Drivers in Olympia, WA, shopping for a compact pickup will find the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Ford Maverick rise to the top of their lists. Both vehicles have solid reputations for quality, performance, and comfort. Wondering which vehicle you should put in your driveway? Join us as we compare the Hyundai Santa Cruz and the Ford Maverick to help you decide.
2026 Model Year Updates: What’s New for Both Trucks
Hyundai refreshed the Santa Cruz in 2025, adding a more rugged look with integrated tow hooks on the all-terrain XRT trim. XRT models also have exclusive 18-inch wheels, and daytime running lights. Interior additions in 2025 include a dual-screen infotainment system using two 12.3-inch screens and wireless smartphone integration, a fingerprint scanner, Hyundai Pay, and more.
The 2025 Ford Maverick adds a performance-oriented Lobo trim with a lowered suspension and upgraded brakes. The lineup also receives darkened headlamp covers, new wheel designs, and a redesigned front fascia. Inside, Ford added new trim colors like Smoke Truffle, an upgraded infotainment touchscreen, and more driver assistance tech.
Design and Styling Comparison
The Hyundai Santa Cruz stands out with an adventure-ready style. Built from the Tucson SUV unibody concept, it includes a four-foot bed with standard tie-down points and under-floor storage. The Santa Cruz bed is useful for carrying supplies for your DIY projects or tools for work.
Optional bed equipment, like the retractable tonneau cover and a 115-volt power inverter, adds versatility. Santa Cruz’s retractable cover protects your bed contents from rain and snow. The power inverter comes in handy for work or play. You can power household appliances to enhance your camping adventures or use it to run various power tools at the job site.
The Ford Maverick is also a unibody construction, featuring a slightly longer, 4.5-foot bed with tie-down points, a 12-volt power outlet, and an optional 110-volt outlet.
Performance and Powertrain Analysis
The Santa Cruz and Maverick come in five trims with two available engines.
Engine Options and Specifications
Hyundai Santa Cruz lower trims use a 2.5-liter engine. Performance specs include:
- 191 horsepower
- 181 lb-ft of torque
- 3,500-lb/5,000-lb towing capacity standard/with trailer brakes
- FWD mpg – 22/30/25, AWD mpg – 21/29/24 city/highway/combined
Santa Cruz top models have a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine:
- 281 horsepower
- 311 lb-ft of torque
- 5,000-lb towing capacity
- 18/25/20 city/highway/combined mpg
The 2025 Maverick models with the 2.5-liter hybrid engine and front-wheel-drive specs are:
- 191 horsepower
- 155 lb-ft of torque
- 2,000-lb/4,000-lb towing capacity standard/with tow package
- FWD mpg – 45/32/38, AWD mpg – 40/34/37 city/highway/combined
Lobo and Tremor models come standard with a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with:
- 250 horsepower
- 277 lb-ft torque towing capacity standard/with tow package towing capacity
- 2,000-lb/4,000-lb towing capacity standard/with tow package towing capacity
- 23-25/21-22/27-30 mpg city/highway/combined
Off-Road Capabilities
Santa Cruz XRT and Limited trims come standard with Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive. Santa Cruz models with AWD make perfect driving companions in Olympia’s rainy season.
Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Ford Maverick Specs: Dimensions and Practicality
Both models are compact, making them ideal for navigating downtown Olympia. The Santa Cruz gets a versatility boost from its factory-installed roof rails.
The Santa Cruz cabin has a modern, premium design. The base-model SE has premium cloth upholstery, while higher trims use H-Tex upholstery. The top-tier Limited trim has leather-trimmed seats. Heated seats come standard on the higher trim levels to help warm you on those chilly winter days. The Limited trim adds ventilated seats, which help you cool down when temperatures heat up.
Hyundai designed the Santa Cruz to be an adventure-ready vehicle. Its compact design and HTRAC AWD give you an edge when driving around Olympia streets and on your weekend excursions into the region’s parks. It has 27.0 cu-ft of cargo volume in its four-foot bed. You can load all your beach gear for a day of fun in the sun, or stow your suitcases on your next road trip.
The Maverick XL and XLT trims have cloth upholstery, while other trims have ActiveX synthetic upholstery. The Ford Maverick has heated seats on all but the base XL trim, helping warm you when the cool rain falls. Unfortunately, Maverick doesn’t have a ventilated seat option.
Ford engineered the Maverick for drivers wanting pickup versatility at a more affordable price than Ford’s Ranger and F-150 lineups. Maverick’s larger dimensions make it less nimble than the Santa Cruz in tight Olympia streets, but its larger bed gives it a slight edge if you plan on using your truck for hauling gear to work. Maverick has a slightly longer bed, resulting in 33.3 cu-ft of cargo space. That extra space can help when you need to move more gear or small furniture.
Technology and Infotainment Systems
All Santa Cruz infotainment runs on a 12.3-inch touchscreen, with wireless smartphone integration and charging, keeping you connected when navigating to the state park for a day out. The Bose premium audio system on the Limited trim plays your podcasts or music playlist with crisp sounds while you’re traveling to and from work. The Santa Cruz’s Hyundai SmartSense suite uses advanced radar and sensors to monitor the area around your vehicle and alert you to potential hazards, useful for rush hour traffic downtown.
Maverick’s infotainment system operates on a 13.2-inch touchscreen, but it requires you to connect your smartphone to access your favorite apps. The Ford Co-Pilot360 driver-assist suite includes nine systems. The Lariat trim has a B&O premium audio system.
Trim Levels and Feature Availability
Here’s a look at the Santa Cruz and Maverick trim levels and pricing:
| Santa Cruz Trim | MSRP | Maverick Trim | MSRP |
| SE | $29,500 | XL | $29,840 |
| SEL | $31,150 | XLT | $32,340 |
| SEL Activity | $34,200 | Lobo | $37,625 |
| XRT | $41,100 | Lariat | $39,785 |
| Limited | $43,450 | Tremor | $42,340 |
Which Truck Should You Choose?
For budget-conscious drivers, the Santa Cruz is the better option since it includes way more features at a lower price. Pick the Limited for modern tech and driver assistance technologies, or the XRT if you’re using it for work or play.
Test Drive a Santa Cruz Today
At Titus-Will Hyundai, we have an expansive inventory of Santa Cruz models at competitive prices. Browse our online inventory, or visit our Olympia showroom and speak with one of our friendly, knowledgeable staff. You can also contact us to set up a test drive today!
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