2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The volume SEL runs the naturally aspirated 2.5L four; 2024 is a carry-over year within the first generation (pre-2025 facelift), so output is unchanged from launch and sits at the very bottom of a truck band anchored on full-size output.

Standard-engine torque falls below the truck band's 230 lb-ft floor — a crossover powertrain tuned for commuting rather than hauling; the turbo's 311 lb-ft is available only on upper trims.

The naturally aspirated configuration is unhurried, landing near the slow end of the truck band; the turbo is genuinely quick for the class but is not the volume powertrain.

The base 2.5L is smooth around town but gets buzzy and strained with a load or on grades; the turbo is punchy with little lag but has uneven low-speed tip-in — competitive, not polished.

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

5,000 lbs matches the unibody Ridgeline and beats the Maverick's 4,000, but sits far below the body-on-frame trucks at the top of the band; the volume NA engine is rated 3,500 lbs.

Maximum payload is respectable for a compact unibody pickup and above the Maverick, but well below the 3,400 lb band ceiling set by full-size haulers.

Trailer sway control is standard and the turbo's tow setup adds 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/SEL and standard on turbo trims, with a center-coupling lock and snow/mud/sand modes — broad availability, but no low range.

The XRT adds all-terrain tires and downhill brake control over roughly 8.6 in of clearance, but there is no locker, skid plating, lift or low range — light trail and dirt-road duty only.

Two gas engines (2.5L NA and 2.5L turbo) cover value and performance needs, but there is no hybrid or electrified option, unlike the hybrid Maverick.

The volume SEL uses the naturally aspirated 2.5L with an 8-speed automatic; 2024 is a carry-over first-generation year, and EPA rates it 23 MPG combined — good for a truck, far short of the hybrid Maverick.

City economy is solid for a non-hybrid truck thanks to the light unibody platform, though nowhere near the Maverick Hybrid's 42 MPG city.

Crossover-based aerodynamics give it a highway edge over body-on-frame mid-size trucks; the turbo DCT actually rates 1 MPG higher on the highway cycle.

Respectable MPG is offset by a small 17.7-gallon tank, leaving range well short of full-size trucks with 26–36 gallon tanks.

EPA's current estimate at standard assumptions places the Santa Cruz below body-on-frame mid-size trucks but well above the hybrid Maverick.

Both 2024 engines, including the 281-hp turbo, run on regular 87-octane unleaded; no premium, diesel or charging requirement.

NHTSA rates the 2024 Santa Cruz FWD five stars overall with five-star frontal and side results; rollover is four stars (16.4% risk), typical for a tall pickup body.

The Santa Cruz carries an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with Good driver- and passenger-side small overlap, Good original moderate overlap and Good updated side results, but the updated moderate overlap test (rear-passenger protection) is rated Marginal, which keeps it well short of TSP+ and out of the top band.

The SEL gets forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian/cyclist detection, lane keeping and lane following assist, driver attention warning, high beam assist and active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance as standard, but for 2024 (pre-refresh) adaptive Smart Cruise Control is reserved for the XRT, Night and Limited, so the volume trim lacks ACC.

Under IIHS's tougher current protocols the standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist rates only Marginal for vehicle-to-vehicle (2.0) and Acceptable for pedestrian detection — functional, but weaker than class leaders at higher closing speeds and at night.

Active Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (with braking intervention) are standard from the SE up, rare in the compact-truck class; the camera Blind-Spot View Monitor is Limited-only and there is no trailer-aware blind-spot coverage.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist (centering) are standard on every trim and are generally described as competent on marked highways, though Hyundai's NX4-era calibration can wander on curves and faded lines; on the SEL, centering works only with conventional cruise, not paired with ACC.

The volume SEL has only conventional cruise control; full-speed Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go arrives on XRT/Night/Limited and Highway Driving Assist only on the Limited. The system is capable where fitted, but the scored trim does not get it.

No hands-free highway driving system is offered on any 2024 Santa Cruz; Highway Driving Assist on the Limited is a hands-on lane-centering aid.

