2027 Santa Cruz Specs in San Antonio

2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz: A Compact Hyundai with an Open-Bed Advantage

The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz combines a five-passenger cabin with a compact pickup bed, giving daily transportation a useful second job. Hyundai’s Sport Adventure Vehicle takes a different approach to utility: passenger comfort inside, room for messy project supplies outside, and storage solutions that make both spaces more adaptable.

The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz trim levels are SE, SEL Activity, and XRT. As you explore the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz specs and features, start with what you expect to carry and how you plan to drive. The sections below explain where equipment and capability differ so you can choose around those priorities.

Passenger Comfort with Flexible Interior Storage

The Santa Cruz interior fits belongings and passengers. Standard 60/40 split tip-up rear-seat cushions let you open up part of the rear seating area for belongings you want inside rather than in the bed. A front center-console storage box, a smaller storage tray, and a front-passenger seatback pocket provide places for everyday essentials.

Front legroom measures 41.4 inches, with 36.5 inches in the rear. Front headroom is 40.2 inches without a sunroof and 38.2 inches with one; rear headroom measures 39.6 inches. When comparing configurations, check your preferred seating position and the space needed by your regular passengers or child seats.

SEL Activity and XRT include H-Tex® leatherette seating surfaces, heated front seats, and an eight-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support. Those trims also add dual automatic temperature control and center-console-mounted rear air-conditioning vents. The extra climate-control flexibility is useful when front occupants want different settings during a warm San Antonio afternoon.

SE includes a six-way adjustable driver’s seat and manual air conditioning. XRT adds a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. A tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and an acoustic laminated windshield are standard throughout the lineup, supporting an interior designed for the miles between hauling jobs as well as the jobs themselves.

Pickup Functionality Without Oversized Proportions

The Santa Cruz exterior puts useful equipment around a compact open bed. Integrated rear bumper side steps let you step up to reach the cargo area, while the assisted-opening-and-closing tailgate improves loading access. These details matter when you are handling supplies rather than simply admiring the vehicle in the driveway. SE and SEL Activity measure 195.7 inches long; XRT measures 195.9 inches. Overall width is 75.0 inches, and the wheelbase is 118.3 inches. Use those dimensions as a starting point when checking your usual parking space or garage, allowing for mirrors, doors, and maneuvering room.

All three trims have 18-inch alloy wheels, Bi-LED headlights, LED Daytime Running Lights, LED taillights, and a roof-mounted LED cargo light. SEL Activity and XRT add LED bed lighting, which places illumination closer to the items you are loading or unloading. A power sunroof, roof side rails, heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators, and a rear sliding glass window with a defroster are included on SEL Activity and XRT. XRT’s matte-black mirror housings and door handles give it a more rugged visual identity. Its styling fits the adventure-oriented side of the Santa Cruz without changing the vehicle’s everyday-use focus.

Cargo Bed and Storage

The composite bed offers 27.0 cubic feet of cargo volume, measuring 52.1 inches long at the bottom and 48.4 inches at the top, with 42.7 inches between the wheelhouses. Every trim includes lockable under-bed storage, sidewall compartments, and heavy-duty cargo D-rings to help organize and secure loads. SEL Activity and XRT add an integrated tonneau cover with two T-slot accessory tracks, an adjustable utility-track rail and cleat system, and a 115-volt bed outlet. Check cargo fit, secure loads, and follow vehicle and accessory limits.

Power and Towing That Depend on Your Trim

The 2027 Santa Cruz offers two 2.5-liter gasoline engines, each paired with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission. The choice comes down to everyday capability versus stronger turbocharged output and a higher towing limit. SE and SEL Activity use a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, and HTRAC® All-Wheel Drive is available. This pairing keeps the focus on daily transportation while preserving the usefulness of the pickup bed.

XRT has a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, plus standard HTRAC All-Wheel Drive. Its torque is delivered from 1,700 to 4,000 rpm, giving drivers stronger output at lower engine speeds when accelerating or pulling an appropriately rated trailer. Both engines use regular unleaded gasoline.

