2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2021 Toyota Tundra

The 2021 Toyota Tundra had a somewhat awkward appearance compared to other new trucks. Developed in the mid-2000s and released for the 2007 model year, it embodied the “biggie-biggie” design language that became prevalent in the truck segment. The Tundra featured a massive grille paired with disproportionately small headlights, resulting in an oversized look. The “Cement” paint color, blacked-out wheels, and badging gave it a more modern appearance despite its dated underpinnings. Inside, the cabin was dominated by hard plastics and large monotone panels, reflecting mid-2010s truck cabin styling. However, the layout was user-friendly, with all buttons and dials within easy reach. The infotainment system, updated in 2020, included a standard 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa, making it more contemporary where it counted.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, with its smaller footprint, resembled the mini trucks of the 1970s to 1990s but with a modern twist. Its unibody construction and unorthodox styling made it more akin to the Subaru Baja or a smaller Honda Ridgeline. Measuring 195.7 inches long, 75.0 inches wide, and 66.7 inches tall, it was over a foot shorter than a Toyota Tacoma but nearly as wide. The Santa Cruz’s design, featuring a toothy grille and blended headlights, stood out on the road. The interior was more conventional, with an honest design that avoided faux ruggedness. The materials, while not fancy, were appropriate for its price range and mission as a rugged “adventure vehicle.” The air vents integrated with a ring of trim encircling the dashboard added a nice touch.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra came standard with a 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 391 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual tap-shift function. The Tundra offered rear-wheel drive as standard, with an optional four-wheel drive with low range. It had a towing capacity of 10,200 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,730 pounds. The V8 provided strong acceleration at both low and high speeds, and the six-speed automatic was responsive. The Tundra was comfortable over various surfaces, soaking up bumps while maintaining stability in corners. The steering was vague at low speeds but settled in on the highway, making it ideal for cruising.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The base engine produced 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while the optional turbocharged engine delivered 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The naturally aspirated version came with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD), while the turbocharged engine was AWD only. The Santa Cruz’s multi-link suspension made it fun to drive in corners, and the ride quality was impressive even on 20-inch wheels. The turbo engine provided ample thrust, though the base engine’s performance was not tested. The Santa Cruz had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the base engine and 5,000 pounds with the turbo engine, and a payload capacity of 1,906 pounds.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra offered two cab sizes and three bed sizes. The Double Cab had conventionally-opening rear doors and was available with a 6.5-foot or 8.1-foot bed. The CrewMax, a full four-door crew cab, came with a 5.5-foot bed. The CrewMax provided ample legroom for rear-seat passengers, and the rear seats folded up for additional cargo space. The front seats had plenty of room, and the center console was massive, with multiple cup holders and storage compartments. The optional in-bed storage lockers, while not as useful as the RamBox system, provided some secure storage. The optional power rear window was a standout feature, offering clean lines of sight and the ability to load longer items.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz had a small truck bed, measuring 52.1 inches long, limiting its utility for typical cargo like bicycles or plywood. However, Hyundai included features to maximize the available space, such as a lockable tonneau cover, 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 and storage compartments under the bed and rear seats. 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. The center console offered decent storage, and the controls for heated and ventilated seats were conveniently placed. However, touch pads for audio and climate control functions were harder to use while driving.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra’s infotainment system, updated in 2020, included a standard 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an available 8-inch touchscreen with navigation and Amazon Alexa. The touchscreen was user-friendly, with redundant hard buttons on either side. The Tundra also came with multiple USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, and a three-month trial of WiFi hotspot capability. The standard stereo had six speakers, upgraded to seven on the Double Cab and nine on the CrewMax. An available JBL premium audio system provided 12 speakers, including a subwoofer and amplifier.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came with a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring 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 from the optional surround-view camera system. Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics service included smartwatch and Google Assistant connectivity. The 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster in the Limited trim looked great and worked well, with 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.

The 2021 Toyota Tundra came standard with the Safety Sense P suite, including forward-collision warning and avoidance, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. Optional safety features included front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Tundra had eight airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, trailer sway control, and an integrated trailer brake controller.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, being a new model, did not have safety ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA. However, it 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.