I took a look at a Santa Cruz today - I was very impressed

[413 Maverick]

I've always agreed with the OP, even though I wouldn't buy the Santa Cruz.
My opinion has always been that the Ecoboost Maverick is not very appealing, especially as you get further away from the base XL. A $32k gas powered Maverick doesn't stack up as well against the overall vehicle market, not just the Santa Cruz.

If you're like me, someone who prefers the basics, gets more excited about value than optional convenience features, has kids in car seats but still wants a light duty truck, the XL Hybrid Maverick is clearly the best offering on the market.

I've seen posts from people who ordered Lariats with all the features possible, then when they see their 37k trucks they are suddenly stunned by the cheap appearance and feel. Lipstick on a pig and all that hyperbole.

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[Nw_adventure]

I've always agreed with the OP, even though I wouldn't buy the Santa Cruz.
My opinion has always been that the Ecoboost Maverick is not very appealing, especially as you get further away from the base XL. A $32k gas powered Maverick doesn't stack up as well against the overall vehicle market, not just the Santa Cruz.

If you're like me, someone who prefers the basics, gets more excited about value than optional convenience features, has kids in car seats but still wants a light duty truck, the XL Hybrid Maverick is clearly the best offering on the market.

I've seen posts from people who ordered Lariats with all the features possible, then when they see their 37k trucks they are suddenly stunned by the cheap appearance and feel. Lipstick on a pig and all that hyperbole.

Lots of folks like all the goodies included in the Lariat/lux/Eco @ 36k and who want nothing to do with any oversized "mid/size" bloated pickup - S/C is for folks that want an SUV with a small truck bed, piano black interior and HVAC buried in the infotainment unit.

 

[Philemon]

Until Hyundia makes a $21,000 hybrid truck, I'm not interested. That said, the SC does have an enviable warranty and some nice tech--but it does come at a price.

Hyundai is really stingy about fulfilling that 10 year powertrain warranty. Have a Tuscon eating 2qts of oil every 1000 miles and Hyundai says to "Keep monitoring". This has been going on for 6 months. The dealer in my small town (13k people) said they have 5 motors coming for warranty replacement and 20 more they are fighting with Hyundai to get replaced. The odds aren't good with their quality.

 

[stoptothink]

Said this multiple times on this board, but IMO the value proposition for the Maverick is in the lower trims - where there is literally no competitor. If you are loading up your order with $10k+ of faux leather, heated seats, stereo, etc., you are far more likely to be disappointed than those of us who ordered a <$25k truck. Anecdotes on this board seem to confirm this.

Our family has had fantastic experiences with Hyundai, I would have preferred to give them my money than Ford. But they don't offer anything that checks most of our boxes for remotely close to what we were looking to spend (not to mention that the Santa Cruz is hideous looking). We are very pleasantly surprised with the Maverick we paid $26.2k OTD for; having had a long look around (and sit in) a completely loaded lariat lux, I would too would be a bit disappointed if I was spending $10k more.

 

[Philemon]

I've always agreed with the OP, even though I wouldn't buy the Santa Cruz.
My opinion has always been that the Ecoboost Maverick is not very appealing, especially as you get further away from the base XL. A $32k gas powered Maverick doesn't stack up as well against the overall vehicle market, not just the Santa Cruz.

If you're like me, someone who prefers the basics, gets more excited about value than optional convenience features, has kids in car seats but still wants a light duty truck, the XL Hybrid Maverick is clearly the best offering on the market.

I've seen posts from people who ordered Lariats with all the features possible, then when they see their 37k trucks they are suddenly stunned by the cheap appearance and feel. Lipstick on a pig and all that hyperbole.

My XLT EB comes out to $28k. Two main reasons I went XLT & EB instead of the XL Hybrid are AWD (the winters last from November until late March in the UP) and Cruise control (I drive 30 minutes each way on a 75mph stretch of interstate). Some options seem foolish to someone in warm, urban areas but are necessities in the cold, rural north country.

 

[martyi48]

I ordered my Lariat in June. I am scheduled for a build this June. That is ridiculous but several months ago I actually saw a couple Mavericks on a dealer's lot. I did not test drive one but I sat in it and played with the gadgets. I then went to see a Ridgeline (I owned a Ridgeline when they first came out in 2006). There was no comparison and I bought the Ridgeline.

