Traditionally, trucks are built with a body-on-frame construction that’s significantly different from the unibody construction employed by cars. Body-on-frame construction allows for high towing and payload capacity, as well as off-road prowess, but that all comes at the expense of on-road comfort. This is a tradeoff that plenty of truck drivers are willing to make, but it doesn’t make sense for everyone; some drivers don’t need to tow or haul super heavy loads, whereas they would enjoy a unibody truck with an open cargo bed and a car-like ride.
Once upon a time, those drivers would be stuck with just one option—the Honda Ridgeline—but today, you can also find a Ford Maverick or Hyundai Santa Cruz for sale to scratch that itch. The Ridgeline has been around for many years and has built up a fandom within Honda’s umbrella, while the Maverick has taken advantage of Ford’s reputation for building sturdy trucks. This meant that the Santa Cruz had to work hard to make a splash, even in a fairly niche segment of the auto market.
That explains why the model is getting a significant refresh for the 2025 model year, even though it made its debut fairly recently in 2022. But what, exactly, does this upgrade entail? Let’s take a look at five new things you’ll find that give the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz an edge in this small but surprisingly competitive field.
#1. Bolder Exterior Design
The Santa Cruz is based on the platform of the Tucson crossover, and the 2022-2024 models certainly look like a Tuscon with a cargo bed in the back. For 2025, the pickup is getting a more aggressive exterior styling that brings it more in line with what drivers expect a truck to look like. This makes it more attractive to buyers who want a more traditional pickup style, even if they don’t need traditional pickup construction.
The makeover affects just about every aspect of the model’s exterior. The grille has a new shape with larger openings, and the front fascia has been redesigned to match. The new headlights are sleek and correspond to the aggressive attitude of the rest of the exterior. In addition to these more significant changes, there are also two new paint colors available: Rockwood Green is a subtle tone that evokes the natural world, while Canyon Red is a bold shade that calls more attention to itself.
#2. Updated Infotainment Interface
The redesign isn’t limited to the outside of the truck; step inside, and you’ll find plenty of changes for the new model year. What used to be two separate displays—one in the center of the dash and one behind the steering wheel—is now a single panoramic curved display, something that’s been becoming trendy in recent years and makes the cabin feel more upscale and modern. Also here are USB Type-C ports, which allow drivers to charge and connect their devices. These ports are easier to use than USB Type-A ports (because there’s no “wrong way” to plug them in), and most personal devices these days use Type-C.
Not all of the upgrades to the infotainment system are visible. Case in point, another new feature for the 2025 model is the ability to receive software and firmware updates over the air. This means you can get the latest version of the vehicle’s software without driving to your dealership for an upgrade, which is much more convenient.
#3. Standard Wireless Connectivity
You won’t need to use any type of USB port to connect your smartphone to the truck’s interface, even if you opt for an entry-level trim. That’s because wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard features for the 2025 model year. That’s good news for busy drivers who don’t want to be slowed down by cumbersome cords. But if you want to charge your phone wirelessly, too, you’ll have to upgrade to the SEL Activity trim or higher, as this gets you the wireless charging pad. To power your phone on a lower trim, you will still have to plug it in.
#4. New Driver Assistance Tech
The 2024 Santa Cruz already came standard with a pretty comprehensive lineup of driver assistance tech, like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, high beam assist, blind-spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic assist, and safe exit warning. For the 2025 model year, one new feature will be added to that list: driver attention warning. If you get drowsy or distracted while driving, the system will detect it and give you a warning message so you can pull your attention back to the road or pull over for a quick rest.
In addition to on-road safety, the 2025 Santa Cruz also beefs up security for when your truck is parked and out of sight. If you want to use your phone as a key, you can rest easy knowing that the new model has an upgraded system—Digital Key 2 Touch—that is more advanced than the version offered on the 2024 model. And you have yet another new tool for this year’s truck: an available fingerprint scanner that uses biometrics to keep strangers from opening the door.
#5. Improved Rugged XRT Trim
When the XRT trim was added to the lineup for the 2024 model year, many of its features were aesthetic. Yes, it added some practical equipment, like side steps and bed rails, but it also had a lot of upgrades that were purely stylistic, like orange center caps for the wheels, black exterior accents, black cloth seats, and exclusive badging on the tailgate. For 2025, Hyundai is making the XRT trim more substantial, giving it more features that directly improve its capability.
Several features are aimed at drivers who want to be able to venture off-road. The XRT now comes standard with new all-terrain tires and has a unique design that gives it an increased angle of approach compared to other trims. There are also front tow hooks that can act as recovery points if you get stuck in a sticky situation and need a rescue. The Santa Cruz still isn’t the best choice for serious off-road adventures, but these upgrades do make the XRT a solid choice for tackling dirt, gravel, and some light off-road driving.
The XRT also has a new towing drive mode that changes the truck’s settings for optimal performance while towing heavy loads. This feature is also available on the Limited trim, but it can’t be added to lower trim levels because it’s only available on those that use the more powerful 2.5L turbocharged engine.
Speaking of features that are also included on the top-tier Limited trim, the XRT also gains a blind spot monitor for keeping track of traffic on the highway, as well as a 360-degree surround-view monitor to help with parking in tight spaces. But just because the XRT has more substantial features doesn’t mean it ignores style; for the new model year, this trim gets exclusive grille and bumper designs that help it stand out from the rest of the lineup, as well as wrench-inspired 18-inch wheels. Inside, the XRT logo is proudly displayed on the front upper seatbacks, matching the badging on the tailgate.
