2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The volume SE/SEL in the 2022 launch year runs the naturally aspirated 2.5L four; even the optional turbo's 281 hp sits low in a truck band anchored on full-size output.

Standard-engine torque falls below the truck band floor of 230 lb-ft — a Tucson-derived engine tuned for daily driving; the turbo's 311 lb-ft clears the floor but stays modest for a truck.

The naturally aspirated volume configuration is slow against a truck band that tops out at 2.5 s; the turbo is quick for a compact pickup but is not the volume powertrain.

The volume 2.5L NA is smooth in town but buzzy and strained when worked hard with a load or on grades; the turbo is punchy with little lag. Competitive rather than polished.

The SE/SEL's conventional 8-speed torque-converter automatic is smooth and unobtrusive, but the turbo trims' 8-speed wet dual-clutch draws criticism for low-speed hesitation and jerkiness in parking and stop-and-go traffic.

5,000 lbs properly equipped matches the Honda Ridgeline and beats the Ford Maverick's 4,000 lbs, but sits far below body-on-frame mid-size and full-size trucks that anchor the band.

Max payload is respectable for a compact unibody pickup and edges out the Maverick and Ridgeline, but is well under the truck band's 3,400-lb ceiling.

Trailer stability assist is standard and the 2.5T AWD trims add self-leveling rear suspension, but there is no integrated trailer brake controller, trailer backup assist, trailer camera views or onboard scales.

HTRAC AWD is optional on SE and SEL and standard on SEL Premium and Limited, with a center-coupling lock and snow/mud/sand modes — broad availability, but no low range or part-time 4WD hardware.

Roughly 8.6 in of ground clearance and AWD with terrain modes handle gravel and light trails, but 2022 offered no rugged trim (the XRT arrived for 2023), no locking differential, skid plating or low range.

Two gas engines — the 2.5L NA and the 2.5L turbo — cover the value and performance ends, but there is no hybrid, plug-in or EV option while the rival Maverick launched with a standard hybrid.

The volume SE/SEL uses the naturally aspirated 2.5L GDI with an 8-speed automatic; 23 MPG combined is good for a gas truck but well short of the hybrid Maverick.

Strong city economy against gas trucks for the 2022 launch year, though 1 MPG below the 2023 FWD rating and far behind the hybrid Maverick.

The crossover-based unibody platform gives a clear highway edge over body-on-frame mid-size trucks; oddly the 2022 AWD configurations rate 1 MPG better on the highway cycle than FWD.

Computed from EPA combined economy and the 17.7-gallon tank; respectable MPG is offset by a small tank, well short of the 600-plus-mile figures full-size trucks post.

EPA's current-price estimate at 15,000 mi/yr; lower than body-on-frame mid-size trucks but well above a hybrid Maverick.

Both 2022 Santa Cruz engines, including the 281-hp turbo, run on regular 87-octane unleaded; no premium, diesel or charging requirement.

NHTSA did not crash-test the launch-year 2022 Santa Cruz: every frontal, side and rollover field reads Not Rated for both drivetrains. The five-star overall rating arrived only with the 2023 model year and is not carried back to 2022 in NHTSA's own records.

The 2022 Santa Cruz earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with Good results in every crashworthiness test (both small overlaps, moderate overlap, side, roof, head restraints). The award applied only to trims with the LED projector headlights, and it was a TSP, not a TSP+.

Every 2022 trim gets Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist and driver attention warning, and the scored SEL adds Blind-Spot and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist. But the base SE lacks blind-spot monitoring (IIHS lists it as optional for 2022, not standard as it became for 2023) and adaptive cruise is held back to the SEL Premium and Limited.

IIHS rated the standard system Superior in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian tests for 2022. No nighttime pedestrian result exists for the 2022 model year (that rating was first published for 2023, at Advanced), so the night performance the top band asks for is unproven for this year.

The scored SEL has the active Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist with braking, but for 2022 these were not on the base SE (IIHS lists both as optional), and the Blind-Spot View Monitor camera is Limited-only. There is no trailer-aware blind-spot coverage.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist (camera-based centering) are standard on every 2022 trim, so the SEL centers itself on marked roads; reviewers and owners find it competent but prone to mild wander on curves and faded lines.

The scored SEL has conventional cruise only; Smart Cruise Control with stop-and-go is on the SEL Premium and Limited, and the navigation-based Highway Driving Assist is Limited-only. The system is well regarded where fitted, but the volume buyer does not get it.