2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz Towing Capacity

SE and SEL Activity have a maximum trailer weight of 3,500 pounds with trailer brakes when properly equipped. XRT can tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes when properly equipped. Without trailer brakes, the maximum trailer weight is 1,653 pounds across the lineup. Trailer pre-wiring is standard, with a four-pin connection for SE and SEL Activity and four- and seven-pin connections for XRT. Wiring alone does not make the vehicle ready for every trailer. Confirm the required hitch and equipment, fully loaded trailer weight, tongue weight, and owner’s manual instructions before towing. The maximum vehicle load limit is 1,411 pounds. That allowance is not a separate bed-only capacity: passengers, cargo, added equipment, and trailer tongue weight all affect the load you can carry. The specific vehicle’s load label should guide your loading plans.

Everyday Driving and Mixed-Surface Flexibility

Unibody construction, a multi-link rear suspension, and standard self-leveling rear shock absorbers support the Santa Cruz’s passenger-vehicle approach to pickup utility. Drive Mode selection is standard, and XRT adds Terrain Mode Select for its more adventure-oriented configuration. Minimum ground clearance is 8.6 inches. XRT also has a 19.9-degree approach angle, compared with 16.9 degrees on SE and SEL Activity. These details are useful when considering uneven surfaces, but terrain, traction, load, and vehicle limits still determine where you can drive responsibly. All-wheel drive and rugged styling are not substitutes for evaluating the route ahead.

Connected Technology for the Daily Drive

The Santa Cruz’s connected technology brings familiar smartphone apps into the cabin and gives passengers convenient charging access through standard front and second-row USB-C ports. Choose your trim based on how you prefer to interact with navigation, entertainment, and driving information, not just screen size. SE uses a 4.2-inch Multi-Information Display. XRT adds Dynamic Voice Recognition and a Bose® Premium Audio System for drivers who want more integrated control and upgraded sound.

Five technology highlights include:

• 12.3-inch touchscreen: Standard on all three trims, with onboard navigation included on XRT
• Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™: Standard throughout the lineup for compatible devices
• 12.3-inch Digital Instrument Cluster: Standard on SEL Activity and XRT
• 15-watt wireless device charging: Standard on SEL Activity and XRT for compatible devices
• Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch: Standard on XRT; device compatibility requirements apply

Driver Assistance for Traffic and Parking

The Santa Cruz pairs standard safety equipment with Hyundai SmartSense® driver-assistance technologies. SE and SEL Activity include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection. XRT adds a version with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection, expanding the types of situations the system is designed to address. XRT also includes Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor, providing additional camera perspectives when assessing the vehicle’s surroundings. XRT also includes Highway Driving Assist 1, Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control with Curve Control, and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go. These features add support during suitable driving conditions, not permission to stop paying attention.

Five driver-assistance features are standard on SE, SEL Activity, and XRT:

• Blind-Spot Collision Warning
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Lane Following Assist
• Driver Attention Warning

Standard passenger-protection equipment includes front airbags, front side-impact airbags, rear side airbags, and side-curtain airbags. LATCH lower anchors and upper tether anchors and rear child safety locks support child-passenger travel. Rear Occupant Alert and Safe Exit Warning are also included across the lineup. Driver-assistance systems have detection and operating limits. Always remain attentive, check your surroundings directly, and follow the vehicle and child-restraint instructions.

Explore the 2027 Santa Cruz with Red McCombs Hyundai Northwest

Ready to see whether the Santa Cruz fits your routine? A closer look can help you assess passenger comfort, check how your regularly carried items fit, and decide which equipment deserves a place on your shopping list.

If you are considering the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz in San Antonio, TX, contact the team at Red McCombs Hyundai Northwest to discuss trim choices and confirm current availability. Bring up your passenger, cargo, and towing needs, and ask about arranging a test drive.

Disclaimer: This content was drafted with AI assistance for initial drafting, reviewed by a subject-matter expert for accuracy, and edited by our team of writers and editors.