The poor-selling Hyundai Santa Cruz entered the 2025 model year with a host of improvements, including standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Revised exterior styling, a redesigned cabin with a curved panoramic display that combines the instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, and new advanced safety technology pretty much sum up the facelift.
Hyundai unveiled the 2025 model year in March at the New York International Auto Show. The first examples will hit dealer showrooms this fall, with prices starting at $28,500 before the $1,395 shipping fee. For comparison, the 2024 model year continues to be listed on Hyundai’s configurator at $26,900 plus the same $1,395 shipping fee.
The question is whether the newcomer is worth the extra $1,600 over the pre-facelift spec. As for exterior changes, the answer is no. As for the interior, the only changes worth the extra buckaroos are in the form of switches and buttons for the infotainment and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, together with the cup holders for the rear centre armrest.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto justify the extra cash. Convenience changes also include support for over-the-air firmware and software updates, USB Type-C ports, and a new Tow Drive Mode for the Limited and 2.5-liter turbocharged XRT trim levels.
Finally, the South Korean automaker has added Forward Attention Warning across the board. Are you willing to pay the aforementioned $1,600 for these improvements, or would you rather take your money elsewhere? Ford comes to mind, because the Maverick also entered the 2025 model year with more of everything.
Photo: Hyundai
Unlike Hyundai’s crossover-based pickup, Ford Motor Company has focused on what customers actually want. Most notably, the Maverick Hybrid is now available with all-wheel drive. Dearborn’s favorite son has also expanded the lineup with the Lobo, a street-performance version of the Maverick that features a Mustang track-inspired Lobo mode that reduces ESC intervention.
Meanwhile, Hyundai hasn’t bothered to offer a hybrid powertrain or a street-performance option for the Santa Cruz. We should also remember that Ford’s 2025 Maverick is inferior to the Santa Cruz, with the XL costing $26,295 excluding $1,595 in shipping. Price in the compact pickup segment is extremely important, and the availability of a hybrid also makes a world of difference in terms of sales success. Why?
The Maverick sold 77,113 units in the first six months of the year in the U.S., compared to a disappointing 17,945 for its closest rival Hyundai. Of the 77,113 trucks delivered above, reported by Ford, 40,000 were hybrids, making the Maverick Hybrid the most popular hybrid truck in the U.S. For reference, the F-150 PowerBoost sold 33,674 units in the first half of 2024.
Given the above, we’re not expecting a miracle from the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz. With compact pickups targeting first-time truck owners, the more truck-like 2025 Ford Maverick, with more options to its name, is sure to win the popularity contest in the second half of 2024.