2025 Chevrolet Colorado vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz was a unique blend of a unibody crossover and a pickup truck, offering a distinctive design that set it apart from traditional trucks. Available in various trims, including the SE, SEL, Night, and the new XRT, the Limited trim was the pinnacle of the lineup. The Santa Cruz was about 14 inches longer than the Hyundai Tucson, sharing a similar front end with a futuristic grille. Its design was intentional, with features like protruding fenders and a sharply raked C-pillar, making it a standout vehicle that didn't blend in easily. Inside, the Santa Cruz offered high-quality materials and a cohesive design, with a funky four-spoked steering wheel and a horizontal trim bar that delineated driver and passenger spaces.

The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado's exterior varied significantly based on the trim level, from the work-truck appearance of the WT trim to the off-road-ready Trail Boss and the top-tier ZR2. The Trail Boss featured a two-inch suspension lift, 32-inch tires, and skid plates, while the ZR2 offered even more off-road capability with 17-inch Graphite-and-Oxide-Gold wheels and a unique hood design. The ZR2 Bison package added beadlock-capable wheels and boron steel skid plates for ultimate off-road performance. Inside, the Colorado featured a digital gauge cluster and an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with options for cloth, EvoTex, or leather seating surfaces depending on the trim.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a choice between a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and a turbocharged engine producing 282 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharged engine, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, provided peppy performance and smooth shifts, making it suitable for city driving and light off-roading. The Santa Cruz's AWD system featured a center locking differential and hill-descent control, although its off-road geometry was limited by its compact crossover design.

The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado came standard with a 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder engine delivering 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain provided strong performance, with a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,700 pounds and a maximum payload of 1,846 pounds. The Trail Boss and ZR2 trims offered enhanced off-road capabilities, with features like a factory-installed suspension lift, skid plates, and selectable drive modes for various terrains. The ZR2 Bison edition further enhanced off-road performance with additional ground clearance and boron steel skid plates.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a compact yet functional design, with a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds in AWD form. Its bed, measuring 52 inches long and nearly 54 inches wide, provided ample cargo space, complemented by lockable underfloor storage and multiple tie-down points. Inside, the Santa Cruz featured heated front seats and a rear seat with 36.5 inches of legroom, although it was less spacious than the Tucson.

The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado featured a four-door crew cab and a five-foot, two-inch short bed, offering a comfortable and functional interior. The digital gauge cluster and infotainment system provided easy access to essential information, while the front seats offered a car-like seating position with ample headroom. The rear seat was more cramped, similar to other midsize trucks, but the Colorado's built-in bumper steps aided in accessing the bed. The ZR2 Bison's suspension lift required a significant step up into the cabin, and its payload and towing capacity were slightly reduced compared to other trims.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on SE and SEL trims, while upper trims received a 10.25-inch display with wired smartphone compatibility. The infotainment system was intuitive, although it lacked a physical volume knob, and charging options were limited to USB-A ports.

The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado's infotainment system, built on Google software, featured an 11.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with voice recognition and Alexa Built-In connectivity. The dashboard included numerous buttons and dials for easy control of audio and climate settings, appealing to those who preferred tactile controls.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a comprehensive suite of advanced driver-assistance systems, including forward collision avoidance, blind-spot collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control on higher trims. The NHTSA awarded it a five-star front crash rating and a four-star rollover rating, while the IIHS rated the 2023 model highly in most categories.

The 2025 Chevrolet Colorado came with standard Chevy Safety Assist, featuring forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. The NHTSA gave it a four-star overall safety rating, with a five-star side-impact rating. Additional safety features like rear pedestrian alert and a 360-degree camera system were optional.