2021 GMC Canyon vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

Mid-size pickup trucks are in a funny place. Despite being smaller and less capable than their full-size counterparts, they often command prices that are nearly as high. This is a tough spot from a value standpoint, making them more lifestyle vehicles than work trucks. For many truck owners, a full-size pickup is more truck than they need. If you’re longing for the biggie-biggie styling of a full-size truck, the refreshed 2021 GMC Canyon has you covered.

The Canyon has a new look and a new, capable AT4 trim, but still shows signs of aging. Were half of its competitors not in the same boat, this would be a bigger issue. Plus, the Canyon offers some helpful features to make it a fun vehicle for the weekend adventure or project. As long as bang-for-buck is not top-of-mind, the Canyon is a capable, enjoyable pickup.

Being a newbie in a given field means having to catch up to established leaders, but it can also bring a different perspective. Hyundai has never sold a pickup truck in the United States, and its first effort is unlike anything else on the market.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the first truly compact pickup to be sold in the U.S. in over a decade, and unlike conventional body-on-frame pickups, it features car-like unibody construction. This packaging sacrifices some capability, but that’s beside the point. Hyundai didn’t design the Santa Cruz to compete directly with conventional trucks. It doesn’t even call the Santa Cruz a pickup; it prefers the term “sport adventure vehicle.”

While it may win over some truck buyers who want a pickup that’s easier to park, the new Santa Cruz will appeal mainly to new-car buyers who want to replace a sedan or crossover SUV with something a bit more rugged.

To figure out where the Santa Cruz fits into the current automotive landscape, we spent a day driving it around on roads in and around its namesake California city. The test units were in U.S. specification. In Canada, Hyundai also offers Preferred, Preferred with the Trend Package, and Ultimate trim levels. We sampled the U.S. equivalent of the range-topping Santa Cruz Ultimate model for this test drive.