2023 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
$24,440MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
$37,100MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
$24,440MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
$37,100MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
Overview

MSRP

$24,440

MSRP

$37,100

Average price

$36,526

Average price

$62,722

Listings

58

Listings

240
Ratings & Reviews
User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

8.0 out of 10

Expert reviews

7.8 out of 10
Pros
  • Tons of cabin space
  • Lively diesel engine
  • Versatile features
Cons
  • Too much tech for a truck
  • Cabin quality still trails competition
  • City parking a challenge without tech aids

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Reviews Summary

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.

2023 GMC Sierra 1500 Reviews Summary

Take a step back and think about a full-size truck from the early 2000s. The nicest creature comforts included leather upholstery, an upgraded stereo, and, if you were lucky, heated seats. Today, nearly every luxury-car feature has found its way into high-end pickups. We’ve blown past heated leather seats; you can now get features like massaging seats in a full-size truck. The same brinksmanship that applies to pickup-truck capability now also applies to the luxury trims.

This is very evident in the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The Denali trim is what kicked off the idea of a “lux truck,” and it has been joined by the Ford F-150 Limited and Ram 1500 Limited. Those competitors deliver a higher grade of refinement than the Denali was providing. But upping the ante is a constant state in the truck market, and GMC now offers a Denali Ultimate trim that includes nearly every single option and package. So is the Denali Ultimate the new standard of luxury among full-size trucks?

No video found
No video found
Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.5L 191 hp I4

Engine

2.7L 310 hp I4

Drive Train

FWD

Drive Train

4X2

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

3

Horsepower

191 hp @ 6100 rpm

Horsepower

310 hp @ 5600 rpm

MPG City

21

MPG City

19

MPG Highway

26

MPG Highway

22
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
$24,440MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
$37,100MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
$24,440MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
$37,100MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
Overview
MSRP
$24,440
$37,100
Average price
$36,526
$62,722
Listings
Ratings & Reviews
User reviews
4.6
4.5
Expert reviews

8.0 out of 10

Read full review

7.8 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Tons of cabin space
  • Lively diesel engine
  • Versatile features
Cons
  • Too much tech for a truck
  • Cabin quality still trails competition
  • City parking a challenge without tech aids
Summary

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.

Take a step back and think about a full-size truck from the early 2000s. The nicest creature comforts included leather upholstery, an upgraded stereo, and, if you were lucky, heated seats. Today, nearly every luxury-car feature has found its way into high-end pickups. We’ve blown past heated leather seats; you can now get features like massaging seats in a full-size truck. The same brinksmanship that applies to pickup-truck capability now also applies to the luxury trims.

This is very evident in the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The Denali trim is what kicked off the idea of a “lux truck,” and it has been joined by the Ford F-150 Limited and Ram 1500 Limited. Those competitors deliver a higher grade of refinement than the Denali was providing. But upping the ante is a constant state in the truck market, and GMC now offers a Denali Ultimate trim that includes nearly every single option and package. So is the Denali Ultimate the new standard of luxury among full-size trucks?

Video
No video found
No video found
Popular Features & Specs
Engine
2.5L 191 hp I4
2.7L 310 hp I4
Drive Train
FWD
4X2
Seating Capacity
5
3
Horsepower
191 hp @ 6100 rpm
310 hp @ 5600 rpm
MPG City
21
19
MPG Highway
26
22
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