IIHS rates the headlights Good on every trim for 2023-on models — LED projector low and high beams with standard high beam assist — so the volume SEL gets the same well-rated lamps as the Limited; they are non-adaptive (no curve-following).

A low hood and crossover-like seating give better forward and quartering sightlines than a body-on-frame pickup, but the raked rear glass, thick C-pillars and bed/tonneau obstruct the rearward view, and the surround-view monitor that would compensate is Limited-only.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable on the SEL cloth trim, and the short crew cab (about 36.5 in of rear legroom) with an upright bench makes rear-facing seats and three-across a squeeze.

The 2024 Santa Cruz is sold only as a five-seat crew cab; 2024 is a carry-over body year in the first generation (pre-2025 facelift).

The volume SEL has no sunroof, so it gets the full 40.2 in — adequate, mid-band for a truck, short of the tall full-size cabs.

Car-like front legroom near the bottom of the truck band, behind the Maverick (42.6 in) and every mid-size crew cab.

Rear headroom is respectable for the class despite the raked roofline, mid-band against the truck range.

Usable for adults on short trips but in the lower third of the truck band; edges the Maverick's 35.9 in, trails every mid-size crew cab.

Roughly a four-foot bed, below the 54 in floor of the truck band under either published measurement — the shortest bed in the segment, shorter than the Maverick's 54.4 in.

Below the 30 cu ft floor of the truck band — the smallest bed volume among the trucks scored, against the Maverick's 33.3 cu ft.

Clever for its size: the lockable, drainable under-bed trunk, the integrated roll-type tonneau, bed utility rails and under-rear-seat storage with flip-up cushions. In-cabin console and door storage is ordinary and the 115V bed outlet is reserved for upper trims, so it stops short of the top band.

Tucson-derived front seats are supportive, and the SEL gets an 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar. The upright, short-cushioned rear bench with 36.5 in of legroom limits it to kids and short adult trips.

A unibody with multi-link independent rear suspension gives one of the most composed rides among trucks, with none of the unladen leaf-spring patter of body-on-frame rivals. The SEL's 18-in wheels ride better than the 20s on upper trims, but the stiffer truck-rated rear springs keep it firmer than a Tucson.

Quieter than any body-on-frame rival thanks to the unibody and enclosed cabin, but tire roar on coarse surfaces and the 2.5L four droning when worked keep it above average rather than quiet.

For 2024 dual-zone automatic climate became standard on every trim above SE, and the volume SEL has heated front seats and remote start. Ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel stay on the top trims, and no trim offers heated rear seats.

The 2024 SE FWD opens at $26,900 before destination, about $28,275 delivered — a few thousand above a 2024 Ford Maverick XL but far below any body-on-frame mid-size truck, so it sits near the cheap end of the truck band.

Scored on the SEL 2.5L FWD — the representative configuration used across this nameplate's model years — at $29,650 plus destination. HTRAC AWD adds $1,500; the turbo Night/XRT/Limited trims climb past $40K but sell in smaller numbers.

CarEdge's nameplate-specific projection puts 5-year maintenance and repairs at about $3,057, helped by Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance covering the first three years and the 10-yr powertrain warranty absorbing major repairs — below the truck band floor. The SEL's naturally aspirated 2.5L with a conventional 8-speed automatic avoids the turbo trims' dual-clutch cost risk.

Industry projections put Santa Cruz 5-year retention in the low-to-mid 60s, respectable but mid-band against a truck normalization range anchored to body-on-frame pickups and below the pickup-category average retention of ~67%. Heavy 2024 inventory and incentives weigh on used values.

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

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain term maxes the truck band and doubles the 5-year coverage on domestic and Japanese rivals, though it halves for second owners.

Multi-year included maintenance plus meaningful perks: 3 years/36,000 miles of Hyundai Complimentary Maintenance (oil changes, tire rotations) and 5 years of unlimited-mileage roadside assistance. Slightly below the 2026 score because 2024 Bluelink connected services came as a trial rather than the later no-cost Bluelink+; the Maverick includes no scheduled maintenance.