No hands-free highway system is offered on any 2022 Santa Cruz; Highway Driving Assist on the Limited is a hands-on lane-centering aid.

IIHS rates the halogen projector lamps on the SE, SEL and Night — the volume trims, including the scored SEL — Poor, with inadequate visibility on curves; only the SEL Premium and Limited's LED projectors earn Good, which is why the 2022 TSP applies only to those trims. High-beam assist is standard.

A low hood and crossover-like seating position give good forward and quartering sightlines for a pickup, but the raked rear glass, thick C-pillars and bed limit the rear view. The SEL has a rearview camera but not the surround-view or blind-spot cameras reserved for the Limited.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Acceptable, with two full LATCH positions and a tether-only center seat. The compact crew cab's upright rear bench and limited legroom make rear-facing seats a squeeze and three-across unrealistic.

The launch-year 2022 Santa Cruz is sold only as a five-seat crew cab. There is no other cab or seating configuration.

40.7 in of front headroom sits mid-band for a truck. The volume SEL has no sunroof to cut into it.

Front legroom is crossover-like and near the bottom of the truck band, trailing the Maverick and every mid-size crew cab.

Rear headroom is generous on paper for a compact crew cab and sits in the upper part of the truck band.

36.5 in of rear legroom works for adults on short trips but sits in the lower third of the truck band. The upright backrest makes it feel tighter.

The roughly four-foot bed falls below the 54 in band floor and is the shortest in the truck set.

27 cu ft falls below the 30 cu ft floor of the truck band, the smallest bed in the segment even with the underfloor trunk.

The lockable, drainable underfloor bed trunk and remote-open power-locking tailgate are standard and genuinely clever. The integrated tonneau, utility rails and 115V bed outlet need the $3,270 SEL Activity Package or an upper trim, and cabin storage is ordinary.

Supportive Tucson-derived front seats, and the SEL adds an 8-way power driver seat with power lumbar. The short, upright rear bench limits the back seat to kids and short trips.

The unibody Tucson-based platform with independent multi-link rear suspension rides far better than body-on-frame rivals. The SEL's 18-in wheels are softer than the Limited's 20s.

Wind and structural isolation are good for a pickup, but coarse-surface road noise is noticeable and the 2.5L drones when worked. That is above truck average without being quiet.

The SEL gets heated front seats and remote start. Dual-zone automatic climate starts at SEL Premium, ventilated seats and a heated wheel are Limited-only, and no trim has heated rear seats.

The launch SE FWD opened at $23,990 before freight, the lowest entry price of any four-door pickup except the Maverick and at the floor of the truck band. A mid-year increase lifted it to about $24,440 before freight.

The representative SEL with the naturally aspirated 2.5L and FWD cost $27,190 plus $1,185 freight at launch, near the very bottom of the truck price band. The turbo SEL Premium and Limited ran $8,500–12,500 higher.

The 2022 is mechanically identical to the 2023, so first-owner running costs track the 2023's Edmunds new-car estimate of about $4,500 and CarEdge's model-level ~$3,057. Edmunds' current 2022 page shows a higher $7,853 because it now prices a used purchase covering the truck's years 5–9, which is not the new-car window this item measures.

The 2022 was bought during the 2021–22 shortage, when many sold at or over sticker, but it has still settled near the model-level curve. A five-year figure around 60% sits in the lower half of the truck band, behind Toyota/Ford trucks and the Maverick.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile new-vehicle coverage tops the truck band and beats the 3-year/36,000-mile terms of Ford, GM, Nissan and Toyota.

Ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage doubles the domestic and Japanese truck norm, though it shortens for second owners — relevant for a 2022 now on the used market.

Multi-year included maintenance plus useful perks: 3 years/36,000 miles of oil changes and tire rotations, 5 years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance, and a Bluelink connected-services trial on equipped trims. That beats ToyotaCare's 2 yr/25k and the Maverick's minimal coverage.

$28,375 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (60% retained, or about $17,025) leaves about $11,350 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,950 in total.

2022 was the Santa Cruz's launch year, and both main sources rate it weaker than later years. J.D. Power gives it only an Average quality and reliability rating. Consumer Reports gives the first two model years a below-par reliability verdict, and owners have filed transmission and power-loss complaints. That puts it at the bottom of the mixed-signal band, below the 2023 and well below the facelifted years.

