2025 Santa Cruz gets Refreshed, Maverick's Korean Rival

[JASmith]

Updates include new wheels, beefier grill, and new front bumper (possibly also rear bumper), and most significant change is the new interior to match other Hyundai products with a single long swooping gauge cluster/infotainment screen and their new column shifter. Rumor is no powertrain upgrades (and unfortunately I heard the 8-speed DCT for the turbo version has had some problems). Thoughts?

Edit: Official reveal video starts at 13:00 from NYIAS

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[Scott Asheville]

Oh no! Run for the hills! This thread is gonna trigger all the MTC members with "Santa Cruz Derangement Syndrome".

 

[Automate]

I know there are a lot of people that don't like the big screens but I would take that one over the Maverick's.

 

[Bob The Builder]

Well, the wheels may be refreshed but they still suck. SC wins hands down in the tech department. Not for me as I am a partial Luddite, but I can understand those that would like it.

Maverick still wins hands down in no small part because it looks like a truck, not an SUV with a box.

 

[Maverickman74]

Love it! Looks way better with a bag over its face!!

 

[BlueRaven]

still butt ugly, still has worse specs, except infotianment garbage, still way more expensive, still a hard pass. believe it or not I'm not a brand snob either. I buy what fits me the best. was a Toyota hatchback at one time, now its a unibody ute. cant call the maverick a truck, jut cuz it has a bed.

 

[JASmith]

I know there are a lot of people that don't like the big screens but I would take that one over the Maverick's.

What I'm liking over the pre-refresh SC, is way less gloss black (gets scratched and looks bad after a year of use), column mounted shifter which takes up less room than the big gear selector (Ford's dial is also fine, doesn't get in your way reaching for the King's fiery nuggets), actual physical dials on the climate control and radio, and the big cursive (H) on the steering wheel is now something more subtle. This is the pre-refresh as a reminder.

A bummer they didn't change the front headlights though, the right blinker is an arrow that points left and visa versa. Never let them know your next move!

 

[JASmith]

SC wins hands down in the tech department.

Rumor is the Mav may also get a refresh for '25, and the Bronco Sport too. The Escape got a big ol' honker available infotainment already in '23 mid-cycle refresh. Even the inexpensive new Chevy Trax gets an 11" infotainment, so I think throwing big screens on dashes is going to be the new trend.

Escape:

 

[Mabcim]

Looks like the dash designer and the Mustang’s went to school together. Ick

 

[JASmith]

Looks like the dash designer and the Mustang’s went to school together. Ick

Oh, in that it went connected on screens? Yeah I was surprised I thought Ford was keeping the divorced screens design language. Here's the new Explorer, since the Maverick is a truck if they do an interior refresh it might get a new dash layout more like this with a little shelf deal below the HVAC:

 

[dalola]

Hyundai is smart to keep with their current theme (lifestyle vs truck), as they have a unique position in the market, like the Mav does. I think it would have been a mistake for them to try and morph into a more "truck-like" design, closer to the Mav.

Even tho they are considered in the same "class", I still consider them two distinctly different vehicles that will appeal to distinctly different types of people.

So, in that regard, the refresh makes sense, and should keep that target customer interested.

It's still not a vehicle I would consider, and unlikely to get many Mav conquests. But that was seemingly not Hyundai's intent, so kudos to them for staying true to their concept.

 

[ryde4ever]

It still looks like a reincarnation of a Suburu Brat to me. I don't like it very well. I prefer a truck to look like a truck. But that's just my opinion. Yours may vary. BTW Is this Hyundai another easy to steal vehicle?

 

[CurtisB]

I can't fit in the Santa Cruz. Don't like the looks.

 

[Scott Asheville]

https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-will-reveal-something-new-at-the-2024-ny-auto-show/

Maybe, possibly, both refreshes will be there. In ten days.

 

[CD_SM]

Maverick still wins hands down in no small part because it looks like a truck, not an SUV with a box.

Agree, the Mav is still much better looking, but this SC refresh is certainly a whole lot better than the current.
WRT the infotainment, I wish Ford wouldn't cheap out on the lower trim versions and leave us with Sync 2.5, but I do really like having actual controls for the HVAC especially and even the audio. My guess is that a lot more vehicles will have those going forward as there is some frustration with how different different vehicles are, how badly designed manu of the interfaces are, and safety.

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