The world was shocked when Hyundai debuted their first pickup for the US market just a few years ago. But the Santa Cruz has sparked a lot of interest for those who want utility and want to save their money. And now, for 2025, Hyundai is making some significant updates to make the Santa Cruz better than ever! This article is going to cover all the updates for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz but be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this article for an in-depth design review!

What’s New for 2025?

  • Updated exterior design
  • Revamped cabin
  • New tech throughout
  • Added utility to XRT

Trims and Pricing

MSRP with FWD unless noted

SE: $28,500

SEL: $30,200

SEL Activity: $33,200

XRT AWD: $40,000

Limited AWD: $42,500

Prices stay fairly steady for 2025, though the base price does jump almost $2,000.

 

Design and Features

As mentioned above, please watch the video linked below for a full in-depth exploration of the exterior design and differences. The Santa Cruz takes a much more truck-like appearance for 2025, making more a of a departure from the Tucson than ever before. Especially if you opt for an XRT model, you will have a more rugged front and rear bumper and all-terrain tires this year.

Here is the full breakdown of what we currently know about the feature availability:

Feature

Availability

Exterior

LED Headlights

Standard Projector LEDs

LED Fog Lamps

Not Available

Wheels

18-20-inch alloys depending on trim

Mirrors

Standard BSM | SEL+: Heating

LED Taillights

Standard LED

Dual-Exhaust Outlets

Not available

Truck Bed

4-ft bed with underfloor storage

Towing Capacity

Up to 5,000 lbs

Forward Emergency Braking

Standard on all Santa Cruz Models

Lane Keep Assist

Auto High Beams

Adaptive Cruise and Highway Drive Assist 1.0

XRT+

 

When it comes to the Interior, the Santa Cruz will also be well-equipped on all trims.

Interior

Digital Key

XRT+

Smart Parking

Not Available

Seat Materials

Cloth, H-Tex Leatherette, Real Leather

Seat Adjustment

SEL+: 10-way power

Push Button Start

Standard

Gauge Cluster

Standard: 12.3 inch screen | SEL Activity+: Fully Reconfigurable

Head-up Display

Not Available

Blind View Monitor

XRT+

Steering Wheel

XRT+: Leather Wrapped | Heating: Limited

Fingerprint Sensor

New to Limited

Rain-Sensing Wipers

Limited

Wireless Charging

SEL Activity+

360 Degree Camera

XRT+

2-Zone Climate Controls

SEL+

Seat Climate

Heated Seats: SEL+ | Ventilated Seats: Limited

Audio System

Standard 6-speakers | Limited: Bose Audio

Screen

Standard 12.3 inch display with ccNC and Wireless phone connection | Navigation on XRT+

Rearview Mirror

Limited: Auto-dimming with HomeLink

Moonroof

Standard Size: SEL Activity+

 

The rear of the Santa Cruz is also well-equipped, making it competitive with some midsize trucks.

Rear Amenities

Rear Vents and USBs

Vents on SEL+ | USBs Standard

Heated Rear Seats

Not available

Rear Opening Window

Standard with manual operation

 

For in depth details on the 2025 Santa Cruz, watch our full first look review linked at the bottom of this article.

Santa Cruz Interior

What’s Under the Hood?

The Santa Cruz has two carryover powertrains for 2025:

  • SE/SEL:
    • 2.5L I-4: 191 hp | 181 lb.ft
    • Paired w/ 8-speed automatic
    • FWD or opt AWD (Night is AWD only)
  • XRT/Limited:
    • 2.5L Turbo I-4: 281 hp | 311 lb.ft
    • Paired w/ 8-speed dual clutch automatic
    • Standard AWD

The fuel economy for each model is as follows:

2.5 FWD: 22/30/25 mpg

2.5 AWD: 21/29/24 mpg

2.5T AWD: 19/27/22 mpg

We hope you have found this overview of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz helpful! For a more detailed first look of the Santa Cruz, please watch our video below! What do you think of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz? Let us know in the comments!