Of course, it was much more expensive so if money is a big factor, some people might be priced out of the Ridgeline. I have not cancelled my Maverick order and if I'm lucky and it actually gets built I will drive it back home and flip it. Should make a few thousand easy bucks if the market for these things is hot then as it is now.

 

[WasChops]

This posting is for those of you on the forum who, like me, are still not quite sure about the Maverick (and like me, you might have one on order). But maybe you haven't looked at the Santa Cruz in person because you don't like the styling or think it's too expensive.

This is NOT intended as some kind of antagonistic posting to troll Maverick owners. Folks, I have a Maverick on order and a Ford Ranger in my driveway. I'm a lifelong Ford truck guy (well, I'm wavering).

I placed my order 3 Sep of last year. I ordered a Maverick because I preferred the conventional styling, the slightly longer bed, and the really powerful Ecoboost engine with a conventional automatic. I like my little luxuries, so the bottom line for the XLT ECO 360 LUX SIBL, including delivery, is $30,500. But I've been kind of wincing at how cheap Ford went on everything. I've seen the truck in person, and it definitely does not impress. And the postings here just reinforce that constantly.

- EDIT BY OP - I was wrong in the next para. The equivalent build SC is $400 more than my Maverick build, not $2,000 cheaper.

So I decided that darn it, I was gonna go check out the competition. I went to look at a similarly equipped Santa Cruz SEL that costs about $2,000 LESS than the Maverick I have on order. Long story short, it impressed.

• The Santa Cruz is way more appealing in person than in pictures. I liked it a lot. It has presence. A neighbor has one and loves it. It looks good going down the street.
• I was impressed by little things, like a composite bed and sound insulation under the hood. And a waterproof storage compartment in the bed.
• Closing the doors, hood, or tailgate on the Maverick vs the Santa Cruz just screams "CHEAP". I'm not being a troll here, the quality difference just jumped out at me in a big way. I don't necessarily hate cheap. My crude 2010 Ranger is cheap, and I've loved that cheap hunk of junk for 102,000 safe and reliable miles.
• The CP360 safety features I want, like blind spot, etc - they're all standard on the Santa Cruz.
• All the rotary shift haters will roll their eyes, but I wish the Santa Cruz didn't have a conventional shift lever. It looks like an antique.
• The interior just blew the Maverick out of the water. Except for the stupid piano black. I mean there was no comparison - these vehicles are not in the same league. The higher quality of the rear view camera really stood out. The software just blows the Ford out of the water.
• The bed had higher sides and was a half foot shorter. I don't care about the length, but I prefer the Maverick sides. Easier for a boomer to reach into the bed.
• The paint quality really impressed. Again, quality of materials jumped out at me everywhere I looked.
• I loved the little foot step indents in the bumper
• Same bed cubbies and lighting as the Maverick
• A bit smaller in the rear seat. Which is a non-issue for me as I really want a two door trucket in the first place.
• Mileage wasn't all that different from the Eco I ordered. And again, you give up a lot of horsepower on the lower trim Santa Cruz trucklets. So not for those who thirst after horsepower.

Bottom line is that I walked away seriously impressed with the lower trim Santa Cruz SEL. I have no build date for my constrained Maverick order and I need a Hobbit Truck sooner than later. And I walked away from the in-person review thinking "I can save $2,000 and get the same functionality sooner and with a ten year warranty". On the other hand, I'm thinking "Or I could stick with the Maverick and have all that horsepower and no piano black (but cheap hard plastics)". I'm thinking it over.

Bottom line. If you're wavering like me, I'd say go test drive a Santa Cruz in one of the lower trims (SE or SEL). You might find yourself pleasantly surprised. I'd love to hear the impressions of others who actually physically compared the two cars (sorry, trucks).

02/02/22 I bought the SC Limited Phantom Black - personally I love it - 2nd best car I have ever owned (2005 BMW X3 wins 1st and I liked my 201 Mazda CX5 a lot too) - the SC was too expensive but I had been w/out a car for 9 months and just wanted a small truck! Though that is arguable, that it is a truck. I am still excited and eagerly awaiting a new Maverick - my dealer wrote this week and indicated the build week of 07/04/22 - I ordered 08/29/22 - from Ford of New Port Richey - good dealership committed to MSRP only sale.

