2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT First Drive: Cranking Up the Tough Guy Act

The updated Santa Cruz’s new off-road trim level comes with a bit more rugged appeal.

We’ve had a handful of years to contemplate this situation.
the Hyundai Santa Cruz
‘s advantages as a pickup truck, even so
maintaining one over an entire year for a prolonged examination
, and we believe we’ve got this nailed down: It’s an SUV that just so happens to feature a pickup bed rather than being a “true” truck. That works for us, and apparently, it also suits our customers just fine.

It appears Hyundai was not, and for
The 2025 refresh of the compact pickup
At minimum, it punctured at least one off-road tire through whichever figurative gateway separated the Santa Cruz from the Big Beefy Man Truck category.

Amid numerous subtle modifications—one might find it more challenging to notice the reduced number of larger LED sections within the grille compared to spotting thedashboard’s sleeker display screens and attractive new steering wheel—Hyundai launched an all-new XRT off-road variant.

The XRT not only addresses one of our minor criticisms regarding the initial 2022–2024 Santa Cruz — specifically, its street-oriented tires which were less effective when driving off-road — but also enhances this pickup’s tough appearance. It shares an architecture with the aforementioned model.
The daily driver Tucson compact SUV
.

While it may seem insignificant, the red-colored tow hooks extending from the front bumper, specially designed fascia, and robust 245/60R18 Continental TerrainContact all-terrain tires significantly alter how people perceive the modern-styled Santa Cruz. You could say it’s akin to undergoing procedures such as buccal fat reduction, chin enhancement, along with consistently adhering to a fitness regimen set for the New Year, all rolled into one compact, car-derived pickup truck.

What Other Updates Have Been Made to the XRT?

We haven’t mentioned any significant suspension modifications because none were made; the XRT retains the same 8.6-inch ground clearance found in other models of the Santa Cruz. According to Hyundai, this specific trim boasts a distinctive front bumper which provides additional space for a better 19.9-degree approach angle instead of the usual 16.9 degrees seen on typical Santa Cruz vehicles. Additionally, it comes with the optional Surround View monitor system included as standard equipment. This feature allows drivers to identify nearby obstructions directly ahead when driving off-road or maneuvering into parking spaces through the central screen whenever necessary.

However, from the outset, the XRT treatment fails to measure up to the off-road enhancements provided by Ford for the Santa Cruz’s main rival.
the Maverick
Unlike the XRT, the Maverick Tremor has greater ground clearance and comes equipped with a torque-vectoring rear differential. Combined with its all-terrain tires and insights drawn from the impressively rugged Bronco Sport SUV, this configuration makes it a much more credible small off-road vehicle.

This doesn’t mean the XRT fails to improve when tested off-road, nor does it ignore the broader enhancements made throughout the entire Santa Cruz lineup for 2025. By purchasing an XRT, you gain access exclusively to one of the Santa Cruz models’ superior engine choices: a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with outputs of 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox along with a locking all-wheel-drive system.

The XRT unexpectedly doesn’t have specific off-road driving modes; instead, it uses the standard Normal, Sport, Smart, and Snow settings found on other Santa Cruz variants. However, it does include hill descent control, which can be activated along with operating the cameras and locking the central differential using a convenient button located behind the gearshift. Given that the primary drawback of the Hyundai was essentially limited to unpaved surfaces, the robust Continental tires installed on the XRT significantly enhance its capability when venturing off the beaten path.

Still Great to Drive

Joyfully, these tires perform admirably on the roads, which accounted for the majority of our driving experience. They are relatively silent, and we didn’t detect any howling or humming sounds despite their robust tread pattern and side walls. What’s even more impressive is that they cushion bumpy road conditions with a gentle, pliable feel, smoothing out expansion gaps, potholes, and fissured pavements that many of us face daily during our trips to work.

Hyundai has maintained the clean handling of the Santa Cruz, keeping its sharp cornering and minimal body lean consistent for the 2025 model. Driving it is quite enjoyable due to its perceived width—it feels broader than it actually is—and responsive steering. Although the brake pedal offers a gentle resistance at first, giving an impression of less immediate stopping power, this setup complements the throttle response effectively. This turbocharged engine delivers force progressively; you feel the surge build gradually as the RPM climbs and the turbo engages.

If you aren’t committed to full-throttle blasts, the engine’s behavior can border on surging, but the power is definitely satisfying, even if it lands after some lag. We do wish this four-cylinder sounded better; perhaps because it’s so large (2.5 liters), it’s a little growly.

A Solid Package

It will be intriguing to compare the updated Santa Cruz with the similarly revamped 2025 Ford Maverick, as both receive enhancements.
a sportier Lobo model
And it still offers an off-road version called the Tremor that competes with the XRT. However, none of these modifications change the core aspects, which means the Hyundai continues to be a bit more comfortable as a truck compared to the Ford. Its backseat provides more legroom, even though its cargo area might not be as practical. Nonetheless, it comes equipped with a lockable watertight “trunk” located under the floor and features a rolling hard tonneau cover.

Hyundai also uses higher-quality materials for the interior of the Santa Cruz, and the new display screens are much sharper compared to those found in the Ford models. Similar to other recently released Hyundais equipped with the dual 12.3-inch dashboard configuration, the Santa Cruz offers quick responsiveness, user-friendly interfaces, and sufficient customization options without becoming too complex.

To put it differently, the Hyundai Santa Cruz remains the more sophisticated option among the pair of compact trucks, whereas the Ford places greater emphasis on its business-oriented features and cost-effectiveness.

If you believe that having pool attendants, handymen, and exterminators use your small pickup truck for their work defines a true truck, then nothing will persuade you that the Hyundai measures up. However, the XRT shifts theSanta Cruz slightly towards being considered a genuine tough truck without sacrificing thecar-like attributes we appreciate so much.

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