Nissan Titan vs Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, with its compact dimensions, evoked memories of the mini trucks from the 1970s to 1990s. However, its unibody construction and unique styling positioned it more as a modern iteration of 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 notably shorter than a Toyota Tacoma but nearly as wide. Its wheelbase of 118.3 inches was also shorter than the Tacoma's, yet it was slightly larger than the 2022 Hyundai Tucson compact crossover SUV. The Santa Cruz's design resembled an SUV with a bed, featuring a distinctive grille and integrated headlights akin to the Tucson, ensuring it stood out on the road. The interior, while more conventional, offered a straightforward design with materials that matched its price range and rugged adventure vehicle persona.

In contrast, the 2022 Nissan Titan presented a rugged yet elegant exterior with strong lines and an expressive front. Despite being a relative newcomer among full-size trucks, the Titan's design was on par with its competitors, offering an assertive stance and excellent fit and finish. Inside, the Titan continued its clean and uncluttered theme, boasting excellent material selection and build quality. The cabin was spacious, with many cup and bottle holders, and our test vehicle featured an optional moonroof package that enhanced the sense of roominess. The Titan's interior was designed for comfort and practicality, making it a suitable choice for daily driving or family use.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The base engine delivered 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while an optional turbocharged version offered 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The naturally aspirated engine came with standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive, whereas the turbocharged variant was all-wheel drive only. The Santa Cruz's driving experience was more akin to a car than a truck, with a standard multi-link suspension that provided enjoyable handling and a self-leveling feature for a loaded bed. The turbo engine offered ample power, although towing capabilities 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, along with a payload capacity of 1,906 pounds.

The 2022 Nissan Titan, on the other hand, featured a robust 5.6-liter gasoline V8 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive was standard on most models, with four-wheel drive available on others and standard on the Pro-4X off-road model. The Titan's fuel economy was estimated at 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway for rear-wheel-drive models, with slight variations for four-wheel-drive and Pro-4X models. The Titan's fully boxed ladder frame, independent double-wishbone front suspension, and leaf springs in the rear contributed to its solid performance. The Pro-4X model, with its off-road features, offered nearly 10 inches of ground clearance and a smooth ride on pavement. The Titan's towing capacity reached 9,310 pounds, with a payload capacity of 1,710 pounds, making it a strong contender for those needing substantial towing and hauling capabilities.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a maximum payload capacity of 1,906 pounds, but its 52.1-inch-long truck bed limited its utility. While Hyundai provided features like a lockable tonneau cover, adjustable tailgate, and in-bed storage compartments, the bed's size restricted carrying larger items like bicycles or plywood. 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 visibility was good. The interior included storage space in the center console and under the rear seats, with controls for heated and ventilated seats conveniently placed on the center console.

The 2022 Nissan Titan came in King Cab and Crew Cab body styles, both with two rows of seating. The King Cab featured rear-hinged clamshell doors and a 60/40-split bench seat with limited legroom, while the Crew Cab offered a more spacious second row with 38.5 inches of legroom. The Titan's bed length varied between the two body styles, with the King Cab offering a 78.7-inch bed and the Crew Cab a 67-inch bed. The Titan's interior was designed for practicality, with features like a flat-floor function, tie-down hooks, and storage boxes. The tailgate was well-balanced and easy to operate, although it lacked some of the advanced features found in competitors.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims offered a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a digital instrument cluster. The digital cluster displayed blind-spot images from the optional surround-view camera system. Hyundai's Blue Link telematics service provided smartwatch and Google Assistant connectivity. The touchscreen and digital cluster in the Limited trim were responsive and visually appealing, with features like a radio-station display with vintage-style graphics. Wireless device charging and a digital-key feature were also available, although the latter was limited to Android phones.

The 2022 Nissan Titan featured an 8-inch center display screen as standard, with a 9-inch touchscreen interface available as an upgrade. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a WiFi hotspot that could accommodate up to seven devices. The standard audio system included SiriusXM satellite radio capability and six speakers, while a Fender-branded 12-speaker system was available on higher trims. NissanConnect with navigation was available on SV models and standard on Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve trims, offering features like door-to-door navigation and over-the-air map updates. The Titan's infotainment system provided a comprehensive suite of connectivity and entertainment options.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, being a new model, did not have safety ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA at the time. However, it offered standard safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trims included additional features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera system. Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist, combining adaptive cruise control with lane centering, was available but had limitations in handling highway curves.

The 2022 Nissan Titan came with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning. The Titan also featured intelligent forward collision warning and eight airbags. The Titan received top "Good" ratings from the IIHS in most crash tests, with "Superior" ratings for front crash prevention. However, the standard halogen headlights on lower trims received a "Poor" rating. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 model, but the 2020 model received four out of five stars for overall safety.