TRUCKS

3 Reasons to Buy the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz and 3 Reasons to Pass

The 2023 Hyundai is one of the best trucks on the market, competing in the fast-growing segment. This unique looking truck comes with impressive specs at around $27,000. Here’s a look at three reasons to buy the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz and two reasons to pass on it.

1. The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz’s optional turbocharged engine is sporty and powerful

2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz | Hyundai Motor Company

One of the truck’s best features is its optional Sport Drive, according to . The base version of the truck comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai offers another engine option: a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. That’s a difference of 90 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque.

, which is a significant improvement over the base engine’s time of 8.8 seconds. The turbo engine also allows the Hyundai truck to tow up to 5,000 pounds of cargo, an increase of 1,500 pounds over the standard engine.

2. Hyundai gave the truck a good infotainment system

The South Korean auto giant also provided the truck with a powerful infotainment system. The Santa Cruz starts with an 8-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Drivers can upgrade the truck’s infotainment system with optional features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital display.

3. The compact van has a good size and practical bed

One of the main benefits of pickup trucks like the Santa Cruz is their size. The truck is relatively small in terms of its dimensions, and this will allow drivers to have an easier time with parking the truck in tight urban spaces. Despite its small size, the compact van also has a practical truck bed. It is one of the smallest beds in any truck. However, the South Korean automaker gave the truck’s trunk a ton cap as a standard feature.

1. Hyundai does not offer a hybrid option for the truck

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However, the Santa Cruz isn’t a perfect truck, and one of its biggest drawbacks has to do with its powertrain options. Hyundai currently offers a standard 191-horsepower engine or an optional 281-horsepower engine. The standard engine gets 22 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, for 24 mpg combined. The optional engine gets 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, for 23 mpg combined.

These aren’t great fuel economy numbers, and they don’t compete with the fuel economy of Santa Cruz’s main competitor, the Ford Maverick. The Maverick starts with the hybrid powertrain, which gets 14 mpg better than the Santa Cruz. Until the South Korean automaker introduces a hybrid powertrain, the truck won’t be able to compete with the Maverick in terms of fuel efficiency.

2. The 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz does not have much interior storage space

Another problem with the Hyundai truck is its lack of interior storage space. Again, this is an area where the Ford compact van excels. The Maverick has “a surprising amount of storage and cabin space,” according to TrueCar. By comparison, Hyundai hasn’t done much for the Santa Cruz in this area, and that can limit its usability as a daily driver.

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