2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2023 GMC Canyon

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, with its unibody construction and unique styling, was reminiscent of the Subaru Baja or a smaller Honda Ridgeline rather than traditional mini trucks. Measuring 195.7 inches in length, 75.0 inches in width, and 66.7 inches in height, it 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 its compact size, the Santa Cruz was slightly larger than the 2022 Hyundai Tucson compact crossover SUV, making it stand out on the road with its SUV-like appearance, toothy grille, and blended headlights.

The 2023 GMC Canyon, on the other hand, exuded a tough and aggressive look with its scrunched-up headlights and broad grille. Sharing most dimensions with the redesigned Chevy Colorado, the Canyon featured a longer wheelbase and an "Ultra Wide Track" stance. The Elevation, AT4, and Denali models had a two-inch lift for 9.6 inches of ground clearance, while the AT4X boasted a three-inch lift for 10.7 inches of ground clearance. The Canyon Denali added a touch of luxury with chrome accents and 20-inch wheels, while the AT4X Edition 1 model included off-road enhancements like a front safari bar, light bar, and winch.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came with 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 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 provided a fun driving experience, and the turbo engine offered ample thrust. However, its off-road capabilities were limited with 8.6 inches of ground clearance and no low range or locking differentials. The Santa Cruz had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the base engine and 5,000 pounds with the turbo engine, along with a maximum payload capacity of 1,906 pounds.

The 2023 GMC Canyon featured a single powertrain option: a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) was available only on the base Elevation trim, while four-wheel drive (4WD) was optional on the Elevation and standard on the Denali. The AT4 model included a two-speed transfer case, and the AT4X added front and rear electronic lockers, skid plates, and 33-inch mud terrain tires. The Canyon offered a good balance of on-road comfort and off-road capability, with the AT4X excelling in off-road conditions. The Canyon had a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds for most trims and 6,000 pounds for the AT4X, with a maximum payload capacity of 1,640 pounds for RWD Elevation models.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz's small truck bed, measuring 52.1 inches in length, limited its utility for carrying larger items like bicycles or plywood. However, Hyundai included features like a lockable tonneau cover, height-adjustable tailgate, tie-down points, in-bed LED lighting, and a 115-volt power outlet to maximize the available space. The Santa Cruz was available only in a four-door crew-cab configuration with seating for five, offering limited rear-seat legroom but decent front-seat space and good outward visibility. Storage options included a center console, under-seat storage bins, and controls for heated and ventilated seats on the center console.

The 2023 GMC Canyon was available only in a crew cab configuration with a 5.2-foot bed, comparable to other midsize trucks. The crew cab offered ample interior space, with more first-row legroom than most midsize models and competitive second-row legroom. The Canyon introduced the MultiStow tailgate with a waterproof storage compartment, although it lacked a telescoping steering wheel and power-adjustable front seats. The Canyon's towing capacity matched the previous diesel model at 7,700 pounds for most trims, with a maximum payload capacity of 1,640 pounds for RWD Elevation models.

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 were user-friendly, with quick response times and clear graphics. Wireless device charging and Hyundai’s digital-key feature were also available.

The 2023 GMC Canyon came with an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. All trims included a digital instrument cluster, with an 8-inch display on Elevation and AT4 models and an 11-inch display on Denali and AT4X models. The Denali and AT4X also featured a 6.3-inch head-up display and wireless phone charging. The infotainment system included Google Built-In functionality, with Google Maps as the default navigation system. The Off-Road Performance Display menu provided readouts for off-road conditions, and the surround-view camera system included an underbody camera for off-roading.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trims offered 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 GMC Canyon also lacked crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA at the time of publication. The standard Canyon Pro Safety Package included automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, cyclist detection, automatic high beams, a following distance indicator, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and forward collision warning. The optional Safety Plus Package added rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, blind-zone steering assist, and rear park assist. The Technology Package included adaptive cruise control, rear pedestrian alert, and a surround-view camera system. These features were standard on the Denali and AT4X trims, along with a Safety Alert Seat.