1/7/2024 0 Comments Santa cruz crossoverWhile it may seem aggro outside, beneath the skin lies something much more conventional. The Santa Cruz isn't conventionally beautiful, by any means, but it's certainly attention-getting - like a warthog in a tuxedo. The three-box shape makes the Santa Cruz look a bit more aggressive than its crossover counterpart, however the angle of the bed's sheetmetal (and the lack of metal above it) make the rear wheels seem to jut out further, helping give it a squat stance. (The headlights are the geometric forms at the lower corners of the gray bodywork in the above picture.) The two share the same light-packed front end, dominated by an array of LED daytime running lights that help define the look of the vehicle. EDUCATION Memorial University of Newfoundland, School of Business B.Comm (Hons.If the Santa Cruz looks familiar, it's not necessarily because you've seen one before you might have just seen a new Hyundai Tucson. Bundle up as he explores the frigid expanses of Canada from his home on the East Coast to venturing north of the Arctic Circle. Ride along whilst tackling twisty roads along the Pacific Coast in a droptop convertible. Find out what it’s like to jump behind the wheel of a pickup truck and successfully tackle gnarly off-road courses. For a spell, he was also behind the microphone for this site’s Truck Guy podcast, interviewing guests ranging from knowledgeable local technicians to world-famous television stars. Timed challenges in speedy machines also spin his crank. EXPERIENCE Matthew’s goal is to put readers in the driver’s seat for a unique and entertaining look at the automotive industry – whether penning vehicle reviews with a creative bent, travelling to manufacturer events for first drives of new models, or speaking with industry stakeholders to gain extra insight for an article During the past decade, he has enjoyed creating unique and creative long-distance adventure drives, sating his (and the reader’s) appetite for driving accomplishments like traversing the spartan wilds of Labrador. As a member of AJAC, he enjoys sharing his excitement about cars and is very pleased to contribute at Driving. He is alternately described as a freelance author, podcast host, road test magnate, and legend in his own mind. Matthew Guy is a lifelong gearhead who writes automotive content for Canadian and American outlets. Buyers who live an active lifestyle on the weekends but commute downtown Monday to Friday will find a lot to like in this unconventional machine that doesn’t look like every other SUV in their neighbourhood. Santa Cruz does a great job of fusing SUV ride comfort with 80 per cent of the versatility of a traditional pickup truck. Not everyone needs a jumbo pickup in which to haul sailboat fuel. There’s no shame in Hyundai revisiting this decision in a couple of years to sprout a volume button from the unit like Honda did with its once-buttonless system in the last-gen Civic.īottom line from The Truck Guy? This is a machine that’s simultaneously funky and useful. Slightly alarming is that there are no physical buttons whatsoever on the infotainment system, a misstep in a machine playing in the truck segment where gloved hands are abundant. It can all be reverted to traditional-look gauges if the driver so desires. The cubist display is my favourite, proving that – in conjunction with the ‘Nixie tube’ radio display – someone at Hyundai has an imagination. Our own Jil McIntosh ably covered the new interior in detail but I’ll chime in and opine the all-digital gauge cluster is well thought-out and makes great use of its pixels. Maxing out the towing figure on either machine leaves about the same amount of weight in reserve for passengers and their cargo, speaking well to the Santa Cruz’s relative level of capability and usefulness as a pickup truck. We know the Ford’s not a direct competitor in any way, shape or form, but it makes for a recognizable yardstick. While some other outlets have parroted higher numbers, we consider the manufacturer’s label to be sacrosanct.įor reference, know that a 2021 F-150 SuperCrew 4×4 short bed powered by a 2.7L EcoBoost engine has a payload rating of 1,760 lbs and standard towing for that configuration is 7,700 lbs. Towing maxes out at 5,000 lbs for this all-wheel-drive model and, for those asking, payload is rated at 1,411 lbs according to the door jamb sticker on our test vehicle. That tonneau cover we mentioned lives in a roll-top container, which does eat a bit of valuable cargo space at the head of the bed. A power plug is tucked away inside a compartment of the bed wall and there are abundant tie-downs, plus a cleat-style system for securing your gear. In fact, the bed is full of clever storage in addition to that underfloor space.
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