Hyundai is a mid-pack brand on multi-year dependability. Around 2022 it sat near the industry average in J.D. Power's VDS and mid-field in Consumer Reports' brand rankings, well ahead of its 2010s standing but behind Toyota, Lexus and Honda. The score is a touch below the later model years, reflecting the brand's standing at the time.

The launch year carries four NHTSA campaigns, the most of any Santa Cruz model year. They include a park-outside fire risk on the tow-hitch harness and a transmission campaign for loss of drive power. The turbo oil-pipe recall covered only 16 trucks and the roof-molding recall is minor, but a powertrain campaign plus a fire advisory in year one keeps this at the low end of the middle band.

The volume SEL uses the 191-hp 2.5L Smartstream naturally aspirated GDI four and a conventional 8-speed automatic, the generation's lower-risk drivetrain, shared with the Tucson. In 2022, though, it was brand new with no field history. The 2022-only transmission recall, the turbo oil-pipe recall and owner power-loss complaints, concentrated on the 2.5T and 8-speed wet DCT trims, cloud the nameplate's first-year record.

The cabin is the launch Tucson-derived design, with an 8-inch screen on SE/SEL and the Tucson's touch-capacitive center stack. Materials are competitive for the price, with soft-touch upper surfaces. However, the SEL has plenty of hard plastic lower down, and reviewers criticized the touch-panel controls. It is unchanged from the 2023.

Assembly is generally solid for a new nameplate from Hyundai's Alabama plant. However, first-year production produced the detaching-roof-molding recall, and J.D. Power rates 2022 quality only Average, against Great for the 2023. Scattered owner reports of bed and tailgate rattles round it out.

Hyundai's US network covers metro and suburban areas comfortably and is backed by complimentary maintenance and a 10-year/100k powertrain warranty, which matters for a first-year truck with a transmission recall. It is materially thinner than Ford's or Toyota's, which matters for a truck owner outside metro areas.

Most mechanical parts are shared with the high-volume Tucson, Santa Fe and Sportage family, so wear and drivetrain parts are plentiful and normally priced. The bed, tailgate and body panels are unique to a low-volume nameplate, and the aftermarket is thin next to Tacoma or Maverick.

The volume SEL uses the 8-in display, at the floor of a truck band that runs to 18.5 in.

The 8-in head unit is simple and quick, with physical knobs and conventional climate controls on the SEL. It is small and basic, and the upper trims' glossy touch-capacitive center stack was criticized.

Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are standard with the 8-in screen on SE and SEL. The Limited's 10.25-in navigation unit reverts to wired-only projection.

The SEL has no native navigation, so maps come through phone projection, and voice control handles only basic phone and media commands. Native nav is Limited-only for 2022.

The SEL's standard six-speaker system is adequate but plain. Bose premium audio is Limited-only.

The SEL keeps analog gauges with a small 4.2-in TFT between them. The 10.25-in digital cluster starts at SEL Premium.

The 8-in head unit has no meaningful over-the-air update path. Map and software updates for this generation went through Hyundai's Navigation Updater or the dealer.

Bluelink on the SEL gives remote start/climate, lock/unlock and vehicle locate, complimentary for three years. Digital Key is SEL Premium and up.

The SEL has front dual USB-A outlets. Wireless charging needs an upper trim, and the 115V bed outlet needs the Activity Package or an upper trim, so the volume buyer gets a dated setup.

The SEL has a proximity key, push-button start, remote start and a remote-open tailgate. Phone-as-key is SEL Premium and up, and the base SE uses a conventional key.

The SEL has a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. Surround View and Blind-Spot View Monitor are Limited-only.

No 2022 Santa Cruz trim offers a head-up display.

Four doors and two full LATCH positions handle one or two kids. 36.5 in of rear legroom and an upright bench make rear-facing seats a squeeze, and an open bed is a poor place for a stroller without the tonneau.

IIHS rated the 2022 a Top Safety Pick with Good crash results, and the SEL adds blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. But NHTSA never rated the 2022, the SEL's halogen headlights are Poor and there is no adaptive cruise.

The smooth, car-like ride helps. Tight rear legroom, thin rear amenities and a small open bed for luggage limit it to medium-length family trips.

It drives like a Tucson with a bed: light controls, a smooth conventional 8-speed on the 2.5L and a compliant ride. The base engine feels strained merging with a load.

21/26/23 mpg is fine for a pickup but clearly trails the 2022 Maverick Hybrid's 37 mpg combined.

