Toyota Tacoma vs Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma, though redesigned, maintained a familiar aesthetic that echoed its predecessor. The new hexagonal grille gave it a more aggressive look, and the overall design leaned towards a blockier and more angular style, yet it retained the classic Toyota truck appearance. The base SR trim came with standard 17-inch steel wheels, while higher trims featured 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the Tacoma underwent a significant transformation, drawing inspiration from the Ford F-Series. The dashboard was reimagined with squared-off sections, and the gear shift knob adopted a geometric design. MOLLE panels were strategically placed throughout the cabin, emphasizing a functional approach. Even the Limited trim, with its heated and ventilated SofTex-trimmed seats, featured large plastic grids, prioritizing utility over luxury.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a unique styling that might have been an acquired taste for some. Hyundai refreshed the Santa Cruz with revised front styling, new wheel designs, and updated paint colors. The XRT variant, with its off-road theme, featured an improved approach angle and standard all-terrain tires. These changes helped the Santa Cruz XRT resemble a pickup truck more than the Tucson crossover SUV it was based on. Inside, a new high-tech dashboard debuted, dominated by a panoramic curved display with two 12.3-inch digital screens. The Santa Cruz also featured revised infotainment and climate system controls, a redesigned steering wheel, and new air vents. A practical storage shelf was carved into the dashboard, adding to its functionality. Despite its crossover-like appearance, the Santa Cruz retained a traditional transmission shifter, providing a sense of quality and solidity.

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma introduced an all-turbo lineup, with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine branded as "i-FORCE." This engine produced 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque on most trims, while the base Tacoma SR was tuned for 228 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. Both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options were available, but only 4WD models were driven at launch. An eight-speed automatic transmission replaced the previous six-speed auto, offering smooth and well-timed shifts. However, some turbo lag was noted when accelerating from a stop. A six-speed manual transmission was also available, though it had a high bite point, making it challenging to manage in tight spaces. Toyota emphasized differentiation among trims, engineering multiple suspensions for various options. The Tacoma TRD Sport featured sport-tuned shocks, while the TRD Off-Road had monotube Bilstein shocks. An adaptive variable suspension was optional on the top Limited trim, enhancing ride comfort. The i-Force Max hybrid powertrain promised maximum capability, with the TRD Pro and Trailhunter featuring specialized shocks and partnerships for off-road applications. Newly standard disc brakes and electric power steering improved the Tacoma's handling and driver-assistance features.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz, particularly in its turbocharged form, delivered an engaging driving experience with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. These figures represented significant increases over the standard engine, and the turbo-four ran on regular gas. However, the turbocharged engine was only available on the more expensive XRT and Limited models, which had slightly lower gas mileage. The XRT was the least efficient, averaging 21.1 mpg during testing. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) exhibited quirks, such as turbo lag and uneven power delivery, though switching to Sport mode helped mitigate these issues. The XRT's all-terrain tires compromised handling on paved roads, causing a disconnected on-center feel at speed. However, they provided a comfortable ride and good grip on dirt. The Santa Cruz excelled in light off-roading, handling bumps and humps with ease. While descending a mountain grade, the brakes heated up, causing rumbling and slight pedal vibrations, raising concerns about towing capacity.

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma eliminated the small rear seats of the previous generation, replacing the Access Cab with a new two-door "XtraCab" configuration. This design focused on cargo space, with lockable storage on the floor and back panel. The driver's seat had a long slide path for easier access, but maneuvering the manual-adjust front seat forward was challenging. The passenger seat folded flat to form a work surface, useful for solo contractors. The four-door Double Cab models offered improved comfort with updated seat shapes and nearly identical head- and legroom figures. Gas-powered four-door Tacomas had three times more storage capacity beneath the flat-folding rear seats. The Tacoma offered a choice of 5-foot or 6-foot beds, with the XtraCab available only with the larger bed. Bed depth increased, raising total volume by seven percent, accommodating a camp fridge beneath the optional tonneau cover. Toyota dealers offered accessories like rooftop tents and wireless trailer cameras.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz's cabin resembled a crossover SUV, with a stylish design and higher quality materials. A new shelf in front of the passenger, defined center console compartments, and small trays in door-panel armrests added functionality. A sizable storage bin was located under the center armrest, and a deep tray beneath the back-seat cushions held plenty of items. However, this made loading larger items into the cab more challenging. The 4-foot cargo bed featured a locking in-floor trunk, similar to the Honda Ridgeline. The XRT test truck had a retractable tonneau cover, which was somewhat fussy to use. Fixed loops and adjustable cleats helped secure cargo. Most Santa Cruz versions had standard heated front seats, with the XRT featuring an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat and artificial leather upholstery. Rear-seat room was snug for taller adults, but softly-padded front seat backs improved passenger comfort.

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma saw significant improvements in technology, with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard and a massive 14-inch center display on higher trims. Both screens ran the latest version of Toyota's Audio Multimedia system, which was responsive and legible. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, and a Qi wireless charging pad could be added. The optional 10-speaker JBL sound system included a removable portable speaker, and pre-wired auxiliary switches allowed for accessory operation. A trailer brake controller and Panoramic View Monitor were available for towing, along with a wireless trailer camera accessory.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz featured a sophisticated 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluelink+ connected services, Hyundai Pay technology, a digital key system, and fingerprint scanning. Over-the-air software updates kept the technology current, and physical controls for the infotainment system were located on the dashboard. The user interface was intuitive, and the native voice recognition technology was capable. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, and the charger indicated its status. The Santa Cruz offered unique tech features like fingerprint scanning and digital-key systems. Bluelink+ connected services were free for the vehicle's lifetime for the original owner, offering remote car finder service, safe teen driver functions, and more. The leading vehicle departure alert system was a small but appreciated feature.

The 2024 Toyota Tacoma introduced new safety technology with its standard electric power steering. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) included advanced features like Lane Tracing Assist, lane-departure alert with steering assist, and Proactive Driving Assist. Road-sign assist and an emergency stop system were new additions, enhancing the Tacoma's safety profile. The adaptive cruise control system offered four choices of following distance. A blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert was standard on all but the base trim. Official safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not yet available.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz came standard with SmartSense driver-assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-centering assist. The XRT trim level added an intersection collision-braking system, surround-view camera system, blind-spot cameras, and adaptive cruise control with automatic speed adjustment for curves. Highway Driving Assist paired adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist for highway use. IIHS testing revealed some concerns, with the Santa Cruz earning a "Marginal" rating in the moderate overlap frontal-impact assessment and SmartSense technologies receiving the same rating for front crash prevention. NHTSA awarded the Santa Cruz the highest five-star rating in collision evaluations, with a four-star rollover resistance rating.