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I spent seven days behind the wheel of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD, and I’ll be honest – I didn’t expect to be as impressed as I was. This is a compact pickup that doesn’t try to be a traditional body-on-frame truck, yet somehow manages to balance the comfort of an SUV with the practicality of a truck bed. During my test drive, the Santa Cruz struck me as an easy daily driver that feels premium, yet still has the grit to tow and haul when the situation demands it.
But what really makes this truck worth talking about in 2025 is how Hyundai has refined it. Just a few years into its lifecycle, the Santa Cruz already gets a thoughtful refresh – proof that Hyundai listens to feedback and doesn’t sit idle while competitors circle.
What’s New for 2025: Rugged Looks and Smarter Tech
Although it’s only in its fourth model year, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes with a noticeable styling refresh designed to look more rugged and upscale. The restyled grille and front bumper borrow design language from the 2025 Tucson SUV, and the all-terrain XRT trim doubles down with tow hooks, chunkier 18-inch wheels, new daytime running lights, and tougher tires for those weekend adventures.
Inside, Hyundai has gone big on technology. The old dual-screen setup is gone, replaced with a single sweeping panel housing two crisp 12.3-inch displays. This system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, comes with over-the-air updates, adds USB-C ports, and even integrates a fingerprint scanner for added security. A standout feature, Hyundai Pay, allows you to handle transactions – like gas or parking – without leaving the vehicle. Lower trims keep a single 12.3-inch infotainment screen with analog gauges, giving buyers options depending on their budget and tech appetite.
Hyundai didn’t stop there: the dashboard, steering wheel, climate control panel, and center console all received a fresh design, tightening up what was already one of the most premium-feeling cabins in the compact pickup class.
Exterior Design: A Sporty Utility Truck That Stands Out
The Santa Cruz has always carried itself differently than its rivals. Where the Ford Maverick feels more utilitarian, the Santa Cruz leans stylish and modern, with sculpted lines and a sense of playfulness. The 2025 facelift sharpens that design language.
The new grille gives it a bolder stance, while the upgraded lighting signature and wider-looking front fascia bring it in line with Hyundai’s current SUV lineup. It’s a truck that looks equally at home in the suburbs as it does on a gravel trail. For buyers who want a small truck with unique details, the Santa Cruz nails the formula.
And let’s not forget about practicality – the short bed may not rival full-size pickups, but it includes clever touches like under-bed storage, side cubbies, and a lockable tonneau cover. Back in 2022, we highlighted these exact features in an article about the 5 good things about the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, and it’s worth noting that Hyundai has kept those strengths while adding more polish for 2025.
Interior and Infotainment: Comfort That Feels Premium
Step inside the 2025 Santa Cruz Limited and you’ll immediately sense Hyundai’s intent: this is not just a truck for hauling mulch. With soft-touch materials, a driver-focused cockpit, and that new dual-screen infotainment panel, the cabin feels upscale enough to rival crossovers like the Hyundai Tucson or even entry-level luxury SUVs.
Wireless smartphone integration, crisp graphics, and an intuitive software interface make daily use seamless. Add in practical touches like ample storage bins, comfortable seating for five, and dual-zone climate control, and it’s clear Hyundai has built this cabin for both families and solo commuters who want more from their daily drive.
The second-row space in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz is admittedly on the tighter side, but it’s far from uncomfortable. During my week-long test drive, my daughter rode in the back seat and we even snapped a picture to capture the moment – and while legroom isn’t as generous as you’d find in a midsize SUV, the upright seating position and supportive cushions make it a pleasant spot for shorter trips.
Adults over six feet may find the rear accommodations snug, especially if the front seats are pushed all the way back, but for kids, teens, or even average-sized adults on casual rides, the back row does the job respectably well. It’s a reminder that the Santa Cruz is designed as a lifestyle-focused compact pickup rather than a full-blown family hauler, yet it manages to balance utility with just enough passenger comfort.
