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Hyundai has positioned its 2022 Santa Cruz in the gap that exists below the larger midsize trucks on the US market and the midsize SUV market. The Santa Cruz is what Hyundai calls a Sport Adventure Vehicle that conveniently combines the comfort of an SUV with the utility of an open truck bed.
Interested? Keep reading to learn more about the features and offerings of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz for buyers who want a truck for its utilitarian nature but also seek the luxuries and comfort of an SUV.
What's New for 2022?
The Santa Cruz is a brand new nameplate for Hyundai and also happens to be Hyundai's first four-door pickup truck in the US. The Santa Cruz made its debut in April 2021 as the 2022 model year.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Interior
First off, the Santa Cruz is closely related to the fourth-generation Tucson, with which it shares much of its platform and its interior design. Occupants, by default, are treated to a very comfy cabin that outshines other midsize truck offerings. Available only as a four-door crew cab, the Santa Cruz offers roomy space for passengers both in the front and in the rear.
The Santa Cruz interior makes use of quality attractive materials and touch surfaces, with plentiful modern and desirable features available, much like its Tucson relative.
The driver gets to face a fully digital gauge cluster and nice touches like the traditional gear shifter that's easily at hand on the center console. The neat and uncluttered dashboard features an infotainment touchscreen display in pride of place in the center, with the climate control located below it.
Spanning the entire width of the dashboard is the elegant continuous horizontal air vent that extends into the front door panels, only briefly broken up by the digital gauge cluster.
Stain and odor-resistant cloth seats are fitted in the lower trims, with the driver's seat being 6-way adjustable, and at the rear, 60/40 split tip-up lower seat cushions offer a handy luggage area. Manual air conditioning is standard, with upper trims receiving a multi-air mode system with capacitive touch HVAC controls.
An extensive list of standard key interior features includes:
- Acoustic-laminated windscreen
- Power windows with driver auto-down
- Front dual USB ports
- Rear View Monitor with parking guidance
- 4.2 inch gauge cluster
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 Exterior Design
The fact that the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz sports a front-end design similar to the Tucson's, with very cool-looking automatic projector, Bi-LED headlamps, and high beam assist, means that the Santa Cruz stands out from your mundane type of car. LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, and a roof-mounted LED cargo light are standard fitments.
Bold flared wheel arches with black molding, along with a range of stylish alloy wheels fitted with all-season tires of differing sizes across the trim lineup, add to the adventurous persona of the midsize truck.
Exterior features that stand out across the lineup include:
- Shark-fin roof antenna
- Body Color side mirrors
- Lockable under-bed storage compartment
- Sheet molded composite load bed
- Sidewall bed storage compartments
- Heavy-duty cargo D-rings
- Multi-functional tailgate with assisted open/close
- Integrated rear bumper steps
- Rear privacy glass
- Remote release tailgate
- 17.7 gallon fuel tank
Performance and Powertrain
The 2022 Santa Cruz is fitted as standard with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine producing 191 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 181 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm.
A turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that produces 281 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque at 1,700 to 4,000 rpm is available on upper trim levels.
The 2.5-liter base engine is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission, while trims fitted with the turbocharged engine are coupled to an 8-speed Wet Dual Clutch Transmission with paddle shifters.
Front-wheel drive is standard on lower trims, with the HTRAC all-wheel drive system optional. Upper trims are equipped as standard with the all-wheel drive drivetrain which, combined with the Santa Cruz's standard 8.6 inches of ground clearance, offers handy off-road capability when needed.
Santa Cruz Towing Capacity and Payload
Models fitted with the base 2.5-liter engine offer a 3,500 pounds maximum towing capacity with trailer brakes. All turbocharged variants can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Across the trims range, the Santa Cruz features trailer pre-wiring with standard four pins for base engine trims and standard 4 or 7 pins for turbo engine trims.
When it's time to load up the Santa Cruz, the 52.1-inch long and 19.2-inch high load bed accommodates 27 cubic feet of cargo with a maximum vehicle load limit / vehicle capacity weight of 1411 pounds.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Santa Cruz makes stopping smooth and reliable with its standard 4-wheel disc brakes and anti-lock braking system. It comes equipped with drive mode select, electronic stability control with traction control, and brake assist across all trims for enhanced safety.
