2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz

As we draw near to the new year, Hyundai has plenty of new cars, trucks, and SUVs for you to check out. For instance, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz continues the legacy of this sleek, sporty, and spacious pickup. In this article, the team at Granite Hyundai will dive into its key features. If you have been driving a Hyundai Santa Cruz and want to upgrade, or if you have never been inside one and want to explore its many bells and whistles, this is the right post for you. Stay tuned, and let's dive in.

What Is the Difference Between the 2025 and 2026 Santa Cruz?

The difference between the 2025 and 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is that last year, we saw a design refresh, giving this truck a more aggressive front fascia, a more tech-focused cabin with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a new, off-road-focused XRT trim.

For this year, 2026, the Santa Cruz will see less of a major change, but it will have things including a new, standard 8-speed automatic transmission across all trims and standard LED headlights and taillights on all trims.

Takeaway: The Santa Cruz had its broader design refresh and most tech updates in 2025, while the 2026 model's most dramatic change is the shift away from the DCT in turbo models.

2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz Interior

To take a peek inside the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz, we have the same spacious, tech-filled cabin as before, with five-person seating. What has always stood out in the Santa Cruz is its space for five people comfortably, as well as its standard and optional equipment.

Here is what you can expect standard for this truck's interior:

• Acoustic-laminated windscreen
• Power windows with driver auto-down
• Front and rear dual USB ports
• Rear View Monitor (RVM) with parking guidance
• Front and rear LED interior lights
• Stain and odor-resistant cloth seats
• 6-way adjustable driver seat
• Rear 60/40 split tip-up lower seat cushions
• 12.3-inch touchscreen display
• Wireless Android Auto™ & Apple CarPlay®
• HD Radio™ Technology

Exterior Design

The outside of the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz feels very sporty and rugged. This truck has shifted from a more on-road, straight, and narrow design to an adventure-first choice, a shift driven by Hyundai's design team. Many people love the exterior design of the Santa Cruz because of its sporty appearance, including its recently redesigned grille, fascia, and lighting.

Here are some standard exterior design features you can expect this model year:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Daytime running LED lights
• LED taillights and cargo light (roof-mounted)
• Satin Black door handles
• Shark-fin roof antenna
• Body-color side mirrors
• Sheet-molded composite bed
• Heavy-duty cargo D-rings
• Multi-functional tailgate (assisted open/close)
• Integrated rear bumper steps
• Rear privacy glass

Performance and Powertrain

The performance and powertrain specifications for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz are impressive, with a standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 191 horsepower for the SE, SEL, and SEL Activity trims, and a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 281 horsepower for the XRT and Limited trims.

This is perky for a pickup truck, so you don't have to sacrifice the fun of a sedan or SUV just because you opt for a pickup. If you want to have nearly 300 horsepower, you have to upgrade to either the XRT or Limited model, so that is something to keep in mind.

Santa Cruz Towing Capacity and Payload

Towing and payload are also important details to note with the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz, which we will share in this section. For towing capacity, the base engine offers 3,500 pounds, while the turbocharged engine with all-wheel drive increases this to 5,000 pounds.

As long as your truck is properly equipped, it will be able to tow quite a load from point A to B. Payload-wise, you get up to 1,411 pounds, which is excellent if you plan to use your truck for work.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The safety of your 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is not to be ignored, as this vehicle comes standard with SmartSense technology. Hyundai SmartSense offers driver-assistance features to protect you and your riders, which include the following safety features:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection (FCA-Ped)
• Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW)
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Lane Following Assist (LFA)
• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW)
• Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)

Hyundai SmartSense

One of Hyundai's greatest inventions has been its SmartSense safety suite. Not only does it utilize sensors, cameras, and alarms to protect and prevent accidents in the vehicle, but it also gives Santa Cruz owners better peace of mind while behind the wheel.

IIHS awards the 2026 Santa Cruz a Top Safety Pick title, beating most other pickups in its class.

Infotainment and Connectivity

If you are curious about the level of infotainment and connectivity offered by the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz, let us ease your mind. Much like last year, you will see larger standard screens, better charging options, and Bluetooth technology across all trims in this series.

