2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz Review

The 2026 Santa Cruz is a true head-turner, with a design that is both athletic and refined. Building on its recent refresh, the truck's aggressive front end features more vertical lines by day or night, creating a bolder, more contemporary look. 

An impressive light signature is formed by ten rectangular LEDs—five on either side—that flank a matching grille with its own geometric openings. The result is a truck that looks ready for adventure, whether you're navigating city streets or heading for the open road.

Hyundai has also continued to add new options to personalize your ride, including fresh exterior colors that feel right at home in the Arizona desert, such as Canyon Red. The Santa Cruz’s unique, compact size and its athletic stance ensure it stands out from the crowd of larger trucks, offering a sporty attitude that’s perfectly suited for daily use.

The 2026 Santa Cruz offers a comprehensive suite of tech tools that are both cutting-edge and intuitive. Technophiles will appreciate the available panoramic dual display that creates nearly 25 inches of screen space, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a matching 12.3-inch navigation system. 

Every trim level now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay® and wireless Android Auto™, making it easier than ever to integrate your smartphone.

For added convenience and security, the Santa Cruz offers a number of smart features. The available fingerprint scanner provides a biometric way to start the vehicle. You can also use the new and improved Digital Key to access the truck with your smartphone, making it even more convenient to leave your traditional keys behind. Over-the-air updates ensure your systems stay current, while the new Hyundai Pay allows for seamless in-car payments.

The Santa Cruz’s bold exterior design motifs are echoed inside the cabin, creating a cohesive and inviting space. The dashboard incorporates vertical shapes, a new steering wheel, and redesigned air vents to complement the truck’s updated look. 

The interior emphasizes both practicality and style, with improved ergonomics and more in-cabin storage, including a convenient new shelf above the glovebox.  Passengers will appreciate the addition of a rear seat center armrest and the new USB-C ports, while the driver can now get a memory system for their power chair and mirrors. This allows for personalized settings to be automatically adjusted for multiple drivers. 

With all of these well-thought-out updates, the 2026 Santa Cruz's interior is more comfortable, functional, and attractive than ever before.  Car and Driver has consistently named this small truck to its Editors’ Choice list, including for 2025, with critics praising its car-like ride, handsome cabin, and unique versatility.

The 2026 Santa Cruz offers a choice of two potent engines, both of which feel more like they belong in a refined SUV than a rugged pickup. The standard 2.5-liter engine delivers a spirited 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, providing quick acceleration and a smooth, comfortable ride for daily commutes. It’s paired with a seamless 8-speed automatic transmission. For drivers who want more power, the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine is the way to go, delivering a robust 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque.

While a fuel-efficient two-wheel drivetrain is standard, many owners will opt for the advanced HTRAC all-wheel-drive system. This intelligent drivetrain uses a variable torque-split clutch to actively send power to the front or rear wheels as needed, ensuring optimal traction and stability in all conditions. The system can even adjust torque distribution based on your speed and steering angle, offering superior handling whether you're cornering on a twisty road or accelerating in a straight line. When you switch to Sport mode, HTRAC will favor the rear wheels to give you the dynamic, rear-wheel bias that makes certain sports cars so much fun to drive.

The Santa Cruz’s powertrains also offer impressive towing capabilities. The standard engine can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the turbocharged engine, when equipped with all-wheel drive, can handle up to 5,000 pounds, a rating that rivals many larger vehicles. All models come pre-wired for trailering, making it easy to hit the road with your camper or boat in tow.

For drivers seeking a more rugged and adventure-ready truck, the 2026 Santa Cruz XRT trim is a perfect fit. It builds on its sporty attitude with an exclusive grille, a new front bumper fascia, and front tow hooks that hint at its off-road capability. The XRT also gets exclusive wrench-inspired wheels and all-terrain tires that provide the perfect balance between on-road comfort and off-road performance. To further enhance its capability on the trail, Hyundai engineers have increased its approach angles and added a Terrain Management System with modes for mud, snow, and sand.

The XRT's upgrades continue inside the cabin, with front seats that boast exclusive XRT logos. For navigating tight spaces or tricky off-road trails, the available Surround View Monitor is a game-changer, providing a complete 360-degree view of the truck's perimeter. The Blind-Spot View Monitor is another essential safety feature that provides a live feed of your blind spots on the digital instrument cluster when you signal, helping you stay out of harm's way.

If you're ready to experience this remarkable midsize truck for yourself, why not schedule a test drive at San Tan Hyundai in Gilbert, AZ? Our team is dedicated to helping you get pre-approved for a loan or a lease, ensuring a seamless and straightforward path to getting behind the wheel of your new Santa Cruz.