You might have heard by now that the Hyundai Santa Cruz is on its way out the door. I was a little bummed to hear the news, just because we can use all the cars (and miniature trucklets) we can get with an ounce of character. It simply couldn’t compete with the Ford Maverick when it came to sales, and while there are likely a few reasons why, Hyundai itself seems to understand at least one: People want small hybrid trucks. Problem is, the Santa Cruz has only ever been gas-powered.
The Drive spoke with Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president of product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America, at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show. (Keep in mind this was back in November, two months before word got out that the Santa Cruz is being discontinued.) During a discussion about trucks, Boyle insisted that they can’t work unless they’re a do-it-all solution for people. “When we can get the formula to work such that you don’t have to compromise on some of the utilitarian things you have to do with a truck, there might be an opportunity,” Boyle explained. This tracks with all the recent headlines about Hyundai developing a body-on-frame platform.
“I think, though, in those smaller trucks, where it seems to be what really works is hybrid,” Boyle continued.
Bingo.
That’s certainly one area where the Ford Maverick pulls ahead of the Santa Cruz. Electrification is what helps the Blue Oval pickup manage 38 miles per gallon combined when spec’d with the hybrid and front-wheel drive. Meanwhile, the Santa Cruz can only muster 25 mpg combined out of its naturally aspirated 2.5-liter. Anybody who wants a smaller truck cares how well it does on gas, and the Hyundai could simply never compete.
That begs the question, then: Why was the Santa Cruz never electrified, especially since the Tucson crossover that rides on the same platform has a 35-mpg hybrid powertrain option? I don’t know the answer. Maybe the packaging isn’t a great fit, though that’s only speculation, and Hyundai doesn’t need my help justifying the decision. Surely that could have been addressed with a refresh or a next-gen model, though it all seems a bit too late for that.
We’ll see what the next few years holds for Hyundai. I reckon more people will be interested in a body-on-frame model if the automaker can really nail it. Who knows—it could bring about a whole family of XRT off-roaders, with pickups and SUVs alike. I’d be curious to see that.
Got a tip or question about the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com