 

[Bobinmi]

My HYBRID maverick is a solid 10 o n a 1-10 scale. MPG is out of this world. 41.9 MPG over the last 3,773 miles. Probably 40 percent hwy and 60 percent city. FANTASTIC.

 

[Clifdawg]

I like the Santa Cruz and think it’s a very cool Ute. Might have crossed shopped one too, if it weren’t for the fact that Hyundai seems to be focusing on the higher-end of the market (35k+). I got a Maverick XL EB FWD with the only options being a tow hitch and moonroof, which was cheaper than the cheapest SC even after taxes. IMO, the Maverick is more appealing the further down you move the range - at some point you begin spending money with nice things bolted to a cheap truck, and I’d rather just take the cheap truck with the bare minimum. At $23k, the Mav is unbeatable. At $32k, it doesn’t really make much sense, IMO.

 

[cavemold]

How does the preium edition not have wireless carplay for the cruz but the base model does. Hyundai has the weirdest packages. No red is also a crime. Only the Tuscon comes in red. Why?

 

[Nw_adventure]

Said this multiple times on this board, but IMO the value proposition for the Maverick is in the lower trims - where there is literally no competitor. If you are loading up your order with $10k+ of faux leather, heated seats, stereo, etc., you are far more likely to be disappointed than those of us who ordered a <$25k truck. Anecdotes on this board seem to confirm this.

Our family has had fantastic experiences with Hyundai, I would have preferred to give them my money than Ford. But they don't offer anything that checks most of our boxes for remotely close to what we were looking to spend (not to mention that the Santa Cruz is hideous looking). We are very pleasantly surprised with the Maverick we paid $26.2k OTD for; having had a long look around (and sit in) a completely loaded lariat lux, I would too would be a bit disappointed if I was spending $10k more.

Ok let's spin it this way - That added omg $10k adds ACC, 4K Tow, FX4 with a better suspension system, not cloth seats, heated everything which some of us colder climate folks appreciate greatly, trailer brakes, better infotainment/screen that's less glitchy, acoustic windshield, power back window, push button start, keyless smart entry, remote start with FOB and not some clunky app ,all the truck bed power and tie/down options, added firewall sound insulation, wireless charging and on and on. Be happy with the 25k truck , the hybrid is a great option and yes I get that the 36k upgraded Ecoboost is not going to have Benz like quality but I know I will not be "disappointed" in what I receive for that added 10 grand unless of course I get all the rock chips and error messages lots of folks are getting - lol

 

[Old Hickory Trojan]

And then there's this

https://www.slashgear.com/869177/ford-suv-fires-triggers-warning-to-park-these-models-outside/



Indeed...

Hyundai has fires too... Hyundai recalling 390,000 cars over fire risk (nypost.com) and thats not including the Santa Cruz Hyundai Recalls Santa Cruz and Santa Fe | CarComplaints.com

 

[NJ Pinelands]

I bought the $20,000 hybrid XL with the only option being a drop in bedliner. I realize everyone’s situation is different, but I don’t understand why people bought the Ecoboost version and put thousands and thousands of dollars of options, getting to $27,000, $32,000, $35,000, $37,000… Why didn’t they just buy a Ranger or Colorado and they would have had a bigger bed?

 

[Enderet]

Some other things on my list of pros for the Santa Cruz is that the non turbo/base trims (se and sel) can tow 3500lbs vs the Mav's 2000.

Then there is the difference in warranty. 5 yr bumper to bumper and 10 yr powertrain. If you are someone that is planning on buying the extended warranty for the Mav, you will have to do the math on how much that is going to cost you. I think its a 1200-2000 difference depending on what deductible you want to pay. But i think you still wont get the 10 yr warranty equivalent.

Finally as someone else brought up. Assembled in Mexico vs assembled in Alabama. What jobs do you want to support? Who do you want to repay for creating or maintaining jobs in the USA? (assuming one is from the usa and this matters to them).

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