Hyundai doesn’t claim the Santa Cruz is intended to carry big loads or do heavy work. At 196 inches from end to end, It’s smaller than most other pickups on the market, even relatively small ones like the Toyota Tacoma or the Honda Ridgeline. Instead, the all-wheel-drive Santa Cruz’s four foot long bed is intended to carry outdoor gear that owners wouldn’t want muddying up the inside of an SUV. In designing the Santa Cruz, emphasis was placed on occupant comfort and maneuverability, a Hyundai spokesman said.
Big pickups are the best-selling vehicles in America. The Ford F-series, for example, has been the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the US for more than 40 years. But comparing those F-150s, Rams and Silverados to the Santa Cruz is like comparing a Bengal tiger to the housecat on your sofa.