Used 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz is equal parts pickup truck, SUV, and something that resides in a mysterious gray area in between. Introduced for the 2022 model year, changes for the 2023 Santa Cruz will likely focus on new exterior colors, plus minor reshuffling of available extras and option packages.

The base engine will continue to be a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). This is the frugal choice, both in terms of entry price and fuel economy. Look for an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in city driving and 27 mpg on the highway with this entry-level powertrain.

Moving up to the optional turbocharged 281-horsepower 2.5-liter powertrain provides considerably more grunt and straight-line speed. This is the engine of choice if you want to unlock the full 5,000-pound towing capacity of the Santa Cruz, too.

For its initial introduction year, this engine was strictly an AWD proposition.

The interior of the Santa Cruz looks more like a classy crossover than a hard-charging, mud-loving pickup. That’s no surprise because this little truck is based on the same unibody platform used in the Hyundai Tucson SUV.

This limits the off-road capability to some degree — there is no low-range gearing, for example, or other rock-crawling hardware.  On the other hand, it provides the Santa Cruz with more car-like driving characteristics compared to larger pickups like the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. A more direct competitor, the compact Ford Maverick, uses a similar car-like chassis as the Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz also features a longer lineup of convenience and active safety features than most traditional trucks. An 8-inch infotainment screen is standard and comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi hot spot, Bluetooth, and a pair of USB ports. This can be upgraded to a larger 10.25-inch screen, though it features more touch-sensitive controls that can be distracting while driving.

Space up front is ample, and options include heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The rear seat is okay for grown-ups, though life back there can get grim if the drive is long and so are your rear passengers’ legs.

At the back of the Santa Cruz is this quirky vehicle’s biggest selling point, and its most glaring drawback. For some car shoppers, the roughly 4-foot cargo bed is more than enough for all their adventure gear. Plus, available underfloor storage and a retractable metal tonneau keep any precious cargo nicely hidden and tucked away from prying eyes.

Yet, there’s no doubt about it, compared to other trucks this is a tiny amount of cargo space. If you need a pickup for heavy-duty work, the Santa Cruz could be way out of its depth.