First Drive: 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz – Updating the Urban Adventurer

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is the modern incarnation of the compact pickups wildly popular with then-young Baby Boomers a half-century ago. But it’s no retro-mobile. Santa Cruz gets a distinctive design that blends the functionality of a pickup with the decidedly modern curves of today’s Hyundai Tucson. Barely three years after the Santa Cruz made its auspicious debut, Hyundai is ready to roll out a mid-cycle update. It tweaks the truck’s distinctive design, adds a variety of new features and fixes some of the original model’s problems. Here’s our review of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz.

American motorists have long loved pickup trucks but, for a number of years, they had surprisingly few options, largely full-size models and a handful of smaller alternatives. That began to change a decade ago with a flood of new midsize alternatives. Then, in 2022, the market shifted again with the launch of two compact models.

For its part, Hyundai spent more than five years translating the Santa Cruz concept into a production model. The product that debuted in 2022 was dubbed a “Sport Adventure Vehicle,” the automaker’s U.S. CEO declaring that it was intended “to create a whole new vehicle category.”

While that was certainly a bit of hyperbole, the Santa Cruz was – and remains – quite a bit different from anything else on the road. The truck has found an audience among young, active buyers more likely to live in urban, rather than rural settings, and just as likely to use it as a commuter vehicle during the week, then seeking adventurers over the weekend.

What’s new for 2025

Three years after its original debut, Hyundai has rolled out a midsize update of the little pickup and, as you might expect, there are relatively minor exterior updates, largely limited to the bumpers, grille and headlights. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz retains the “parametric pixel” theme of the original, but the front end adopts a more vertical layout similar to the look of the Tucson SUV – which largely shares the same underpinnings.

There are more dramatic updates inside, starting with the new, twin-screen layout. All versions of the ’25 Santa Cruz feature a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen but buyers can opt to upgrade from a traditional analog gear cluster to a 12.3-inch digital alternative.

Addressing consumer complaints, meanwhile, the updated Santa Cruz gets a separate control panel, mounted just below the touchscreen, with physical controls for climate control and other key vehicle settings. It’s a big improvement, making it quicker and easier to adjust cabin temperature and seat heaters, among other things.

Tech upgrades

The most significant changes come on the technology side. Along with that new, curved display the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz now gets:

• Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto;
• Plenty of USB ports;
• An upgraded smartphone-as-key system, dubbed Digital Key 2;
• A fingerprint scanner offering another keyless way to drive;
• Update Bluelink+ connectivity – with a free subscription.

Hyundai also updated the built-in over-the-air update system, making it easier to tweak onboard software and even add more features remotely.

More Pickup News

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Santa Cruz XRT

Like many of its competitors, Hyundai has discovered there’s a big market for vehicles that offer some off-road capabilities. The automaker has responded with a new trim level, dubbed XRT, rapidly expanding it to much of its line-up. There’ll even be an Ioniq 5 XRT package added in 2025.

Santa Cruz got that treatment for the first time in 2024, and Hyundai makes a few tweaks to the updated pickup this coming model year. That includes a unique grille and more rugged front and rear bumpers, along with increased, protective cladding around the front and back. Add what Hyundai calls “wrench-inspired” 18-inch wheels shod with 245/60R 18-inch all-terrain tires.

The Santa Cruz XRT also gets two useful tech features: a Surround View Monitor and Blind Spot Monitor. And it offers additional tie-downs, lighting and a 115-volt outlet in the cargo bed.

Powertrain options

Santa Cruz carries over the pickup’s two powertrain choices:

• A 2.5-liter inline-four making an acceptable 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with an 8-speed automatic and is available in either front- or all-wheel-drive;
• A turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four making a beefier 281 hp and 311 lb-ft. It’s paired with an 8-speed wet dual clutch gearbox and is available only in AWD – and only on the Santa Cruz XRT and Limited models.

As for fuel economy, the FWD version of the naturally aspirated drivetrain delivers 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. Opting for AWD drops each number by 1 mpg. The turbo package delivers 18 mpg city, 26 highway and 22 combined in on the XRT; the Limited adding 1 mpg to each number.

As for towing, the base engine manages a maximum 3,500 lbs, the turbo boosting that to 5,000.

Driving impressions

My opportunity to put the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz through its paces was, unfortunately, fairly limited. I spent virtually all my time on a winding off-road trail in the XRT package. It was a good opportunity to test out the more rugged edition and did offer some insights into the little pickup’s capabilities.

Equipped solely with the turbo-four engine and grippy all-terrain tires, the XRT model handled the trail with ease. It has plenty of grunt – with about 80 hp more than the base engine — and should be a fine choice for those who want the ability to occasionally head off the beaten path. But don’t expect to take this out for a serious off-road adventure. Compared to the rest of the Santa Cruz line-up, there’s no additional ground clearance, for one thing.

While I didn’t get the chance to test out other versions of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz, driving dynamics should be similar to the outgoing model. I recently tested the 2024 SEL and found it to have good road manners, with direct steering feel and reasonable comfort on Michigan’s potholed roads. The base engine, however, is a bit anemic for my taste.

How does it compare to the competition?

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz has one direct competitor, the Ford Maverick – which also gets an update for the new model year.

The Detroit pickup significantly outsells its Korean rival and the primary reason is the hybrid package offered as Maverick’s standard drivetrain. It’s a match for the base Santa Cruz engine from a power standpoint but musters up around 42 mpg in front-drive configuration, a clear plus.

Maverick also has a slightly larger pickup bed than Santa Cruz, the Korean truck coming in at 4 feet. In reality, that should be more than enough for most buyers, and you can always gain some length by folding down the tailgate. For those who want still more cargo space but still retain a unibody platform there’s always the Honda Ridgeline to consider.

From a design standpoint, Santa Cruz is the real standout. It’s an eye-catcher. As for interior space, the Korean pickup offers a comfortable front row. But it is decidedly cramped in back.

Wrap-Up

If you’re looking for a roomy cabin, plenty of power and cargo hauling capabilities you might need to look elsewhere. At just 196 inches, nose-to-tail, and with a 118.3-inch wheelbase, this is a pint-sized entry into the pickup segment and does make compromises.

Then again, the 2025 Santa Cruz isn’t aimed at your typical truck buyer. It targets young urban dwellers who want more functionality and flexibility than you’d get with a similarly sized SUV, sedan or hatchback. And there, the little Hyundai comes through.

Pricing is clearly another advantage. The base SE with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter FWD powertrain starts at $28,500. The XRT with the turbo AWD drivetrain comes in at $40,000 on the nose, the Limited pushing to $42,500. (Add $1,395 for delivery fees.)

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is cute and fun to drive. And, while it clearly isn’t for everyone, it offers a lot to like, especially considering the upgrades the automaker has made for 2025.