10/23/2023 0 Comments Green santa cruz truck![]() So, how does it measure up against rivals like the Ridgeline and other midsize options like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma? While Hyundai calls it a Sport Adventure Vehicle, the Santa Cruz looks like a truck and is classified as such based on its compact dimensions. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. How Does It Measure Up? Looking at Size and Versatility Why? With more torque, the Santa Cruz can tow a heavy load and easily maintain its momentum, while the Ridgeline has to work harder. While the Ridgeline and Santa Cruz offer the same towing capability and horsepower, the Santa Cruz’s higher torque rating makes it a more capable hauler. However, it proves that bigger isn’t always better, with the engine delivering 280 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque, and a 2,268 kg towing capacity. Honda’s 2022 Ridgeline comes equipped with a larger, 3.5L V6 engine and 9-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the Santa Cruz’s Drive Mode Select lets you finetune this power and capability with modes like Snow, Mud, and Sand. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and delivers 281 horsepower, 311 lb-ft of torque, and a towing capacity of 2,268 kg. Hyundai makes no bones about giving the Santa Cruz plenty of power or capability with its available 2.5L turbocharged engine and HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. Even this, however, comes with a caveat––the Santa Cruz is classified as a compact truck while the Ridgeline is part of the midsize segment. However, since it features a truck bed, it seems only fair to measure the Santa Cruz’s capability against other pickup rivals, specifically those with a unibody design like the Honda Ridgeline. It’s a head-scratching dilemma of “which came first ––the chicken or the egg?” proportions, and it’s one that many have trouble answering. If Hyundai doesn’t classify the Santa Cruz as a truck and gives it a segment of its own, how do we measure its capability and versatility against rivals? Do we compare it to midsize trucks like the Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma? Or, since Hyundai calls it a “Sport Adventure Vehicle,” do we compare it to adventure-ready rigs like the Jeep Wrangler? The Question of Capability: How Does It Compare? So, what does this mean for the Santa Cruz? It means getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that handles more like an SUV but offers the versatility and capability of a truck. For example, Chevrolet’s recent debut of the 2024 Silverado EV turned heads by blending components from body-on-frame and unibody platforms. The use of a unibody platform seems to be a growing trend in the automotive industry. Hyundai turned the best-selling SUV into a versatile truck by extending the wheelbase and adding a bed. Unlike the standard body-on-frame platform that automakers have used for years to build trucks, the Santa Cruz shares the same unibody platform as the popular Tuscon. While the Santa Cruz marks Hyundai’s debut in the truck segment, it isn’t a truck in the traditional sense. Instead, Hyundai classifies the Santa Cruz as the newest member of its family of SUVs, calling it a Sport Adventure Vehicle and slating it alongside models like the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade. In fact, you won’t find a truck segment at all. However, a quick venture to the Hyundai website reveals that you won’t find the Santa Cruz in the automaker’s truck segment. At first glance, it looks like Hyundai’s modern take on the pickup truck. The 2022 Santa Cruz proves that looks can be deceiving. So, what exactly is it, and why are drivers up in arms over this proclaimed segment buster and segment creator? Introducing a New Segment: Sport Adventure Vehicles “It’s an SUV! It’s a truck! It’s a Hyundai!” seems to be the theme heard at Hyundai dealers across Canada. “It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!” The popular phrase comes to mind when describing the newly introduced Hyundai Santa Cruz.
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