Hyundai really broke off their piece of the pickup truck market with the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. It is stylish, small, unique, fuel-efficient, and more popular than pancakes that grant wishes. Compared to the rest of the compact trucks rated by Consumer Reports, the Santa Cruz manages to have the best gas mileage and the fastest 0-60 mph time. Outside of electric cars, we don’t see that stat often. 

How many miles per gallon will the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz get? 

I’m not being hyperbolic when I say these are the highest gas prices in our nation’s history. Some people are paying as much as $6+ per gallon. We are facing truly scary financial times. This is why considering gas mileage is a must when shopping for a new pickup truck. 

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz graciously sports a strong powertrain capable of getting a combined 24 mpg. This is higher than any pickup truck Consumer Reports has tested for the model year 2022. Competitors like the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline get closer to 20 mpg, a significant difference. 

This might surprise some of you to learn the ​​SEL Premium’s 281-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine gets fuel economy like that. Even more, CR mentions that this 2.5-liter turbo manages to deliver some torquey grunt and top-side zip. The up-ticket turbo model comes with fancy dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission. 

The base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter making only 191 hp and pairs with a standard eight-speed auto. 

Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz a fast pickup truck? 

“Fast” is a relative term. However, in the context of compact pickup trucks in 2022, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is the quickest of the compact pickup trucks. Hyundai managed to get the Santa Cruz from 0-60 mph in only 6.6 seconds. The Ranger and Ridgeline need another second to hit the same speed. 

It’s not every day that the fastest pickup truck, of all things, has better fuel economy than its slower competitors. 

Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz a good pickup truck? 

Consumer Reports liked certain things like the speed and fuel economy a lot. However, a few pesky things stood in the way of CR testers being able to give it their approval. The first and main issue was the lack of predicted reliability. 

The main issue is that a recall was issued due to an oil leak near an ignition source that creates a fire risk. Aside from that little snafu, the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s low predicted reliability score comes from the reliability history of the brand and the Kia Sorento, which shares an engine with the little pickup. 

Overall, CR didn’t love the Santa Cruz. However, there is still plenty of time for the model to get sorted. Besides the new model’s reliability pains, the model seems to be tuned into what the modern American Consumer is looking for. It will likely continue to be an interesting and exciting model. Not to mention, it’s still the compact truck with the best gas mileage and 0-60 mph time.