Santa Cruz SEL Premium full review

[Old Hickory Trojan]

Everyone seems to bring up "at 5K more the SC just isnt worth it". Frankly it could be 5K cheaper and it still wouldn't be worth it to me. I think there is a strong emotional quotient for a lot/most people when they buy a car and I find the SC elicits nothing in that respect, for whatever reason its just dull.

Funny...... waiting at the Post Office I had a guy in an F150 pull over get out and wanted to know all about my SC. Said he had been looking at a Honda Ridgeline and Ford Maverick but he liked the looks of the SC over the Ridgeline and Ford Maverick ...didn't like the quality issues on the Maverick and the price on the Ridgeline....so I guess looks are in the eyes of the beholder..

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[Old Hickory Trojan]

I'm a Hyundai guy for the last 3 vehicles before the Mav so I am team H. So i am going to defend that dual clutch transmission. I pounded 174K on my 1.6T Tucson with nearly no problems. Transmission worked fine. No need to get rid of that trannie. ( Insert Bud Light reference here.)

That said, the SC is just a Tucson without the back. It's over priced, doesn't deliver the fuel economy and doesn't feel like a truck. It should be restricted to the beach with Subaru Baja's. It's trying to be everything to everybody without accomplishing what the Mav did. Create a new truck market segment. No thanks!

Nope......the SC is no more a Tucson without a back than the Maverick is a Focus without a back...both vehicles have major differences in their platforms..

 

[a***h]

I think you must be talking about the Hybrid Maverick

Yes , I should have stated that. My Bad. For me, there is no draw to the Maverick except the Hybrid.

 

[RevNation]

The black covers up the horrendous front end of Cruz but you have to pay extra for it to get there.

They introduced a night edition that looks a lot better.

 

[RevNation]

There's no question about this statement. The SC has missed the boat with the lack of a Hybrid. However, there's one other issue that everybody seems to over look. That is the fact that I have been able to get SCs, which I have gotten two off. While the closest I've gotten to a Maverick is being on a waiting list. All of these comparisons are meaningless if one of vehicles is not available.

I got both of my Mavericks within 4 months of ordering. You did a video on how to get one faster.
How I got my 2023 Ford Maverick so fast

 

[FriscoTXJoe]

Nope......the SC is no more a Tucson without a back than the Maverick is a Focus without a back...both vehicles have major differences in their platforms..

I truly thought you were joking. It took me 3 seconds to find this article.

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Is a Small-Pickup Version of the Tucson (caranddriver.com)

From Car and Driver:

• The Santa Cruz shares much of its engineering and production plant, as well as its looks, with the new Tucson crossover.

 

[Old Hickory Trojan]

I truly thought you were joking. It took me 3 seconds to find this article.

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Is a Small-Pickup Version of the Tucson (caranddriver.com)

From Car and Driver:

• The Santa Cruz shares much of its engineering and production plant, as well as its looks, with the new Tucson crossover.

Might want to dig a little deeper ( and note: the grills on both look similar but cannot be innerchanged with one another)....

Payload and Towing
Exterior
Cargo Volume	36.4 cu ft	--
Maximum Payload	1,281 lbs	1,521 lbs
Maximum Towing Capacity	3,500 lbs	5,000 lbs
Length	188.4 in	195.7 in
Width	74.8 in	75 in
Height	67.3 in	66.7 in
Wheelbase	108.9 in	118.3 in
Bed Length	--	52.1 in

 

[Montana]

I truly thought you were joking. It took me 3 seconds to find this article.

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Is a Small-Pickup Version of the Tucson (caranddriver.com)

From Car and Driver:

• The Santa Cruz shares much of its engineering and production plant, as well as its looks, with the new Tucson crossover.

It's the same thing as the Escape and the Maverick. So much the same vehicle, just one is a crossover and the other has a truck bed. Especially in regards to the Hybrid. And of course, the Bronco Sport shares a lot of common ground as well.

 

[FriscoTXJoe]

Might want to dig a little deeper ( and note: the grills on both look similar but cannot be innerchanged with one another)....

Exterior
Payload and Towing
Cargo Volume	36.4 cu ft	--
Maximum Payload	1,281 lbs	1,521 lbs
Maximum Towing Capacity	3,500 lbs	5,000 lbs
Length	188.4 in	195.7 in
Width	74.8 in	75 in
Height	67.3 in	66.7 in
Wheelbase	108.9 in	118.3 in
Bed Length	--	52.1 in

Might want to dig a little deeper and read the article.

Or this one.

Are the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Hyundai Tucson the Same? (motorbiscuit.com)

 

[Old Hickory Trojan]

Might want to dig a little deeper and read the article.

Or this one.

Are the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Hyundai Tucson the Same? (motorbiscuit.com)

If you have been around this site very long you might have considered a different source. Motor Bisquit is not highly thought of on this site. Let me add close to 10" in length difference in the frame does not mean they are identical. The fact that you can't swap out the grills even though they look similar means they are not identical either...small nuances...no different than some similarities between the Maverick and the Escape or Bronco Sport..since the article said underinnings....please find load leveling shocks on the Tucson as well..

 

[crunchie_frog]

Looks like the Santa Cruz has a hybrid for 2024. I wonder if there will be Maverick hybrid order holders jumping ship now?

 

[Old Man]

I just saw a video that the Santa Cruz is gong into oblivion because Hyundai is coming out with a real compact pickup to compete against the Maverick. I think they are even copying the look of the Maverick since it had the Maverick body and Hyundai grille.

And you know if it is on Youtube it is real. Just like Ford is coming out with a Maverick buster, the new Ford Ranchero.

 

[RevNation]

I just saw a video that the Santa Cruz is gong into oblivion because Hyundai is coming out with a real compact pickup to compete against the Maverick. I think they are even copying the look of the Maverick since it had the Maverick body and Hyundai grille.

And you know if it is on Youtube it is real. Just like Ford is coming out with a Maverick buster, the new Ford Ranchero.

There’s a lot of dumbass channels getting lots of clicks with FAKE Maverick competition videos. There’s not a single manufacturer who’s got anything close to the Maverick under production nor even under official plans. There’s always been tons of Ute’s and compact trucks in Latin America and Asia. They never come here, there’s no money in it. I’ll tell you what I’ll release a couple videos of some total bullshit like Subaru to make a compact truck for model year 24. That’s going to destroy the Maverick and watch what happens

 

[Syntax Error]

I just saw a video that the Santa Cruz is gong into oblivion because Hyundai is coming out with a real compact pickup to compete against the Maverick. I think they are even copying the look of the Maverick since it had the Maverick body and Hyundai grille.

And you know if it is on Youtube it is real. Just like Ford is coming out with a Maverick buster, the new Ford Ranchero.

Is this the same Youtube channel that claimed the Ranchero was coming out and their "picture" was just a crudely photoshopped Maverick with the rear seats deleted?

 

[Old Man]

There’s a lot of dumbass channels getting lots of clicks with FAKE Maverick competition videos. There’s not a single manufacturer who’s got anything close to the Maverick under production nor even under official plans. There’s always been tons of Ute’s and compact trucks in Latin America and Asia. They never come here, there’s no money in it. I’ll tell you what I’ll release a couple videos of some total bullshit like Subaru to make a compact truck for model year 24. That’s going to destroy the Maverick and watch what happens

Yep, I know one specific one that has terrible commentary, nothing new to add, and hopefully gives up making videos soon. Know who?

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