Sunday Drive: A versatile adventure awaits in the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT
We have noted that the automotive world is continually evolving and moving into the 2024 model year. There is an exciting new entrant to the market, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT. We have always loved that Hyundai has been at the forefront in its commitment to innovation, and Santa Cruz is no exception.
This unique vehicle blends the best of both worlds: the practicality of a compact pickup truck and the comfort of a crossover SUV. With a focus on versatility and adventure, the Santa Cruz XRT will captivate both urban and outdoor enthusiasts.
From our first look, the 2024 Santa Cruz XRT impressed us with its unconventional and compelling design. This vehicle challenges the norms of traditional vehicle classifications by blurring the lines between an SUV and a pickup truck.
Exterior highlights
The Santa Cruz XRT boasts a sporty and rugged appearance with its bold, sculpted lines. The front fascia proved to be an awe-inspiring blend of the signature Hyundai grille and striking LED headlights. The robust wheel arches, rugged side cladding and distinctive alloy wheels further accentuated its adventurous demeanor. The rear end featured a unique tailgate design, giving the Santa Cruz a very distinctive visual identity.
The Santa Cruz is available in various exciting color options, allowing anyone to express their personal style. If you would prefer the sleekness of Phantom Black, the vibrancy of Desert Sage or the boldness of Crimson Red, Hyundai offers an array of choices to match anyone’s driving taste.
Interior comfort
Getting inside the 2024 Santa Cruz XRT AWD revealed a cabin that was both comfortable and versatile. The interior design complemented the vehicle’s adventurous spirit, with high-quality materials and thoughtful design features.
The spacious and well-appointed interior offered seating for up to five passengers, ensuring that everyone would enjoy the journey. The available leather seats provided a touch of luxury and comfort, while the driver’s seat offered power adjustments, allowing us to find the ideal driving position.
Hyundai has placed a strong emphasis on ergonomics and convenience. The center console incorporated an intuitive infotainment system, featuring a 10.25-inch touch screen display. This system supported both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, enabling seamless connectivity with our smartphones. We could effortlessly access navigation, music and other apps that made getting around less of a hassle.
The Santa Cruz XRT AWD offered a dual-zone automatic climate control system, keeping us both happy in early November as temperatures varied greatly day to day. In terms of available cargo space, the rear seatback can be folded down to provide additional storage capacity, making it easy to transport any gear, luggage or other items.
Power and performance
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT AWD excelled in performance, with our test ride coming with a 2.5-liter Inline-four turbocharged engine This turbocharged power plant cranks out an impressive 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, significantly enhancing acceleration and towing capabilities. We found it to be a great choice adding just the right amount of power for a more exhilarating driving experience.
All-wheel drive
The Santa Cruz XRT came equipped with an advanced all-wheel drive (AWD) system, ensuring optimal traction and stability in various driving conditions. Whether we were navigating city streets, cruising on the highway or venturing off the beaten path, the AWD system provided us confidence and control. This would be a must have for winters in Utah.
Towing capacity
One of the standout features of the Santa Cruz was its towing capability. When properly equipped, this versatile vehicle can tow up to 5,000 pounds, making it an excellent choice for towing trailers, boats or other recreational equipment. Whether you’re planning a weekend camping trip or moving heavy loads, the Santa Cruz could make any of it happen.
Innovative safety features
Safety is a top priority for Hyundai, and the 2024 Santa Cruz XRT AWD came equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced safety features that we loved and help to keep all those inside protected.
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist: This system uses radar and cameras to monitor the road ahead. If it detects a potential collision, it can provide audible and visual warnings and, if necessary, apply the brakes to help prevent or mitigate the impact.
- Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist: Changing lanes is safer with this feature, which alerts the driver if a vehicle is in his blind spot. If he attempts to change lanes when a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, the system can intervene to prevent a potential collision.
- Lane Keeping Assist: This system helps keep the Santa Cruiz in its lane by providing corrective steering inputs if the driver unintentionally drift out of his lane. It’s especially valuable during long highway drives.
- Driver Attention Warning: Fatigue can affect anyone, and this system monitors your driving patterns to detect signs of drowsiness. If it senses that you might be getting tired, it will issue a warning to encourage you to take a break.
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist: When you’re backing out of a parking space or driveway, this feature can detect vehicles approaching from the sides and provide warnings or apply the brakes if a potential collision is imminent.
Driving dynamics
The Santa Cruz XRT offered us a pleasant and engaging driving experience. Its compact size made it maneuverable in urban environments, while its capable AWD system provides confidence on virtually any terrain.
The small truck also featured a well-tuned suspension system that struck a balance between comfort and handling. It absorbed bumps and road imperfections, providing a smooth and composed ride, wherever we were during the week.
Hyundai has engineered the Santa Cruz for responsive and precise handling. The vehicle’s nimbleness and agility made it easy to navigate through tight spaces and maneuver through challenging turns. The steering was well-weighted and provided good feedback, always giving us a sense of control of the vehicle.
The Santa Cruz’s all-wheel drive system, along with its ground clearance and robust construction, would make it well-suited for light off-roading adventures. Whether exploring dirt trails, gravel roads or venturing into the wilderness, the Hyundai would handle it with ease.
Final thoughts
At the end of the week, we found that the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT stood out as a versatile and adventurous addition to the automotive landscape. With its unique blend of pickup and SUV attributes, it caters to a broad audience seeking a vehicle that can effortlessly transition between urban commutes and off-road excursions.
Whether you’re an urban dweller looking for a practical daily driver or an outdoor enthusiast seeking a vehicle that can handle your active lifestyle, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz invites you to redefine your driving experience. It is poised to make a lasting impression in the automotive world, setting a new standard for compact pickup trucks with a touch of Hyundai flair.
Base price: $39,850
Destination charge: $1,335
Price as driven: $41,635
-
- Deanne with the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz as the sun set on our weekly drive. What a great all-around versatile vehicle the small, truck-like SUV proved to be!
-
- Inside the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.
-
- The new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.
-
- Inside the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.
-
- The new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.
-
- Inside the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.
Newsletter
Home And Garden
Layin’ It on the Line: To have a will or not to have a will, that is the question
Garden Help Desk: Spring brings swarming bees and aphids
