2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 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. Its SUV-like appearance with a bed, toothy grille, and blended headlights made it stand out on the road. The interior, though conventional, was honest in design, with materials appropriate for its price range and mission as a rugged adventure vehicle.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 had a design that could be polarizing. While some Chevy trucks had timeless designs, the current generation's small headlights and aggressive styling might have seemed overcompensating to some. However, it aligned with Chevrolet's current vehicle portfolio. Various appearance packages like the Rally Edition, Midnight Edition, and Redline Edition added visual flair. The cabin was more functional, with controls placed conveniently. The interior layout varied by trim, with the WT and Custom trims retaining the pre-2022 facelift design, featuring a smaller screen and more hard controls. Higher trims boasted a modern dash with a large touchscreen. The WT trim included vinyl upholstery, a bench front seat, and a 7-inch touchscreen, while the Custom trim added cloth upholstery, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and more features. The LT trim introduced a high-tech infotainment system and modern dash layout, with the LTZ trim offering the best value in terms of creature comforts. The High Country trim was a luxury-level pickup with premium features.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and 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 lb-ft of torque. The naturally aspirated version offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD), whereas the turbocharged engine was AWD only. The Santa Cruz's multi-link suspension made it fun to drive in corners, and the self-leveling feature accounted for a loaded bed. The ride quality was impressive, even on 20-inch wheels, and cabin noise was low. The turbo engine provided ample thrust, though towing and the base engine's performance were not tested. The Santa Cruz had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the base engine and 5,000 pounds with the turbo engine, and a maximum payload capacity of 1,906 pounds. Its off-road capability was limited, with 8.6 inches of ground clearance and no low range or locking differentials.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered a range of engines, starting with a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder producing 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. Optional V8 engines included a 5.3-liter with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, and a 6.2-liter with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft. A six-cylinder Duramax turbodiesel engine was also available, making 305 hp and 495 lb-ft. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) was standard, with 4WD optional. The base engine used an eight-speed automatic transmission, while other engines used a 10-speed automatic. The Silverado 1500 could tow up to 13,300 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8 and Max Towing package, and the smaller V8 could tow up to 11,000 pounds. The maximum payload capacity was 2,260 pounds for the base four-cylinder with RWD. The turbo-four engine provided good pickup, though it sounded harsh. The V8 engines were energetic, with the 6.2-liter offering ample power. The 10-speed automatic transmission was refined. The Silverado handled well for its size, though the ride quality was not as smooth as the Ram 1500. It excelled off-road, especially in Trail Boss and ZR2 trims, with the ZR2 Bison adding heavy-duty skid plates and steel-stamped bumpers.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz had a small truck bed, measuring 52.1 inches long, limiting its utility. Typical cargo like bicycles or a 4x8 sheet of plywood wouldn't fit completely in the bed. Hyundai suggested strapping bikes with a wheel hanging over the edge or carrying plywood with the tailgate down. However, the Santa Cruz included features like a standard lockable tonneau cover, height-adjustable tailgate, tie-down points, in-bed LED lighting, and a 115-volt power outlet. Indents allowed for creating a shelf, and there were storage compartments under the bed and rear seats. Corner steps made bed access easier. 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 center console had decent storage space, and controls for optional heated and ventilated seats were well-placed. However, touch pads for audio volume and climate control were harder to use while driving.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 offered various body styles, including a regular cab with a standard or long bed, double cab with a standard bed, and crew cab with a short or standard bed. The short bed was 5 feet 8 inches long, the standard bed was 6 feet 6 inches, and the long bed was 8 feet. The regular cab, tied to work-based trims like the WT and Custom, had a front bench seat for up to three passengers, with a fold-down center seat back doubling as a center console. The double cab had conventional car doors for easy rear seat access, with plenty of rear headroom but limited legroom. The full four-door crew cab was incredibly spacious, with ample headroom and legroom in both rows. The rear bench folded upward for in-cabin cargo space, useful for valuable items or protection from the elements.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz featured a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims offered a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The digital cluster could display blind spot 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 worked with Android phones, were also available.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500's base infotainment setup included a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The WT and Custom trims retained the pre-facelift interior and touchscreen, which were straightforward and easy to use. Higher trims featured a modern dash layout with a 13.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. The screen was vivid and responsive, and these models also had a fully digital instrument panel. The Custom trim added a Wi-Fi hot spot, while the LTZ trim included wireless device charging and additional USB ports. The higher trims catered to those who preferred modern infotainment systems, while the WT and Custom trims offered simplicity.

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, it offered standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trims 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. Hyundai’s system performed comparably to others at this price point, handling highway driving adequately but struggling with gentle curves.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 came equipped with standard advanced driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and lane-departure warning. It also featured the Teen Driver system, allowing speed and volume limitations for a second set of keys. The LTZ trim added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view camera system, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and front and rear parking sensors. Other available safety tech included adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, a rear-camera mirror, and GM’s Super Cruise highway driving system. The NHTSA gave the Silverado 1500 an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, and the IIHS gave it fairly high crash test scores.