The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is almost here, so teasers are starting to roll out. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has a confident look, but does it have the power to match? We hope it has enough muscle to justify its aggressive face. 

What to expect with the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz 

According to CNET, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz will make its debut on Thursday, April 15. This is about two weeks out, so the rumors are starting to really gain traction. But at least the wait is almost over. 

The Santa Cruz pickup truck concept was revealed six years ago at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show! So, they’ve had a ton of time to sculpt this compact tuck into an incredible option. It’s coming out just in time to rival the 2022 Ford Maverick. 

We know that the Hyundai Santa Cruz looks like the Hyundai Tucson. It has a simial angular front fascia. The LED headlights curve down into the dark, V-shaped grille. It’s also safe to expect that the tailgate will have ‘Santa Cruz’ stamped across the back. 

How powerful is the Hyundai Santa Cruz? 

To determine how much muscle the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz will have, you can look at the 2022 Hyundai Tucson for clues. Both of these vehicles share the same platform. You could say that the Santa Cruz is a Tucson with a bed. 

The Hyundai Santa Cruz has a unibody frame. So, while that may limit its towing and off-roading capabilities a little, it will have a better ride quality. It should provide a smooth ride with car-like handling. Also, if it gets a fully independent suspension, it will be able to tackle light off-roading challenges. 

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Hyundai hasn’t announced the powertrain options for the Santa Cruze. However, according to Motor Trend, the Santa Cruz could get the 2.5-liter turbocharged I-4 engine that’s found in the Sonata. It provides 290 hp in the Sonata N-Line. 

It could have a weaker base model option. The Hyundai Santa Fe has a 2.4-liter inline-four engine with 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. This amount of power would be adequate. The Hyundai Tucson has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 161 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. That amount of power would be pretty depressing. 

What’s new for the Hyundai Santa Cruz? 

At first, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz was expected to be a two-door option. But now the teasers show that it has four doors. It’s been marketed as a capable off-roader, so we wouldn’t be surprised if AWD comes standard. 

The interior could be similar to the Hyundai Tucson’s, with a few minor changes. For example, the layout could be a little boxier for a more truck-like feel. Also, the base model could feature an analog cluster display. 

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz cost hasn’t been revealed. But if Hyundai wants to match Ford with its previous mention of offering a truck for about $20,000, then the base model could be pretty bare bones. All-wheel drive might only be offered on higher trim levels.