2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium trim offers a healthy balance between comfort and convenience. Furthermore, it also gives you a turbocharged engine capable of quicker acceleration and better feel. Even the AWD drivetrain is standard on this trim. We would also recommend picking up the cargo bed mat, mudguards with fender flares and the Tow & Go Package to customize your Santa Cruz for both style and work.

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE features: 

• Halogen MFR headlights
• LED DRLs
• Automatic headlights 
• High beam assist
• Rear view monitor
• 4.2-inch gauge cluster
• Front dual-USB ports 
• Hyundai SmartSense

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL (Addition or upgrades to the SE trim features): 

• Heated side mirrors
• Side mirrors with LED turn indicators
• Power windows with front auto-down/up
• Illuminated sun visors
• Proximity key with push button start
• Remote start
• 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated front seats

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night (New trim, Additions or upgrades to the SE and SEL trim)

• LED bed lights
• Night exclusive front and rear fascia
• Body color door handles
• Roof side rails
• Integrated tonneau cover
• 115 V power outlet
• Rear sliding glass window
• Power tilt and slide sunroof
• Wireless device charging
• 10.25-inch gauge cluster

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium (Addition or upgrades to the SEL trim features)

• Projector Bi-LED headlamps
• LED tail lights
• Dual C-channel adjustable trail rack
• Rear sliding glass window
• Power tilt and slide sunroof
• Auto-dimming rear view mirror
• Dual automatic temperature controls
• Multi air mode 
• Wireless device charging

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited (Addition or upgrades to the SEL Premium trim features)

• Premium dark chrome front and rear bumper trim
• Premium LED DRLs
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• Second row dual-USB ports
• Surround view monitor
• Hyundai digital key
• Second row dual USB ports
• Rear A/C vents
• Ambient interior lighting

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Activity package includes: 

• Cargo bed tonneau cover
• Sunroof
• Roof rails
• Sliding rear window
• Household-style power outlet in the bed
• Utility LED bed lighting
• Digital instrument cluster
• Wireless smartphone charging

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes with two engine options: A 2.5-liter inline-4 engine and a capable turbocharged variant of the same engine. Both of these engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission respectively. While the naturally aspirated version is capable of pushing 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque, the turbocharged variant is capable of putting out 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai offers FWD as standard, while an AWD drivetrain is available for $1,500 more across the SE and SEL trims. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is built on the Hyundai Tucson platform. Know more about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz 0-60 here>>

The unibody chassis gives it a more lively driving experience than its more conventional peers. It stays composed even during tight turns and city driving doesn’t feel cumbersome like its rivals. The tighter turning radius and easy handling definitely give it a boost and have the potential to revolutionize the pickup truck segment with their inclusion. The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz has a curb weight of 3,708 lbs which is low for a pickup truck and to compensate for it, Hyundai has assigned 12.8-inch brake rotors both in the front and the rear of the vehicle. This gives the Santa Cruz a brilliant stopping distance of 118 feet when stopping from 60 mph to 0 mph. 

Know more about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz MPG here>>

The interiors of the Santa Cruz are a well-crafted mix of modern accents and practicality. It has a ergonomic dashboard with sleek interior accents going across it. The steering wheel, gear shaft, and door handles have an attractive hint of chrome and the digital instrument cluster in the higher trims are a plus. The front seats are decent, while the Hyundai Santa Cruz back seat offer better comfort than expected. However, we believe that the Hyundai Santa Cruz interior pictures might not do justice to the actual design. Know more about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz trunk space here>>

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE/SEL/SEL Premium upholstery and color options: 

• Black Cloth 
• Gray Cloth

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night upholstery and color options: 

• Black Cloth

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited upholstery and color options: 

• Black Leather
• Dark Gray Leather w/orange accents 

Hyundai offers an 8-inch color touchscreen display in the lower trims and a bigger 10.25-inch system in its higher trims. The UI is intuitive and easy to use, while the refresh rate is crisp and the animations feel smooth and pleasant. The 8-speaker Bose premium audio system in higher trims is also a plus as the Santa Cruz can double as the perfect companion to take on trips with music making every moment special. Some of the standard features like wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Hyundai's Bluelink services, and SiriusXM satellite radio are also offered from SEL trim onwards. 

The exterior of the Santa Cruz takes the most inspiration from the Tucson as it carries the same muscular but modern exterior accents across its body. The inclusion of the Night package also improves the exterior appearance, while granting a menacing all-black look. The regular 2023 Santa Cruz looks ready and willing for an urban tour with its futuristic front grille flanked by two sleek headlights beautifully integrated into it, the muscular accents on its side, and its sleek and professional-looking cargo bed with its cover on. The wheel size is 20-inch for the Night and Limited trims, while other trims get 18-inch wheels. Know more about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz bed size and exterior dimensions here>> 

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz color options are: 

• Sage Gray 
• Phantom Black
• Blue Stone
• Atlas White
• Hampton Gray

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes with a multitude of safety features and driver assist features that come neatly arranged in the SmartSense safety suite. The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz safety ratings are not available from the NHTSA. As the Santa Cruz is based on the Tucson platform that has performed well in safety tests by the NHTSA, we expect similar results for the Santa Cruz as well. The uni-body chassis is also a plus as it makes the frame more rigid and sturdy. The IIHS has rated it as 'Good' in most test parameters. The Santa Cruz won a Top Safety Pick award for the previous model year and similar results are expected for the current model year as well. 

Some of the key 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz safety features are:- 

• Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist and View Monitor
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection
• Smart Cruise Control with Stop&Go
• Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist
• Lane Following Assist
• Lane Keeping Assist

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz VS 2023 Ford Maverick 

The Hyundai Santa Cruz has quicker acceleration, higher top speed, more capable engine, greater towing capacity, higher fuel tank capacity, and a more spacious interior. However, it trades a lighter build, better fuel efficiency and driving range, a more spacious cargo compartment, a longer cargo bed, and a longer wheelbase to the Ford Maverick. Overall, both pickup trucks have a lot of perks associated with them but Hyundai’s feature-rich interior and sleek exterior put it in a slightly more advantageous situation for us.

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2023 Honda Ridgeline 

The 2023 Honda Ridgeline offers a more powerful V6 engine and AWD drivetrain as standard. As per consumer reports, the Honda Ridgeline is more preferable as compared to the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is more fuel efficient than the Honda Ridgeline. However, the Honda Ridgeline offers better grunt than the standard Santa Cruz. The Honda Ridgeline also offers better cargo capacity than the Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz offers better design and cabin, while the Ridgeline is high on practicality front. 

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2023 Jeep Gladiator 

The 2023 Jeep Gladiator is a different breed in terms of its versatility, ruggedness and all-terrain nature. The Hyundai Santa Cruz cannot match its AWD drivetrain, performance or practicality. However, the Santa Cruz is more fuel efficient and offers better fuel economy as well. The Jeep Gladiator comes in multiple configurations with different powertrains and features. The Santa Cruz comes with one engine in N.A. and turbocharged format. The Jeep Gladiator would be a better option for its capability and long-list of available features and accessories. 

We would definitely recommend the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz, it is a beautiful-looking pickup truck with a sleek and modern approach to its design and attention to detail where it matters most. It has decent power for its class and has an upgraded engine option which helps it approach a wider customer base. The fuel efficiency is decent but we would have expected a little better and the rear seats could be slightly more spacious. Other than those shortcomings, the Santa Cruz is a pleasure to own and a pleasure to drive with its easy and composed handling, and plush and comfortable ride.