Here are some of the many infotainment features this sporty truck has in 2026:

• 12.3-inch touchscreen display
• Wireless Android Auto™ & Apple CarPlay®
• HD Radio™ Technology
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Trial
• Bluelink+ standard
• 4.2-inch gauge cluster
• Bluetooth® hands-free with wireless audio streaming

How Many Miles Per Gallon Will the Santa Cruz Get in 2026?

Fuel economy in the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is another topic we want to explore. According to the EPA, you can expect the following MPG estimates for this truck:

Base Engine

• 22 / 30 / 25 city/highway/combined FWD
• 21 / 29 / 24 city/highway/combined AWD

Turbo Engine

• 18 / 25 / 20 city/highway/combined AWD

Note: The turbocharged Santa Cruz is only available in AWD, so it does not have front-wheel-drive fuel economy ratings.

2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz Trim Levels and Pricing

Now, we want to explain each of the five available Hyundai Santa Cruz models for 2026, and give you their prices and highlights. Remember, every truck in this series has its own perks, as well as design, so there is a difference between trims.

SE

To kick off the series, you have the SE trim. With the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE, you have a perfect entry-level vehicle for the family, and this truck will retail for $29,500 to start. Here are some highlights:

• FWD: 25 MPG Combined, 22 City/30 Hwy
• AWD: 24 MPG Combined, 21 City/29 Hwy
• 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine
• 12.3-inch touchscreen display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay® integration for your iPhone®
• Wireless Android Auto™ integration for your Android phone
• 18-inch alloy wheels

SEL

Your next 2026 Santa Cruz trim is the SEL, which retails for $31,150 and builds on the SE listed above. You can expect many of the same features, plus:

• FWD: 25 MPG Combined, 22 City/30 Hwy
• AWD: 24 MPG Combined, 21 City/29 Hwy
• 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine
• Roof side rails
• Heated front seats
• H-Tex® leatherette-trimmed seats
• Dual automatic temperature control

SEL Activity

The middle trim of the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the SEL Activity, which gives you a blend of everything, all for a starting MSRP of $34,200. Here are some of its highlight features:

• FWD: 25 MPG Combined, 22 City/30 Hwy
• AWD: 24 MPG Combined, 21 City/29 Hwy
• 191-hp 2.5L GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine
• Power sunroof
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Integrated tonneau cover
• Wireless device charging

XRT

One of the newest trim additions to the Santa Cruz is the XRT. With this sporty and off-road-friendly trim level, you see a starting MSRP of $41,100. This is a favorite trim within the family, and here are some of the details that make it worthwhile:

• 20 MPG Combined, 18 City/25 Hwy
• 281-hp 2.5L Turbocharged GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine
• HTRAC All Wheel Drive
• 18-inch XRT alloy wheels
• XRT front dark grille
• 12.3-inch touchscreen display with navigation

Limited

Last, but certainly not least, we have the trim-topping Limited Santa Cruz pickup truck. This is your fanciest, fully loaded option for 2026, retailing for a starting price of $43,450. Here are some of its highlights:

• 20 MPG Combined, 18 City/25 Hwy
• 281-hp 2.5L Turbocharged GDI-MPI 4-cylinder engine
• HTRAC All Wheel Drive
• Integrated Memory System (IMS)
• Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch
• 20-inch alloy wheels

Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz Reliable?

According to real-life drivers and critics who have driven and reviewed the Hyundai Santa Cruz, this pickup truck is incredibly reliable. For example, J.D. Power ranks the Santa Cruz a "Great" score of 88/100. This is one of the higher tiers of reliability, meaning the Santa Cruz is expected to perform well both in the long and short term.

Get Your Hyundai Santa Cruz at Granite Hyundai

The next time you are truck shopping, make sure it is with our friendly sales team at Granite Hyundai in Somersworth, NH. We have 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz inventory available to shop now. With a variety of trim levels to choose from, we are more than happy to explain everything there is to know about this series in person. Contact us or swing by today in Somersworth, NH!