2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz: Nominee

After years and years of not having a true compact pickup truck, suddenly there are two. Hyundai may insist that the Santa Cruz isn’t a pickup, marketing it instead as a “sport adventure vehicle,” but it’s got a pickup bed. More important: Who cares? The Santa Cruz isn’t just one of the quirkiest vehicles we’ve driven this year; it’s also one of the best.

If you were wondering what would happen if Hyundai lengthened the Tucson’s wheelbase by almost 10 inches while also stuffing the larger Santa Fe’s turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine — with 281 horsepower and 311 pounds-feet of torque — under the hood, the answer is magic. The Santa Cruz’s ride quality is practically luxury-level, and its handling impresses when the road gets twisty. Once the turbo four gets going, the Santa Cruz has more than enough power for passing and merging.

Even better, the Santa Cruz is available in a variety of configurations to meet buyers’ needs. Don’t need all-wheel drive? You can get it in front-wheel drive. Don’t need the turbocharged 2.5-liter? There’s a more efficient, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter instead.No, the bed is not 8 feet long like that of larger pickups, but for most buyers, it’s probably more than enough. and the urban buyer for which Hyundai designed the Santa Cruz will appreciate the integrated, lockable bed cover and additional underfloor storage.

We say the Santa Cruz is a pickup, but more importantly, we say the Santa Cruz is one of the best new vehicles of the year.