$31,025 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (61% retained, or about $18,925) leaves about $12,100 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,057 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,157 in total.

2024 is the third model year of the first-generation Santa Cruz and a carry-over year (pre-2025 facelift), and it is the year the nameplate's reliability signals turned clearly positive: Consumer Reports moved it up to a good/'great' reliability verdict and ranked it the top small truck ahead of the Ford Maverick, and J.D. Power's quality & reliability score is in its 'Great' band. CR still flagged build quality and body hardware as trouble spots, though less than in 2022-2023, which keeps this at the bottom of the top band rather than higher.

Hyundai sits mid-pack-to-above-average on multi-year dependability — around or modestly above the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study and mid-field in Consumer Reports' brand rankings — a real improvement on its 2010s standing but still short of the Toyota/Lexus/Honda tier. Initial quality runs stronger than long-term dependability for the brand.

The 2024 model year is the cleanest of the Santa Cruz run: a single NHTSA campaign covering just 795 units, against the 2022-2023 trucks' trailer-hitch-harness fire recall (park-outside), roof-molding detachment and DCT oil-pump campaigns and the 2025 facelift's roll-away wiring, curtain-airbag and AEB-software recalls. The one campaign (power-steering circuit board) is serious in kind but tiny in scope.

The scored SEL FWD uses the 191-hp 2.5L Smartstream GDI naturally aspirated four with a conventional 8-speed torque-converter automatic — hardware shared with the Tucson, Santa Fe and Sonata, with no systemic failure theme by 2024. It is not yet a proven high-mileage family, and the turbo trims' 8-speed wet DCT (the 2022 DCT oil-pump recall, low-speed hesitation complaints) colors the nameplate's drivetrain reputation, though it does not affect the scored configuration.

The pre-facelift 2024 cabin is Tucson-derived and well designed, but the SEL relies heavily on hard plastics below the beltline and a smaller 8-inch touchscreen with physical knobs; the 10.25-inch screen and glossy capacitive center stack are reserved for upper trims, and reviewers criticized that glossy black panel for fingerprints and scratches. Competitive for a compact pickup and a step above the Maverick's deliberately budget cabin, but short of the 2025 refresh.

Consumer Reports' survey still flags build quality and body hardware as the Santa Cruz's trouble spots for 2024, though improved over 2022-2023, and the early trucks' roof-molding detachment recall shows assembly issues this generation has had to work through. Initial quality is otherwise solid, with owner complaints centered on bed/tailgate and trim rattles rather than misalignment.

Hyundai's US network gives good metro and suburban coverage, backed by 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance and the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, but it is materially thinner than Ford's, Chevrolet's, Toyota's or Honda's — a gap that matters more for a truck buyer in rural areas.

Mechanical parts are plentiful and normally priced because the platform, 2.5L engine, 8-speed automatic and most chassis and electrical hardware are shared with the high-volume Tucson, Santa Fe and Kia Sportage. Bed, tailgate, tonneau and body panels are unique to a low-volume nameplate, and the truck accessory/repair aftermarket is thin next to Tacoma or Maverick.

The volume SEL keeps the 8-inch screen in 2024, the last pre-facelift year. That is the floor of the truck band, and the 2025 refresh moved every trim to 12.3 in.

The 8-inch Hyundai system is quick and simple, but the pre-facelift dash relies on flush, touch-sensitive panels for climate and shortcuts that reviewers found fiddly and hard to use without looking. That is the main thing the 2025 refresh fixed.

Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the 8-inch SE/SEL. The navigation-equipped 10.25-inch unit on upper trims reverts to wired-only projection, so the feature is not wireless across the range.

The 8-inch SEL has no native navigation, so it relies on phone projection. Embedded nav with Bluelink voice destination search arrives only with the 10.25-inch system. Basic voice commands work, but most owners will bypass them.

