2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night

The 2023 Santa Cruz is a compact pickup that blends the utility of a truck bed with the ride and handling of a crossover SUV. It competes with the Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline, though it is smaller and more car-like than either. The Santa Cruz drives more like a car than a truck, with responsive steering and a composed ride on pavement. The cabin is roomy for four, and the bed includes a lockable in-floor storage bin that is handy for valuables. The Night trim adds blacked-out exterior trim, 20-inch gloss black wheels, and dark interior accents over the SEL, but skips the SEL Premium's leather and ventilated seats. Its 2.5L I4 makes 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, routed through a eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, which gives it confident passing power and all-weather traction. The ride is firmer than the base models, which is the trade-off for the sharper handling the 20-inch wheels and sport-tuned suspension provide.