2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline

Comparing the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline, both are versatile midsize trucks that offer a unique blend of SUV-like comfort and pickup utility. While the Santa Cruz shines with its modern design and tech-forward features, the Ridgeline stands out for its proven reliability and innovative unibody construction.

Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline: At a Glance

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz and 2025 Honda Ridgeline represent two modern takes on the compact pickup truck. Both vehicles blend truck utility with SUV-like comfort, catering to those who want a more manageable size without sacrificing performance or features.

Interior Comparison

Both offer a modern and comfortable interior, with plenty of tech to enjoy.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz offers a modern, high-tech interior with a crossover-like feel. It has a spacious cabin with premium materials and intuitive controls. Standard features include an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims offer a larger 10.25-inch screen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline is also spacious, offering ample room for both front and rear passengers. It has a more utilitarian layout compared to the Santa Cruz but still provides comfort with high-quality materials. The Honda Magic Seat allows the rear seats to fold up, offering additional cargo space. Standard tech includes an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with available navigation and premium audio in higher trims.

Exterior Comparison

The Santa Cruz and Ridgeline are both attractive on the outside, but there are some subtle differences.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz sports a sleek, SUV-inspired design that stands out in the compact truck segment. Its compact size and modern front grille with angular LED headlights give it a sporty, upscale look.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline has a more traditional, rugged truck design with a squared-off front and sculpted body lines. It's built with practicality in mind, featuring a versatile in-bed trunk for extra storage and a tailgate that opens both downward and to the side.

Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline Performance

Comparing the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline, performance for these two trucks is similar, and both are great for towing while offering plenty of power.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz offers two powertrain options. The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine generates 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, providing adequate power for daily driving and light hauling. For more performance, the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine produces 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, making it better for towing and off-roading. The Santa Cruz can tow up to 5,000 pounds and offers available all-wheel drive for enhanced traction.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, offering a smooth and powerful ride. Standard all-wheel drive provides good traction, and like the Santa Cruz, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Ridgeline's unibody construction ensures a comfortable, car-like driving experience, ideal for drivers who prioritize comfort and stability over rugged off-roading capability.

Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Now let's compare the 2025 Santa Cruz and 2025 Ridgeline in terms of fuel efficiency. While not exceptionally fuel-efficient, both trucks offer decent MPG, especially considering their versatility.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz leads in fuel efficiency, especially with its available hybrid powertrain. The base 2.5-liter engine offers 22 MPG city and 26 MPG highway.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline offers respectable fuel efficiency, with an EPA-estimated 19 MPG city and 26 MPG highway. While it's slightly behind the Santa Cruz, these numbers are solid for a truck with a larger engine and towing capacity.

Safety and Technology Differences

While there are notable differences between the Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline, both are very safe and come with a host of tech features to keep you and your passengers secure.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz is equipped with Hyundai SmartSense, a suite of safety features that includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Higher trims add adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and parking sensors. The truck's tech package is solid, with a large touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and available wireless charging.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline comes with Honda Sensing, which includes safety features like collision mitigation braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and road departure mitigation. The Ridgeline also features an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and available premium audio.

Pricing and Value

Comparing the 2025 Santa Cruz vs. 2025 Ridgeline, both trucks are friendly to the budget. Even with plenty of extras, you're not going to break the bank.

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz

SE: $29,895 MSRP. Offers a 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine, a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and 18-inch alloy wheels, available in both FWD and AWD configurations.

SEL: $31,595 MSRP. Equipped with a 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine, roof side rails, heated front seats, H-Tex leatherette-trimmed seating, and dual automatic temperature control for added comfort and utility.

SEL Activity: $33,200 MSRP. The 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine offers solid performance, while the power sunroof and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster enhance comfort and convenience. Additional features include an integrated tonneau cover and wireless device charging for added practicality.

XRT: $41,395 MSRP. Features a powerful 281-hp 2.5L Turbocharged GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine, HTRAC All-Wheel Drive, 18-inch XRT alloy wheels, a bold XRT front dark grille, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with navigation.

Limited: $43,895 MSRP. Features HTRAC All-Wheel Drive, 20-inch alloy wheels, Integrated Memory System (IMS), and Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch for enhanced convenience and performance.

2025 Honda Ridgeline

Sport: $41,545 MSRP. Well-rounded package with a 280-hp V6 engine, all-wheel drive, and a robust 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

RTL: $44,375 MSRP. The Ridgeline RTL adds refined touches like leather-trimmed seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and dual-zone automatic climate control for enhanced comfort and convenience.

TrailSport: $46,775 MSRP. TrailSport is a rugged, off-road-oriented version of Honda's versatile pickup, featuring a more aggressive design, enhanced ground clearance, and a robust all-wheel-drive system. With its 3.5-liter V6 engine, it combines power and practicality.

Black Edition: $48,145 MSRP. The Ridgeline Black Edition stands out with its sleek blacked-out exterior accents, exclusive 18-inch wheels, and premium interior features, blending bold style with advanced tech.

Choosing the Right Model for You

Who should you choose between the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. Honda Ridgeline? If you want a more stylish, fuel-efficient truck with a hybrid option, the Santa Cruz is a great choice. It's perfect for urban environments and those who value modern design and technology. If you prefer a more traditional truck feel with a smooth ride, ample storage space, and a reliable V6 engine, the Ridgeline might be the better option.

Get Your Hyundai Santa Cruz at Granite Hyundai

If you're ready to experience the innovative Hyundai Santa Cruz, visit Granite Hyundai today. Our team can help you find the perfect model for your needs and ensure you get the best deal possible. Whether you're looking for a test drive or need more information, we're here to assist you.