2023 Chevrolet Colorado 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 a modern Subaru Baja or a compact 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 integrated headlights, similar to the Tucson, ensured it stood out on the road. The only nods to conventional 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 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss, with its factory suspension lift, box-flared fenders, deeply sculpted hood, and blacked-out look, exuded the aura of a rugged off-roader. The new Colorado’s styling was well-executed, offering a balanced stance and expressive detailing without going overboard. The interior, with hints of Camaro in the dashboard toggle switches and round outboard air vents, maintained a cohesive look. However, the base Work Truck (WT) and Trail Boss trims had a gray front fascia and a cheap interior that dampened enthusiasm. The Trail Boss did feature a purposeful front skid plate, but the interior’s plastic-heavy design lacked color contrast.

The Colorado offered two-wheel drive (2WD) in WT and LT trims, with four-wheel drive (4WD) optional on these and standard on the Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2. The Trail Boss and ZR2 trims also featured more powerful versions of the 2.7-liter turbocharged engine. Prices ranged from $30,695 to $48,295, including the $1,495 destination charge. Our Trail Boss test truck, with several options including a spray-on bedliner and the Advanced Trailering Package, had an MSRP of $42,150.

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 enjoyable 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 minimal. The turbo engine provided ample thrust when driving unloaded, though towing and testing the base engine were not part of our experience. 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. Its 8.6 inches of ground clearance and AWD system offered respectable off-road capability, though it lacked low range and locking differentials.

The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado featured a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine across all trims. In WT and LT trims, it produced 237 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque from 1,200 rpm to 4,000 rpm. The Trail Boss and Z71 trims offered 310 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 391 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm, while the ZR2 matched the 310-hp rating but boasted 430 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission was standard.

The Trail Boss and ZR2 trims included a 2-inch and 3-inch suspension lift, respectively, with a wider front track. The ZR2 also featured exclusive Multimatic DSSV dampers for superior off-road performance. Trail Boss and Z71 models had all-terrain tires, while the ZR2 came with mud-terrain tires. Chevrolet provided up to five driving modes, including Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road, Terrain, and Baja (exclusive to the ZR2). Hill descent control was standard starting with the Trail Boss trim.

Our Trail Boss test truck handled off-road terrain well, with minimal rear-wheel slip and impressive ground clearance of 9.5 inches. On pavement, the Colorado was remarkably quiet, and its robust suspension handled rough surfaces with ease. The powertrain provided swift acceleration, though it didn’t feel as zesty as some competitors. The official EPA fuel economy rating for the Trail Boss was 19 mpg, but we averaged 17 mpg during testing.

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 challenging 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, 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, and outward visibility was good.

The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss offered comfortable seating for four people, with the option to squeeze a fifth passenger into the middle of the back seat. Our test truck had standard cloth upholstery, which attracted pet hair, and an eight-way power driver’s seat with adjustable lumbar support. The front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster, but this wasn’t an issue for shorter people.

The Colorado’s power driver’s seat was comfortable, though wider people might feel pinched at the hips. The back seat provided enough room for six-footers, with good thigh support and rear air conditioning vents in all trims except the WT. The air conditioning system cooled the cab quickly, even in hot weather. Soft-touch surfaces were limited to the door panel armrests and center armrests.

Storage space was lacking, with small trays and bottle holders in the door panels, a useful tray ahead of the transmission shifter, and a generous glove compartment. The cargo bed measured 41.9 cubic feet and just over five feet in length (61.7 inches). The Convenience Package II included an EZ-Lift and Lower tailgate with Chevy’s new StowFlex storage panel, providing a 45-inch wide and 4-inch deep compartment. The Mid-Position tailgate feature allowed for carrying long items with the tailgate partially raised.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including 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 our Santa Cruz Limited test vehicle, the 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster looked great and worked well. The instrument cluster was impervious to glare, and the touchscreen had nice-looking graphics and quick response times. Wireless device charging and Hyundai’s digital-key feature, which allowed using a smartphone instead of a key fob, were also available.

The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado featured digital instrumentation and an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in technology. Even the base WT trim included these features. The instrumentation displayed on an 8-inch screen, except in the ZR2, which had an 11-inch screen. The Google-based tech added natural voice recognition, updated navigation, and access to various apps. The infotainment system supported Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, OnStar, Chevrolet connected services, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Wireless charging was available, and the standard six-speaker stereo was decent. The ZR2 had a seven-speaker Bose audio system. The infotainment system also provided real-time off-roading data. However, the Google Assistant required some acclimation, as it produced unexpected responses and a more rigid user experience compared to the previous Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System.

The 2023 Colorado also included added trailer-towing technology, such as high-definition cameras for easier hitching and a surround view of the truck and underbody views when off-roading.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, being a new model, did not have safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or 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 2023 Chevrolet Colorado had an impressive list of standard and available safety features. OnStar provided SOS emergency calling and automatic crash notification. A Teen Driver system gave parents a report card on young drivers, and a Buckle to Drive function prevented the truck from moving if occupants weren’t buckled up.

Chevy Safety Assist, the standard collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), included forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Optional ADAS included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with active steering assist, rear cross-traffic and pedestrian alert with automatic braking, and rear parking sensors.

Our test truck’s forward-collision warning system produced numerous false alerts, which could be mitigated by adjusting the gap setting. However, the system still produced too many false alerts, which could be frustrating for drivers.