Power, Engine, and Driving Experience
Under the hood, the 2025 Santa Cruz Limited AWD continues to offer the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that pumps out 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. That’s enough to make highway merges effortless and towing up to 5,000 pounds possible with confidence.
During my week-long drive, I was most struck by how smooth the Santa Cruz felt compared to rivals. Its unibody construction – borrowed from the Tucson – gives it SUV-like ride comfort without the body roll or harshness you sometimes find in midsize trucks. The steering feels light in city driving but remains composed on the highway, making it a fantastic commuter that also happens to have a truck bed.
It’s here that Hyundai cleverly bridges the gap: the Santa Cruz isn’t pretending to be a rugged workhorse, but it’s more than capable of towing boats, small campers, or weekend toys. In fact, we’ve already documented how one Santa Cruz owner put this capability to the test, logging nearly 20,000 miles while towing a heavy load. You can read more in our feature, I’ve driven my 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited 19,500 miles and towed a 4,400-pound boat through. That story perfectly illustrates the blend of durability and refinement that continues into the 2025 model year.
Ride Quality: A Daily Driver With Pickup Benefits
Driving the Santa Cruz feels more like piloting a crossover than a truck, which is exactly its secret sauce. The suspension absorbs bumps smoothly, the cabin remains quiet at highway speeds, and the AWD system provides sure-footed confidence in poor weather. For urban and suburban drivers who want a truck but don’t want to sacrifice comfort, the Santa Cruz is one of the best-balanced options on the market.
Where it stands out most is in its ability to pivot effortlessly between roles. Need to commute to the office? It’s as comfortable as a family SUV. Want to load bikes or camping gear into the bed for a weekend trip? No problem. Planning to tow a small boat? The turbo engine makes it easy. It’s versatility without compromise.
Competitors and Why the Santa Cruz Stands Apart
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Hyundai positioned the Santa Cruz in an interesting niche. Its most obvious rival is the Ford Maverick, which wins on fuel economy – especially in its hybrid version – but falls short on towing capacity and interior refinement. The Honda Ridgeline competes as well, offering more space but commanding a higher price and lacking the tech-forward feel of the Santa Cruz. Even midsize trucks like the Nissan Frontier get cross-shopped, but many buyers ultimately pick the Santa Cruz for its blend of comfort, design, and practicality.
For drivers who want a small truck that doesn’t feel compromised – something modern, stylish, and genuinely fun to drive – the 2025 Santa Cruz makes a compelling case that its competitors simply don’t.
Cost of Ownership: Real Numbers That Matter
Owning a truck isn’t just about the sticker price. According to Edmunds’ True Cost to Own, a Santa Cruz Limited AWD will run around $49,500 over five years, factoring in depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and financing. CarEdge pegs the number slightly lower at around $47,000, still well below what you’d expect for larger midsize pickups.
Hyundai’s long warranty (10 years/100,000 miles on the powertrain) sweetens the deal, and projected repair costs remain below average for the segment. In other words, the Santa Cruz isn’t just affordable upfront – it’s built to keep ownership costs manageable.
Real-World Reliability: Owners Back It Up
Specs and numbers are great, but real-world stories matter just as much. Owners who’ve lived with the Santa Cruz for tens of thousands of miles continue to report strong reliability, impressive towing confidence, and comfort that doesn’t fade with time. The fact that owners can pull off long hauls – like towing heavy boats across states – without issue only builds confidence for prospective buyers.
It’s rare for a new model to earn loyalty this quickly, but the Santa Cruz has carved out a passionate fan base precisely because it lives up to its promises.
Safety and Driver Assistance in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Hyundai hasn’t cut corners on safety, and the 2025 Santa Cruz Limited AWD makes that clear with a full suite of driver-assistance features bundled under the Hyundai SmartSense umbrella. Standard equipment includes forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. On Limited trims, you also get Highway Driving Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-centering to make long highway stretches more relaxing. For a pickup that doubles as a daily commuter, this is no small advantage.