The SEL has a standard six-speaker system that is adequate but unremarkable. The Bose premium system is Limited-only, so the volume buyer can't get it.

The SEL has analog gauges flanking a small 4.2-inch driver-information screen. The crisp 10.25-inch full-digital cluster with Blind-Spot View Monitor is reserved for the upper trims.

The pre-ccNC 2024 head unit offers map/infotainment updates on the 10.25-inch navigation system at most. The 8-inch SEL has no meaningful over-the-air update path, and no whole-vehicle updates are offered.

Bluelink on the SEL offers remote start with climate, lock/unlock and vehicle locate through the app. In 2024 it was a complimentary trial that became a paid subscription (the free Bluelink+ arrived later), and Digital Key is Limited-only.

The SEL has USB ports front and rear plus a wireless charging pad, which is adequate. The 115V bed outlet is reserved for upper trims, and the pre-facelift cabin still leans on USB-A rather than USB-C throughout.

The SEL has proximity entry, push-button start and remote start, and the Limited adds Digital Key. As a pickup there is no power tailgate, just a damped, lockable one.

The SEL has only a rearview camera with rear parking warning. Surround View Monitor, Blind-Spot View Monitor and front/rear parking sensors are Limited-only.

No head-up display is offered on any 2024 Santa Cruz trim.

The crew-cab body has two LATCH sets, car-like step-in height and flip-up rear cushions over storage bins, and the lockable under-bed trunk keeps a stroller out of the weather. The tight 36.5 in of rear legroom and upright bench make a rear-facing seat a squeeze, and three-across is unrealistic.

Strong crash credentials for 2024: NHTSA 5-star overall and an IIHS Top Safety Pick. Forward collision avoidance, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic avoidance and lane following are standard. Adaptive cruise is not on the volume SEL, and the updated moderate-overlap rear-passenger result is Marginal.

The civil unibody ride, dual-zone automatic climate on the SEL and a covered, lockable bed for luggage make it a decent family tourer for a truck. The short, upright rear seat, no rear climate controls or heated rear seats, and no adaptive cruise on the SEL hold it mid-band.

The SEL drives like a compact crossover, with light steering, a compliant ride and a smooth conventional 8-speed automatic rather than the turbo trims' jerky DCT. It loses points for the poor rear view and for lacking the stop-and-go adaptive cruise that the 2025 refresh made standard.

The SEL FWD's 23 mpg combined on regular fuel beats body-on-frame trucks and the Ridgeline, and three years of complimentary maintenance helps. With no hybrid option, it is far behind the Maverick Hybrid's ~37 mpg.

At 195.7 in it is the shortest pickup on sale, and its 39.6 ft turning circle is crossover-tight. Raked rear glass and thick C-pillars hurt rearward visibility, and the SEL gets only a rear camera, with surround view limited to the Limited.

Light duty only on the volume trim. The SEL's 191-hp 2.5L is rated to tow 3,500 lbs, and the 5,000 lb rating needs the turbo. Payload is competitive, but the ~4-ft, 27 cu ft bed is the smallest in the segment.

The Tucson-derived unibody has no fleet variant and little hard-use track record by its third model year. The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty offsets some of the risk, and the volume SEL avoids the turbo trims' DCT.

The bed kit is good for its size: a lockable, drainable under-bed trunk, integrated tonneau, adjustable rails with cleats and a composite bed. The 115V outlet is upper-trim only, there is no multi-function tailgate, and the upfit aftermarket is thin.

A composed ride and good front seats make it a decent highway companion, but the SEL lacks adaptive cruise and Highway Driving Assist, road noise is noticeable, and range from the 17.7-gal tank is only about 400 miles.

It handles gravel roads and bike racks. HTRAC AWD with a lock mode is optional on the SEL and standard on the new 2024 XRT, and the lockable trunk is campsite-friendly. There is no low range, locking differential or skid plating, and the FWD SEL tows only 3,500 lbs.