At about 195.7 in long with a 39.6 ft turning circle it is the easiest truck in the set to park, though the SEL has only a rear camera.

The SEL's 2.5L tows 3,500 lbs and carries about 1,400–1,700 lbs. The four-foot bed and a base engine that strains under load make it a light-duty DIY and recreation tool.

The truck is crossover-based with a car-like cabin and, as a launch year, has no track record. The SEL's conventional 8-speed avoids the turbo's DCT concerns, but the truck is unproven under hard use.

Bed cleats, the lockable in-bed trunk and the power-locking tailgate help. The tonneau, utility rails and 115V outlet need the Activity Package, and the aftermarket is thin next to the Maverick's FITS system.

The ride is comfortable, the front seats are decent and a tank lasts about 460 highway miles. The SEL has no adaptive cruise, though, and the engine drones on the highway.

About 8.6 in of ground clearance and optional HTRAC AWD with an AWD lock handle gravel and snow, and the open bed takes bikes and dirty gear. There are no skid plates or low range, and the 2022 had no off-road trim.

The open bed handles tall or dirty gear an SUV can't, plus a lockable underfloor trunk. The bed is short, the SEL leaves gear unsecured without the tonneau, and the rear cushions only flip up.

The unibody Tucson platform and independent rear suspension give it crossover-like body control that no body-on-frame truck matches. The SEL's 18-in tires keep it secure rather than sporty.

Electric power steering is accurate and well weighted for a pickup but conveys little road feel.

Four-wheel discs and a light curb weight give competitive stops for a truck with a progressive pedal, though distances are not exceptional.

The 2.5L and its conventional 8-speed automatic shift smoothly and avoid the turbo's low-speed DCT hesitation. At 191 hp and 181 lb-ft, though, it runs short of breath on grades or with a load.

It is quiet at a cruise, but the naturally aspirated four turns buzzy and loud when pushed for merges or climbs.

A 39.6 ft turning diameter beats the best end of the truck band (40 ft), a result of its compact crossover footprint.

The crossover-like seating position, 8-way power driver seat with lumbar and physical controls suit most drivers. Rearward sightlines through the small cab glass and over the bed are limited.

It is nimble and pleasant, but the base 2.5L's pace (about 8.8 s to 60) leaves the SEL forgettable next to the punchy 2.5T.

Above-par content at the base price. The SE comes with 18-inch alloys, an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, a lockable underfloor bed trunk and a power-locking tailgate. Lane keeping/following assist, forward collision avoidance and rear occupant alert are also standard. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise wait for the SEL and above. That is richer than a comparably priced 2022 Maverick XLT.

Fair-to-good value. SE/SEL at $25–30K carry strong content, warranty and included maintenance, and the turbo trims tow 5,000 lb. But the 2022 Maverick started nearly $4K lower with a standard 42-MPG hybrid, and the 191-hp base 2.5L and 4.3-ft bed give less utility per dollar than the sticker suggests.

Reasonable choice with gaps. There are four trims (SE, SEL, SEL Premium, Limited) — the Night trim didn't arrive until 2023 — with two engines and FWD or AWD on SE/SEL. There is one body (crew cab, 4.3-ft bed), no work trim and no electrified option, and a roughly $7K jump from the SEL AWD to the turbo SEL Premium.

A solid but modest launch year. Its first full year sold about 36,500 units, roughly half the Maverick's ~74,000, and in a tight-supply year that made it a steady mid-pack seller in the small-pickup space rather than a breakout.

Neutral brand perception. Hyundai's design and warranty reputation was climbing, but the brand has no pickup heritage, and the unibody 'Sport Adventure Vehicle' framing polarized traditional truck buyers. Resale is middling rather than premium.

Few deals in MY2022. It launched into the 2021–22 chip shortage, when new-vehicle inventory was at record lows and dealer markups over MSRP were common, so incentives were scarce. Hyundai also raised prices mid-year. Buyers rarely saw discounts until 2023.

An all-new nameplate in its first model year, built on the then-new fourth-generation Tucson (N3) platform with current powertrains and ADAS. The facelift was three years out (MY2025), so buyers faced no near-term redesign risk.

Well reviewed but rarely the pick. Critics praised its styling, car-like ride and handling, the turbo's punch and the clever lockable bed trunk. It was a 2022 North American Truck of the Year finalist but lost to the Maverick, and comparisons favored the Maverick on value and the Ridgeline on utility. Recurring criticisms were the small bed and the DCT's low-speed manners.