What sets the Santa Cruz apart from rivals like the Ford Maverick or Honda Ridgeline is the blend of advanced safety tech in a smaller package. Many buyers cross-shop it with SUVs like the Tucson or Santa Fe, and the fact that Hyundai has carried over the same family-friendly safety suite is reassuring. In this sense, the Santa Cruz isn’t just a practical light-duty pickup – it’s also a vehicle you’d feel comfortable putting your family in every day.
Resale Value of The Hyundai Santa Cruz and Depreciation Compared to Rivals
One of the most common concerns shoppers raise is how well the Hyundai Santa Cruz will hold its value. Traditionally, Hyundai vehicles depreciated more quickly than stalwarts like Toyota and Honda, but the Santa Cruz lives in a very different market segment. Compact trucks are in short supply, and with only the Ford Maverick as a direct rival, used Santa Cruz models are commanding stronger prices than expected.
While it’s too early to have definitive five-year resale numbers for the 2025 refresh, analysts expect depreciation to be gentler than Hyundai sedans or crossovers. Buyers who maintain their trucks well – especially higher trims like the Limited or rugged XRT – could see a stronger resale curve thanks to continued demand for versatile, fuel-efficient pickups. For buyers who view their vehicles as long-term investments, this is good news.
Lifestyle Accessories and Aftermarket Potential
Hyundai designed the Santa Cruz with the weekend adventurer in mind, and the accessories catalog proves it. From lockable tonneau covers to roof racks, bed tents, and bike carriers, the Santa Cruz doubles as an adventure companion in a way few trucks do. Owners who want a pickup that can haul mulch during the week and convert into a camping rig on the weekend will find the Santa Cruz especially appealing.
Beyond Hyundai’s own catalog, the aftermarket scene for the Santa Cruz has been steadily growing since its debut. Owners have outfitted their trucks with off-road tires, bed drawers, and even full overlanding setups. This growing community highlights one of the Santa Cruz’s biggest advantages: it isn’t just a pickup; it’s a lifestyle platform. That flexibility helps explain why so many first-time truck buyers gravitate toward it over more traditional midsize pickups.
Trim Levels of the 2025 Santa Cruz
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz comes in five trims: SE, SEL, Night, XRT, and Limited. The SE and SEL serve as approachable entry points, with the SEL offering useful upgrades like heated seats and additional tech. The Night trim returns as a style-focused option with darker accents and unique wheels, appealing to buyers who like a sportier aesthetic.
The XRT is the newcomer worth talking about this year. With its tow hooks, rugged 18-inch wheels, and all-terrain tires, it’s built for buyers who want more adventure credibility without sacrificing everyday usability. At the top sits the Limited AWD, which adds the most advanced tech features, premium interior materials, and Hyundai’s latest infotainment system. For shoppers who want the most complete Santa Cruz experience, the Limited is the clear choice.
Fuel Economy of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
While performance and towing matter, many buyers also want to know how the Santa Cruz stacks up at the pump. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD delivers 22 mpg combined, with an estimated 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. These numbers are solid for the segment, especially given its turbocharged powertrain and available AWD capability.
Compared to rivals, the Ford Maverick hybrid remains the king of fuel economy with its 37–38 mpg ratings, but once you step up to the Maverick’s EcoBoost AWD, the Santa Cruz is competitive. For buyers who want a balanced mix of power, towing capacity, and efficiency, the Santa Cruz strikes a sweet spot that makes it a practical daily driver without breaking the bank at the fuel pump.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited AWD isn’t a truck trying to be something it’s not. Instead, it embraces its identity as a compact lifestyle pickup – equal parts stylish, versatile, and tech-savvy. With its refreshed looks, upgraded tech, and proven driving dynamics, it continues to set itself apart as the best choice for buyers who want pickup practicality without sacrificing everyday comfort.
- Do you see yourself choosing the Santa Cruz over a Ford Maverick or Honda Ridgeline, and if so, what would tip the scales?
- If you owned a Santa Cruz, would you use it more as a commuter crossover or as a weekend adventure truck?
Share your thoughts in the comments – I’d love to hear how you’d put the Santa Cruz to work in your daily life.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.
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Source: torquenews.com
