Hyundai's Santa Cruz compact pickup truck enters its second model year with a few changes and new, higher pricing. The base SE model has been raised by $1010 and now starts at $26,745, although it now has some new driver-assistance systems as standard. A Night trim level with a blacked-out appearance joins the roster, beginning at $37,105.
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning are now included on the base SE; previously, these features were only available on the SEL and above. The SEL ($29,085) trim for 2023 is up by only $150, while the SEL Premium ($37,425) is up by $1220 and the top Limited ($41,615) is up by $150.
The Night trim level is new, and it is currently the cheapest Santa Cruz with the optional 281-hp turbocharged 2.5-litre inline-four for $37,105. This engine is also available in the SEL Premium and Limited variants, and all turbo models come standard with all-wheel drive. The Night trim features dark grille trim, black 20-inch wheels, black mirror caps and door handles, and side steps, as we've come to expect from these types of blacked-out look packages.
With its unibody chassis shared with the Tucson crossover, the Santa Cruz debuted last year alongside its closest rival, the Ford Maverick, in a new sector of compact trucks. So far, Ford is outselling Hyundai, with the Maverick selling 38,753 units during the first half of 2022 and the Santa Cruz selling 18,203 units during the same time period. We'll see how this rivalry plays out as both enter the 2023 model year; the Maverick, for its part, acquired a new trim for the new model year, the off-road-oriented Tremor.
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