2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. 2021 Ford Ranger

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz ・ Photo by Hyundai

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is an all-new vehicle in the Hyundai lineup. They call it a Sport Adventure Vehicle for its unique design. It has the comfortable, passenger-centric interior of an SUV with a small bed on the back that adds the capability of a pickup truck.

The 2021 Ford Ranger is a compact pickup truck with a range of three trims. It’s focused on providing the versatility of a truck to manage a payload and tow a trailer with smaller dimensions than a full-size truck. Let’s take a closer look at the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz and the 2021 Ford Ranger to see which is the better option.

A Variety of Trims

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is available in a range of four trims with one bed and one cab style. The base SE and SEL have front-wheel or all-wheel drive and a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The SEL Premium and Limited are all-wheel drive only. They’re powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Pricing ranges from $23,990 to $39,720.

The 2021 Ford Ranger has three trims with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive, two cabs, and two beds. That narrow trim lineup includes a new Tremor package that adds off-road capability. The full line-up is powered by a 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine with pricing from $25,070 to $33,160. The Ranger has a wider range of configurations.

: Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford

Multiple Engines With Varying Horsepower

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque in its two base trims. Top trim levels get a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Both are paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Ford Ranger is powered solely by a 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine with 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission. That’s significantly more than the base engine in the Santa Cruz and only slightly less than the optional engine, which gives the Ranger the win.

: Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford

Budget-Friendly Fuel Economy

The EPA estimates that the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz will get up to 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway equipped with front-wheel drive. Equipped with all-wheel drive, it gets 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway with the base engine or 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg highway with the more powerful turbocharged engine.

The 2021 Ford Ranger gets 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway with rear-wheel drive or 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with four-wheel drive. Adding the Tremor package drops both numbers down to 19 mpg. The Santa Cruz comes out ahead.

: Hyundai Santa Cruz

Photo by Hyundai

A Comfortable and Quiet Ride

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has a well-mannered ride that easily hides uneven road surfaces. Passengers won’t even notice when you manage to hit a pothole thanks to its robust suspension system. It might look like a truck, but it rides more like an SUV.

The 2021 Ford Ranger has a smooth ride, but it’s not as comfortable as the Santa Cruz. Rough pavement and potholes make themselves known, and there’s more wind and road noise. The ride is also less well-mannered on the highway with more bounce and sway than the Santa Cruz.

: Hyundai Santa Cruz

Photo by Hyundai

Varying Off-Road Capabilities

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz offers front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Its top two trims are all-wheel drive only. This gives the Santa Cruz the ability to manage poor road conditions and makes it capable for off-road driving, but it’s not a heavy-duty off-roader.

The Ford Ranger offers rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive on all three of its trims. It also has a range of off-road features including an electronic locking rear differential, off-road tuned shocks, skid plates, and an off-road suspension system. This makes it a much more capable choice for off-road driving.

: Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford

Comfortable Interiors, Quality Materials

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has as roomy interior that lets passengers enjoy the trip. Standard features are basic with a 6-way manual driver’s seat, cloth seats, and a tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Options add comfort with dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-way power driver’s seat, and heated and ventilated leather seats.

The 2021 Ford Ranger also has a minimalist interior in its base trim. It includes manual air conditioning, an 8-way manual driver’s seat, and cloth seats. Options add dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-way power driver’s seat, leather seats with suede inserts, and heated front seats. Features are comparable, but the Santa Cruz has higher-quality trims that create a more welcoming and relaxing space.

: Hyundai Santa Cruz

Photo by Hyundai

Towing Ability

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is part truck and part SUV, so it doesn’t have the cargo capability of the Ranger. It can manage a payload of up to 1,906 pounds and has a maximum tow rating of up to 5,000 pounds with the turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive when properly equipped.

The 2021 Ford Ranger can manage a payload of up to 1,860 pounds. When it comes to towing, it’s rated at up to 7,500 pounds when properly equipped. It has only a slightly reduced payload rating, but does far better when it comes to towing, which gives the Ranger the win.

: Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford

A Larger Touchscreen That's Easier to Use

Standard infotainment in the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 6-speaker audio, and dual front USB outlets. A 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation, dual rear USB ports, and a Bose premium audio system are available on top trims.

The 2021 Ford Ranger has a 3.5-inch infotainment screen on its base trim, 4-speaker audio system, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity. The XLT and Lariat add an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Ford SYNC3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 6-speaker audio system. The biggest screen available on the Ranger is the smallest you can get on the Santa Cruz.

: Hyundai Santa Cruz

Photo by Hyundai

Safety Features

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has standard forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, leading vehicle departure alert, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, and rear occupant alert. Blind-spot collision avoidance assist and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist are available as options.

The 2021 Ford Ranger has standard blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert and trailer tow monitoring, lane-keeping aid and lane keeping alert, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, and forward collision. There’s more standard safety on the Ranger, giving it the win.

: Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford

And the Winner Is…

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has a larger infotainment touchscreen and a more comfortable, attractive interior. It also has a smoother ride and great fuel economy to help you stay on budget. It also has more trims and two engines.

The 2021 Ford Ranger delivers traditional truck capability in a range of three trims. There’s a wide range of standard safety features and a choice of rear-wheel or four-wheel drive across the lineup. It’s ready to go off-road, and it’s capable of carrying payloads and towing with high maximum ratings. Its capability and versatility for cargo help it earn the win.

: 2021 Ford Ranger

Photo by Ford