2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Gets Interior Upgrades, More Rugged XRT
Competes with: Ford Maverick, Honda Ridgeline
Looks like: A Tucson with a bed, now slightly more rugged
Powertrains: 191-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with eight-speed automatic transmission or 281-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder with eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Summer
The Hyundai Santa Cruz rolls into the 2025 model year with a facelift, a more rugged XRT off-road trim and significant interior updates. Most of these updates are shared with its Tucson compact SUV sibling and have already been seen on other new Hyundais — including the all-new Santa Fe. This isn’t a full redesign, however, so much of the Santa Cruz carries over despite the new looks.
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More Aggressive Up Front
Most of the styling differences occur up front, where every Santa Cruz gets a new grille, front bumper design, headlights and foglights. Hyundai says this gives the Santa Cruz “a more planted, robust stance.” Additional visual updates come in the form of new wheel designs.
While the rugged XRT variant was added to the Santa Cruz for the 2024 model year, for 2025, the trim becomes more like what we saw from the all-new Santa Fe, with actual all-terrain tires and an improved approach angle that should make it a bit more capable off-road. The XRT also gets trim-specific “wrench-inspired” 18-inch wheels, as well as a unique grille design and front and rear bumpers. Should you exceed its capabilities, it also gains front tow hooks that should aid in recovery situations.
Much Better Interior
Taking another page from the new Santa Fe, the Santa Cruz now comes standard with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity. A curved display incorporates an optional fully digital 12.3-inch instrument panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. As tech-forward as this new interior is, Hyundai is also stepping back in time and returning to physical controls below the touchscreen for things like audio, climate and navigation. Additional updates include an added storage shelf above the glove box, a new steering-wheel design and redesigned air vents.
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Same Great Powertrains
The 2025 Santa Cruz’s standard powerplant is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 191 horsepower and 181 pounds-feet of torque; it’s mated to a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain can be paired with standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive.
An optional turbocharged version of that 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes 281 hp and 311 pounds-feet and pairs to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; it was only available with AWD for 2024. The turbo powertrain also comes with a new tow mode that allows for a 5,000-pound towing capacity (the normally aspirated 2.5-liter can tow up to 3,500 pounds).
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Pricing and Availability
Hyundai says the refreshed 2025 Santa Cruz should arrive in dealerships in the summer; pricing should be announced closer to its on-sale date.
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