The Sundarban
Original automobiles own gotten seriously pricey, and by 2026, discovering one thing beneath $20,000 is basically a ingredient of the previous. A gargantuan explanation for that is simple—traders care for flocking to SUVs and pickups, and other folks segments staunch care for getting greater and pricier.
At the same time, corpulent-size autos own grown so dapper and so loaded with features that a great deal of on each day foundation traders were priced staunch out. That’s the keep compact pickups step in, providing a more approachable way into truck possession without the oversized tag.
You’re usually urged to now not predict a lot ought to you store on a budget, especially through internal quality and tech. But some affordable pickups are starting to bend that rule, turning in a level of polish that feels way above their pay grade—and that’s exactly what we’re digging into here.
In pronounce to give you essentially the most up-to-date and accurate information that it is probably going you’ll be in a position to deem, the data feeble to assemble this text modified into as soon as sourced from Hyundai and Ford, as nicely as diversified authoritative sources, alongside with the EPA and TopSpeed.
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Why the Santa Cruz stands out from the group
A compact pickup that blends comfort, vogue, and price
Credit rating: Hyundai
Ethical now, there are really easiest two affordable pickups aimed at on each day foundation drivers—the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Ford Maverick.
Both were refreshed currently, but in imperfect rep, the Santa Cruz edges forward with a noticeably more top rate feel than the Ford.
A neat, original cabin that feels upscale
Credit rating: Hyundai
The Maverick feels appreciate it modified into as soon as designed before all the things as a work instrument, while the Santa Cruz leans more against a latest, daily life vibe.
Yes, it’s basically a Tucson with a truck bed, but that’s actually an accurate ingredient—it devices the tone for a more automobile-appreciate, jubilant expertise.
Even in imperfect SE aesthetic, you rep comfy-contact surfaces and stable leatherette, while the Maverick sticks principally to a lot plastics.
The Santa Cruz additionally pulls forward on tech, with Hyundai’s neat ccNC system and a 12.3-roam screen that blends nicely with the digital gauge cluster.
Credit rating: Hyundai
The Ford Maverick does device with an right corpulent-coloration eight-roam digital gauge cluster and a gargantuan 13-roam infotainment screen for SYNC4.
Step as a lot as the greater trims of the 2026 Santa Cruz, despite the truth that, and Hyundai pulls forward with a 12.3-roam corpulent-coloration digital gauge cluster and a more top rate internal.
Greater trims additionally raise extras appreciate cooled entrance seats, a Bose sound system, a sunroof, and even a retractable bed conceal.
The Maverick restful shines in functionality, thanks to intellectual storage and the Ford Integrated Tether Machine (FITS), which allows you to be succesful of add official or third-celebration equipment—and even rep your have—thanks to its originate, modular rep.
A compact SUV that moonlights as a pickup
Credit rating: Hyundai
The Hyundai Santa Cruz bought a mid-cycle facelift starting with the 2025 mannequin, giving it a somewhat sharper, more rugged peer.
It keeps the Tucson’s curvy silhouette but provides angular touches, alongside with customary LED headlights, hidden DRLs, and two-tone 18- or 20-roam wheels.
Step as a lot as the XRT aesthetic, and likewise you rep a tougher rep with all-terrain tires, while the rear—with its huge LED aid lights—could raise about a eyebrows.
Credit rating: Hyundai
Compared with the Maverick, the Santa Cruz surely stands out—but that fearless peer is additionally what any other folks fancy or hate.
The Maverick keeps things straightforward and neat, which could well charm to more traders, despite the truth that now we must confess the sporty Lobo variant looks attractive involving.
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Two ways to play: the Santa Cruz lineup defined
From on each day foundation comfort to rugged XRT, there’s a aesthetic for each driver
Credit rating: Hyundai
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz will get a small but vital powertrain update.
Before, the imperfect 2.5-liter feeble an eight-mosey automatic, while the turbo 2.5-liter had a dual-take hang of that could feel clunky at low speeds.
Now, the eight-mosey automatic is customary across the board, making day-to-day riding smoother and more predictable.
The keep look at meets the staunch deal
A 2.5-liter that hits the candy predicament
Credit rating: Hyundai
The Santa Cruz’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder pumps out 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, with entrance-wheel drive customary and all-wheel drive optionally available within the market.
In exact-world riding, it feels perfectly balanced—now not unhurried, now not overpowered—staunch staunch for day-to-day existence and light hauling.
This engine affords the Santa Cruz a 3,500-pound towing ability, alongside with a mixed gasoline economic system of 25 mpg for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD.
Credit rating: Hyundai
While you’re evaluating it to the Maverick, the closest rival is the 2.5-liter hybrid with a planetary equipment e-CVT.
The e-CVT isn’t as soft or linear because the Santa Cruz’s eight-mosey automatic, but it completely makes up for it with insane gasoline economic system.
The 2025 Maverick will get 38 mpg mixed (39 for FWD, 38 for AWD), merely about matching a hybrid compact sedan, and the 2026 mannequin is anticipated to be a related.
The turbo 2.5-liter that provides some punch
Credit rating: Hyundai
The XRT and Cramped trims device customary with the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, packing 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.
This engine is nicely definitely price the upcharge, turning in packed with life efficiency and a greater 5,000-pound towing ability—more than the Maverick’s 4,000-pound 2.0-liter turbo EcoBoost.
