What Is the 2022 Hyundai Pickup Truck?
Anyone interested in buying a compact or midsize pickup truck should inquire about Hyundai’s new offering. Although the brand has no other truck choices, its sole option offers a lot. It will not replace your Ram 1500 or Ford F-150 for towing and hauling, but it’s an excellent truck-crossover mashup with pickup features. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a maneuverable, easy-to-drive, compact truck that’s a perfect daily driver. What is the 2022 Hyundai pickup truck?
What is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
First, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a pickup truck in its own category. Moreover, the unibody model isn’t big enough to be a genuine work truck for those who require capability. However, it offers surprising utility, a smooth ride, and much better fuel economy than full-size alternatives. It’s probably the only real competitor of the Ford Maverick right now. The two trucks are a bit smaller than traditional midsize models, like the Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tacoma, or Ford Ranger.
In short, it’s a Hyundai crossover with a pickup truck bed. According to Car and Driver, the cargo bed qualifies it as a pickup truck no matter how big or truck-like it is or isn’t. Although it starts slightly higher than its Ford rival, the Santa Cruz is more affordable than most trucks. If you’re looking for a cheap, drivable small truck, check out the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz: Size, Engine, Towing
Buying the Hyundai pickup truck is an excellent alternative to a large, clunky truck. Part of the reason it’s so easy to drive and maneuver is its size. The Santa Cruz is much smaller than most traditional pickups. For example, its wheelbase is 118.3 inches, far shorter than the 2022 Ford F-150, which measures 157 inches. Besides drivability, other advantages of the Santa Cruz’s small size are things like fuel economy.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz gets an EPA-estimated 21 city and 27 highway mpg. That’s with the standard engine, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. However, there’s also an available engine upgrade to a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is an available option for all models. Finally, the upgraded turbocharged engine propels the Santa Cruz to a 5,000-pound towing capacity, while the standard engine can only pull 3,500 pounds.
Santa Cruz: Price and standard features
If you’re going to drive a car every day, it needs to be well-equipped. Luckily, Hyundai provides a lot of bang for your buck in the base trim level. Buying a base model 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE costs $25,735. According to Edmunds, that price lands you with a composite cargo bed, 60/40-split rear seats, an eight-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, six speakers, forward collision mitigation, and lane-keeping assist. However, the Santa Cruz gets even better for just a few thousand more.
Opting for the next highest trim level, SEL means the Hyundai pickup truck gains more. For example, heated mirrors, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, a lockable cargo bed storage bin, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, blind-spot intervention, and rear cross-traffic alert all join the list of features. At $28,935, we can see why the Santa Cruz SEL is the most popular trim level among buyers.
| 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz trim | Price |
| SE | $25,735 |
| SEL | $28,935 |
| SEL Premium | $37,425 |
| Limited | $41,465 |
What is the Hyundai pickup truck?
In conclusion, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the only Hyundai pickup truck. It’s a unibody model comparable in size to the Ford Maverick. Although small, it’s still capable of towing a bit of weight and comes with ample storage. Inside, the tech-filled cabin feels luxurious, especially in upper trims. This model isn’t going to replace your work truck, but it could be an excellent crossover, SUV, or midsize truck alternative.