A covered, lockable bed plus the sealed under-bed trunk give secure dry storage the open-bed Maverick lacks, and the cabin adds under-seat bins and available roof rails. The ~4-ft bed means long gear rides with the tailgate down.

The Tucson-based unibody with multi-link independent rear suspension corners with crossover composure, making it the most agile-feeling compact truck. Body roll and modest all-season grip keep it out of the 80s.

Motor-driven steering is accurate and light enough for easy parking but transmits little feedback: precise rather than communicative.

Adequate stopping power and a predictable pedal with no fade complaints. Instrumented stops land mid-pack for small pickups.

The SEL's naturally aspirated 2.5L with a conventional 8-speed automatic is smooth and predictable but slow to respond when merging or loaded. It avoids the turbo trims' low-speed DCT hesitation.

The 2.5L four drones when worked hard, and with 191 hp in a nearly two-ton truck it is worked often. It is well isolated at steady cruise.

Tighter than the bottom of the truck band and tighter than the Maverick's ~40 ft, so it scores at the ceiling — the compact footprint's clearest everyday advantage.

Car-like step-in height and good forward sightlines make it easy to live with, and the SEL's power driver's seat adjusts well. The glossy touch-sensitive center stack is awkward to use by feel, and rearward visibility through the raked glass and C-pillars is poor.

Distinctive and agile, the Santa Cruz is treated as the fun-to-drive small truck, but the volume naturally aspirated SEL is pleasant and easy rather than exciting. The turbo trims carry most of the character.

Competitive-to-generous for the price: 2024 made bi-LED projector headlights and a haptic steering wheel standard, widened availability of the 10.25-inch touchscreen and gave dual-zone climate to every trim but the SE, on top of Hyundai's standard SmartSense forward-collision and lane-keeping suite and the class-best warranty. It stops short of the 2025-facelift content level — the base SE still has the 8-inch screen and adaptive cruise is reserved for upper trims.

Fair value, not a bargain. The SEL at ~$31,000 delivered offers a refined cabin, solid tech and an unmatched warranty, but the 2024 Maverick undercut it by several thousand with a standard hybrid, and the Santa Cruz's 4.3-ft bed and 3,500-lb tow rating on the base 2.5L give less capability per dollar than a similarly priced mid-size truck.

Five trims (SE, SEL, Night, XRT, Limited) spanning ~$28K to ~$43K, two engines and FWD/AWD choice on the 2.5L trims — a reasonable ladder, broadened for 2024 by the new XRT replacing the SEL Premium. Still one body: crew cab, 4.3-ft bed, no electrified option, and the XRT is appearance-and-tires rather than real off-road hardware.

A slow and declining seller: 32,033 US sales in 2024, down about 13% year over year, while the Ford Maverick rose 39% to 131,142 — Autoblog noted Ford sold more Mavericks in a single month than the Santa Cruz's whole-year total.

Neutral brand perception: Hyundai's design reputation, warranty and Ioniq halo have lifted the badge, but it has no pickup heritage and the unibody, car-derived positioning is polarizing with traditional truck buyers; resale reflects neutral rather than premium standing.

Soft demand made the 2024 Santa Cruz an easy truck to negotiate on: Hyundai ran recurring APR, bonus-cash and lease programs and inventory lingered into 2025, a better buying environment than the in-demand Maverick. Discounting signals weak demand and feeds the middling residuals, so it stays below the top band.

Mid-cycle: the 2024 model is the third year of the generation launched for MY2022, with only trim and equipment updates (new XRT, LED projectors, haptic wheel). The substantial 2025 facelift (dual 12.3-in curved display, revised styling) followed immediately, so a 2024 buyer got the pre-refresh interior a year before it was superseded.

Well-reviewed, rarely the pick: critics praise the car-like drive and cabin quality, but comparisons favor the cheaper, hybrid Maverick, with complaints about the short bed, coarse base 2.5L and turbo-DCT low-speed manners. It was a 2022 North American Truck of the Year finalist (losing to the Maverick) and has no major award for the 2024 model year.