2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a compact unibody pickup truck with a four-door crew cab body style and a 52.1-inch bed length. It positions in the compact pickup segment alongside models like the Ford Maverick, Honda Ridgeline, and Nissan Frontier. Following the 2025 midcycle refresh that updated exterior styling, the 2026 model continues with those changes and introduces an eight-speed automatic transmission across all variants, replacing the dual-clutch transmission used on prior turbocharged models. The entry-level powertrain features a 2.5-liter inline-four engine rated at 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, paired with the eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive as standard; all-wheel drive is optional. Higher trims offer a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four producing 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, with all-wheel drive standard.

The cabin centers on a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen running Hyundai's ccNC infotainment platform, which includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, HD Radio, voice recognition, and Bluelink+ connected services for remote functions such as locking, location tracking, and navigation. Driver assistance systems come standard, encompassing forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot collision warning. The MyHyundai mobile app connects via Bluelink to enable remote engine start, vehicle diagnostics review, service scheduling, and over-the-air software updates for maps and features. Initial Bluelink services are provided at no cost for several years, with subscriptions required thereafter for full remote capabilities.

What You're Really Signing Up For

• Collects sensitive data and shares it with third parties and law enforcement.
• Past data breaches and security flaws raise theft risks.
• CarPlay often fails to connect reliably.
• Emergency braking triggers falsely during normal driving.
• HomeLink and other features disable unexpectedly.