like the Ford Maverick and exploration-focused crossovers such as the Subaru Outback.
Sharing its foundation with the Hyundai Tucson compact crossover, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz displays a front-end layout reminiscent of an off-road-ready crossover and a square-box pickup design at the rear. The condensed outline is adorned with chic black cladding, extending over the rockers and matched by accessible 20-inch wheels. The bed encompasses an in-built lockable tonneau cover, concealed bed storage with a drain opening, and optional bed-extending accessories.
The conventional 2.5-liter inline-4 powerplant delivers 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque, while the optional 2.5-liter turbo-4 with standard all-wheel drive provides a more forceful performance, producing 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Cruz provides an all-wheel-drive mechanism with a central locking differential for enhanced uphill traction or in case of slippage. The journey is calm and pleasant for day-to-day commutes, mirroring that of a compact crossover.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz records an EPA-rated 21 mpg city, 27 highway, and 23 combined with all-wheel drive and the typical 191-hp 2.5-liter inline-4. It accentuates safety with standard driver-support features, incorporating automated emergency braking with pedestrian recognition and active lane guidance.
Commencing at $26,650, the base SE model of the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is furnished with 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a remote-controlled power tailgate. The range encompasses three SEL iterations and the highest Limited configuration, valuing at a maximum of $41,070 with the turbo-4 and AWD.
As Hyundai’s first foray into the pickup truck sector, the 2024 Santa Cruz astonishes with its daring design, nimble driving characteristics, and advanced technology. Occupying the vanguard of its category, the Santa Cruz transcends its pricing, rendering it an appealing choice for those in search of a fusion of flexibility and elegance.
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