When a friend first saw my test 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz, he called it a “Malibu Barbie truck.” I don’t disagree. With its intentionally edgy styling, short bed and large wheels, the compact pickup looks like a large toy. But who wouldn’t want to be Malibu Barbie? She has nothing but fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun.
Make no mistake, however. the pint-size Santa Cruz is a real truck. Although it has a unibody chassis instead of a steel frame, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds, properly equipped. An all-wheel-drive version easily handled the moderate off-road course at Mudfest 2021, that year’s annual Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year competition hosted by the Northwest Automotive Press Association. In fact, the professional auto writers chose the 2022 Santa Cruz as the best Pickup Truck there.
Small trucks used to be an important part of the overall pickup market, especially in the 1970s after the Arab Oil Embargo increased gas costs and paved the way for the flood of compact trucks by Japanese manufacturers, followed by slightly larger American versions. Their appeal was obvious. In additional to getting better mileage than traditional full-size pickups, they were all the truck many if not most people actually needed, and were much easier to drive and park in crowded downtowns.
Production slowed in the 1990s, probably because larger trucks were more profitable to manufacturers. But as they continued to increase in size and cost, Hyundai and Ford wisely seized the moment with two new compact trucks — the Santa Cruz and the Maverick, which was introduced about the same time. Both come standard with four-door cabs (which are more practical for families), and offer a choice of engines and optional all-wheel-drive systems. In contrast to the Santa Cruz, the Maverick looks more like a traditional truck, but is also a unibody design.
The 2024 Santa Cruz is available in five trim levels. The base SE starts at $26,900 and comes with front-wheel-drive and a normally-aspirated 2.5-liter engine that produces 191 horsepower and 181 foot-pounds of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Upper trim levels feature all-wheel-drive and a more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter engine rated at 281 horsepower and 311 foot-pounds of torque, matched to an eight-speed dual clutch automatic with manual shift mode and paddle shifters. Although the bed is only 52.1 inches long (74.8 with the tailgate open), that is still big enough for most weekend chores. It includes a retractable cover and a hidden waterproof storage compartment under the floor of the liner.
My tester was the new XRT version, which comes with the more powerful engine and AWD, starting at $41,475. The XRT package — also available on the Hyundai compact Tucson, slightly larger Santa Fe, and midsize Palisade SUVs — is intended to give what the company calls a darker and more rugged look. On the Santa Cruz, it includes new fender flares, side steps, bed rails, black lower door garnishes, black mirror caps and door handles, orange center caps for the wheels, special XRT badging on the tailgate, and black H-Trex seat surfaces.
Perhaps the XRT should be considered Malibu Ken version of the Santa Cruz. Personally, I think it’s a bit of a fail. The side steps are not only unnecessary, but reduce side body clearances and make it harder to get into and out of the cab. And the package does not include a lift or skid plates, which would actually increase off-road capabilities. In contrast, the Ford Maverick is available with a Tremor Off-Road package that seriously enhances its all-terrain capabilities, while still costing less than the XRT version of the Santa Cruz.
On the other hand, the Santa Cruz has a much nicer interior than the Maverick. It is based on the newest version of the Tucson, which has the same edgy exterior styling but a conventional enclosed rear end and hatch. The interior materials are more refined than those in the Ford, and the dash features a much larger center mounted display screen, compared to the small upright version in the Maverick. The 2025 Santa Fe will replace that with one of those long horizontal displays that are so popular these days.
Like the Tucson, the 2024 Santa Cruz offers an impressive suite of driver-assistance technology, even in the lower trim levels, They include: standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking; standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist; standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control is optional.
In a week of test driving the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT AWD, I was reminded why an earlier version was named Best Truck at Mudfest 2021. It has not changed much since then, and — especially when equipped with the more powerful engine and AWD — is still attention-grabbing, fun to drive, easy to maneuver and park in town, and up to most family hauling requirements, despite looking like it is only designed for play, not than work.
If you’re in the market for a truck but don’t need a full-size — or even midsize — pickup, Barbie says check out the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. You might be surprised.
2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT AWD
Base price: $28,275 (SE)
Price as tested: $41,185
Type: Compact truck
Engines: 2.5-liter (191 hp, 181 lbs-ft); turbocharged 2.5-liter (281 hp, 311 lbs-ft - as tested)
Transmissions: 8-speed automatic; 8-speed dual clutch automatic with manual shift mode and paddle shifters (as tested).
Drive modes: Comfort, Eco, Sport, and Smart
EPA estimated mileage: 19/27 (as tested)
Towing capacity: 3500 to 5000 pounds
Overall length: 195.7 inches
Curb weight: 4132 pounds
Final assembly: Montgomery, Alabama
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