REVIEW: If Hyundai Offered A Hybrid Or Plug-In Santa Cruz Would YOU Buy The Maverick Hybrid Or The Santa Cruz? The Answer Is EASY For Us.

There is a lot of buzz around the Maverick (99% Hybrid) and rightly so.

Good pricing, nice package, decent looking and OVER 40MPG around town.

What's NOT to like?

As I'm pondering that question I'm currently testing the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup.





How to they compare head to head you ask?

The Santa Cruz is more modern and better looking.
It looks more expensive and it is.
It drives better than Maverick.
It has a better warranty.
The interior is night and day better.
The rear seat area is more useable because in the Santa Cruz you can remove the bottom pan and have a fully open floor where say your favorite pet can enjoy a nice ride to the beach.

But here's the rub....

I was getting 42-45 mpg CITY in the Maverick and in this underpowered 2.5T Santa Cruz I'm doing my BEST to get close to 23 COMBINED. And for a truck THAT small that number is MISERABLE. TRULY. My TELLURIDE got BETTER mileage.

So here's the thing. The Santa Cruz is basically a chopped Tucson.

And they have a hybrid Tucson AND a PLUG-IN Tucson.

So our bottom line is this. Although the Santa Cruz is better in almost every way without a hybrid or better you're gonna get raped on gas expense at these Brandon numbers.

Dear Hyundai, bring us the hybrid Santa Cruz and we'll buy one. Even BETTER if you give us the PLUG-IN.

Tell us Spies, if BOTH the Maverick and Santa Cruz were BOTH hybrid's (priced similarly) WHICH would you take home from the dealer? the Ford or the Hyundai?