To further protect passengers, the vehicle includes front seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters, along with a total of six airbags. These include front and mid-level side curtain airbags for both the driver and passenger, helping to keep everyone safe.
Driver assistance features include:
- Forward collision avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection
- Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Lane Following Assist
- Driver Attention Warning
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Safe Exit Warning
- Rear Occupant Alert
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Hyundai SmartSense
Hyundai SmartSense is a network of advanced safety and convenience technologies that is designed to keep an eye out for Hyundai drivers, passengers and other road users.
SmartSense combines sensors, cameras, and sophisticated software, incorporating alerts and alarms to harmonize various features. This includes driver assistance, infotainment, and connectivity systems, aiming to enhance safety for everyone on the road.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The Santa Cruz comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Hyundai Blue Link. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with wired connectivity are standard, while the 8-inch screen supports wireless smartphone compatibility.
The top trim is equipped with a 10.25-inch screen with onboard navigation and dynamic voice recognition and is available with a Bose premium audio system.
Fuel Economy and MPG
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz offers respectable fuel efficiency across its lineup. For the base 2.5-liter engine with all-wheel drive, the EPA estimates fuel economy at 21 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined. The turbocharged trims with all-wheel drive slightly vary, achieving 19 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and an overall combined rating of 22 mpg.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Trim Levels and Pricing
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz showcases a versatile range of trim levels, each designed to meet the unique demands of drivers and lifestyles. From the well-equipped base SE model to the feature-rich Limited trim, the Hyundai Santa Cruz offers a blend of performance, comfort, and cutting-edge technology to elevate your driving experience.
SE
The entry trim starts at $24,440 MSRP and is fitted with the base 2.5-liter engine with 8-speed automatic transmission and equipped with the interior and exterior features shared above.
Other key features on the SE trim include:
- 18-inch alloy wheels with 245/60 R18 all-season tires
- Compact temporary spare tire
- Front 2-speed/variable intermittent windshield wipers
SEL
Moving up to the SEL trim, with a starting MSRP of $27,640, adds to the SE trim the following upgrades:
- Heated side mirrors
- Side mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators
- Power windows with front auto-down/up
- Illuminated sun visors with sliding function
- Proximity Key with push-button start
- Remote Start
- Dual automatic temperature controls with auto defogger
- Multi-Air Mode with Capacitive Touch HVAC controls
- 8-way power driver seat
- Power driver's lumbar support
- Heated front seats
The SEL offers an extra cost Activity package that includes:
- Roof side rails
- LED bed lights
- Dual C-channel adjustable utility track rail and cleat system
- 115V power outlet in sidewall storage
- Factory-installed integrated tonneau cover with T-slot utility tracks
- Rear sliding glass window
- Power tilt-and-slide sunroof
- Front and rear LED interior lights
- Wireless Device Charging
SEL Premium
Starting at an MSRP of $36,130, the SEL Premium trim builds on the SEL's offerings by including all the features from the SEL's optional Activity package, plus additional features:
- Turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine
- Optional HTRAC all-wheel drive
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- leather-wrapped gear shifter
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink.
- Digital key capability with selected phones usable as a vehicle key
- 10.25-inch LCD instrument cluster
Limited
Starting at an MSRP of $40,170, the top-of-the-line Santa Cruz Limited trim includes everything from the SEL Premium and adds even more luxurious features to the already impressive list, including:
- Smart Cruise Control with Stop/Start
- 10.25-inch navigation and infotainment display screen
- Surround view monitor
- Leather seating surfaces
- Bose premium audio
- Ambient lighting
- Ventilated front seats
- Rear air conditioning vents
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Dark chrome grille and tailgate handle trim
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 Get Your Hyundai Santa Cruz at Granite Hyundai
Be sure to visit our friendly sales team here at Granite Hyundai, located in Somersworth, NH, to view our extensive inventory of new and certified pre-owned Hyundai vehicles.
Experience exceptional customer service by allowing us to show you more about the Hyundai Santa Cruz lineup.Not only are we able to assist you with your next Hyundai purchase, but our dealership also offers excellent service facilities to ensure your Hyundai stays in top shape.
We look forward to serving you and meeting all your motoring expectations.
