2022 Toyota Tundra vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, with its smaller footprint compared to current midsize pickups, initially appeared reminiscent of the mini trucks from the 1970s to 1990s. However, its unibody construction and unique styling made it more akin to the Subaru Baja or a smaller Honda Ridgeline. Measuring 195.7 inches in length, 75.0 inches in width, and 66.7 inches in height, the Santa Cruz was over a foot shorter than a Toyota Tacoma but nearly as wide. Its 118.3-inch wheelbase was 9.1 inches shorter than the Tacoma’s. Despite being larger than the 2022 Hyundai Tucson compact crossover SUV, the Santa Cruz was not exactly tiny.

The Santa Cruz’s design leaned more towards an SUV with a bed rather than a traditional small pickup. Its toothy grille and blended headlights, similar to the Tucson, ensured it stood out on the road. The only nods to traditional truck styling were the “Santa Cruz” name stamped into the tailgate, some plastic body cladding, and a bit of chrome. Available with 20-inch wheels that filled the arches nicely, Hyundai also offered 18-inch wheels for off-roading. Inside, the design was more conventional, with materials appropriate for its price range and mission as a rugged “adventure vehicle.”

The 2022 Toyota Tundra, debuting its third generation, showcased a completely redesigned exterior with a dynamic, expressive look. It featured a large hexagonal grille with various trim-matched patterns and branding, including chrome, black, dark chrome, and gray-painted finishes. The top-of-the-line TRD Pro trim had “TOYOTA” spelled out in retro letters above an LED strip light. The TRD Pro also featured a technical camo pattern on the trim and seat covers. The body’s side styling was chiseled and muscular, with pronounced wheel arches and a neatly tucked-in rear with LED taillamps bracketing the tailgate.

Subtle exterior differences distinguished the trim levels, with off-road suspension models having a taller stance. Inside, the Tundra benefited from premium materials and amenities, including a 14-inch touchscreen display on upper grades. The interior design linked with the exterior, creating a cohesive vehicle design. The Tundra aimed to be a family’s everyday adventure vehicle, with shapes from the exterior repeating inside the cabin.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The base, naturally aspirated engine produced 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while an optional turbocharged engine delivered 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The naturally aspirated version offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD), whereas the turbocharged 2.5-liter was AWD only.

The Santa Cruz’s driving experience was far from truck-like. Its standard multi-link suspension made it genuinely fun in corners, and it included a self-leveling feature for a loaded bed. Even with 20-inch wheels, the ride quality was impressive, and cabin noise was relatively low. The turbo engine provided ample thrust when driving unloaded, though towing and testing the base engine were not part of the review. The Santa Cruz had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the naturally aspirated engine and 5,000 pounds with the turbo engine, along with a maximum payload capacity of 1,906 pounds. While it offered 8.6 inches of ground clearance and four driven wheels, it wasn’t ideal for serious off-roading due to the lack of low range, locking differentials, and underbody protection.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra introduced two new engines, moving away from the outgoing naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8. The base engine, the i-Force, was a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with direct gasoline injection, producing 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque (348/405 in SR). The i-Force Max, a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain, added an electric motor-generator to the twin-turbo V6, resulting in 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque. Both engines used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with RWD standard and 4WD available on all trim levels except TRD Pro, which had standard 4WD.

Toyota estimated the i-Force models with RWD would achieve 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway/20 mpg combined, and 4WD models would get 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway/19 mpg combined. The new twin-turbo V6 provided smooth and consistent power delivery, with no turbo lag or spikiness. The new chassis and suspension improved handling, with a front independent double-wishbone setup and a rear multi-link with outboard-mounted coil springs. Available adaptive variable suspension and load-leveling rear-height control further enhanced the ride quality. The Tundra’s off-road capability was demonstrated through a well-groomed off-road course, with the TRD Off-Road package upgrading the Tundra into an adventure vehicle.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz’s maximum payload capacity was impressive, but its small truck bed limited utility. At 52.1 inches long, it was much shorter than the short bed available on the Toyota Tacoma, making it difficult to fit typical cargo like bicycles or a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Hyundai suggested strapping bikes with a wheel hanging over the edge or carrying plywood with the tailgate down, but these solutions seemed suboptimal.

Hyundai included features to maximize the available space, such as a standard lockable tonneau cover, a height-adjustable tailgate, tie-down points, in-bed LED lighting, and a 115-volt power outlet. The bed also had indents for creating a shelf with wood planks, storage compartments under the bed and rear seats, and corner steps for easier access. The Santa Cruz was available only in a four-door crew-cab configuration with seating for five. Rear-seat legroom was tight, but front-seat space was more generous, and outward visibility was good for a pickup. The center console offered decent storage space, and controls for optional heated and ventilated seats were conveniently placed. However, touch pads for audio volume and climate control were harder to use while driving.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra came in Double Cab or CrewMax configurations, both with a five-passenger seating capacity. The Double Cab had 33.3 inches of rear seat legroom, while the CrewMax offered 41.6 inches of legroom for second-row passengers. Double Cab models had either a 6.5-foot or 8.1-foot bed, while CrewMax had a 5.5-foot or 6.5-foot bed. All Tundra models featured an aluminum-reinforced composite bed, saving weight over a steel bed while maintaining payload capacity (up to 1,980 pounds), resisting scratches and dents, and not requiring painting.

The Tundra’s towing capacity reached 12,000 pounds, with standard trailer sway control and TOW/HAUL mode. Trailer brake control was standard on all models except SR, and a new trailer backup guide system was available on higher trims. Inside, smart storage solutions included a sliding tray in the front center armrest and a 12-volt power tap in a small tray behind the touchscreen display. These features demonstrated Toyota’s buyer-focused thinking.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz featured a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trim levels offered a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The digital cluster could display images of blind spots from the optional surround-view camera system. Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics service included smartwatch and Google Assistant connectivity.

In the Santa Cruz Limited test vehicle, the 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster performed well, with the instrument cluster being glare-resistant and the touchscreen having quick boot-up and response times. Wireless device charging and Hyundai’s digital-key feature, which allowed the use of a smartphone instead of a key fob, were also available, though the digital key only worked with Android phones.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra introduced a new infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen audio system standard in SR and SR5 trim levels and a 14-inch touchscreen standard in Limited and above. A 12-speaker JBL premium audio system was available on Limited and standard on upper grades. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all models. Toyota Connected services, Safety Connect, Service Connect, WiFi Connect, and SiriusXM were standard with a trial period, and Drive Connect came with Audio Plus and Premium Audio packages. A Qi-compatible charge pad was available on Limited and standard on upper grades.

SR, SR5, and Limited models had a combination analog/digital instrument panel with a 4.2-inch color TFT multi-information display, while Limited hybrid models and upper trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. A 10.1-inch head-up display was available on 1794 and Platinum models. Off-roaders could benefit from the multi-terrain select system with crawl control and downhill assist control, available on 4x4 models, and the multi-terrain monitor system.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz had not yet been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, Hyundai offered standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trim levels included blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a surround-view camera system, and Highway Driving Assist, which combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra had not yet received crash-test safety ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA. Toyota equipped all Tundra models with standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5), which included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed range dynamic radar adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. The Star Safety System, with enhanced vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart-stop technology, was also standard. The Tundra had eight airbags, LATCH connectors on outboard second-row seats, child-protector rear door locks, a window-lockout control, tire-pressure monitor system, hill-start control, drive-start control, and driver and front passenger active headrests. Parking support brake with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, and blind-spot monitor was available on SR5 models and standard on higher trims.