2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2023 Ford F-150

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.

This year, Ford expands the F-150 lineup yet again. The big news is the debut of the F-150 Raptor R, equipped with a supercharged 5.2-litre V8 engine making 700 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. The new 2023 F-150 Raptor R also has exclusive R-tuned Fox live-valve shocks, standard 37-inch all-terrain tires, and a few other goodies to justify its presumably six-figure price tag (Canadian pricing has not been announced as of publication time).

The other new version of the 2023 Ford F-150 is more accessible: the XLT Heritage Edition. It has two-tone paint, unique cloth seat inserts, and exclusive 75 Years interior details. That’s the subject of this review.