2022 Honda Ridgeline vs 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, with its smaller footprint compared to current midsize pickups, initially appeared reminiscent of the mini trucks from the 1970s to 1990s. However, its unibody construction and unique styling made it more akin to the Subaru Baja or a smaller Honda Ridgeline. Measuring 195.7 inches in length, 75.0 inches in width, and 66.7 inches in height, the Santa Cruz was over a foot shorter than a Toyota Tacoma but nearly as wide. Its 118.3-inch wheelbase was 9.1 inches shorter than the Tacoma’s. Despite being larger than the 2022 Hyundai Tucson compact crossover SUV, the Santa Cruz was not exactly tiny.

The Santa Cruz’s design leaned more towards an SUV with a bed rather than a traditional small pickup. Its toothy grille and blended headlights, similar to the Tucson, ensured it stood out on the road. The only nods to traditional truck styling were the “Santa Cruz” name stamped into the tailgate, some plastic body cladding, and a bit of chrome. Available with 20-inch wheels that filled the arches nicely, Hyundai also offered 18-inch wheels for off-roading. Inside, the design was more conventional, with materials appropriate for its price range and mission as a rugged “adventure vehicle.”

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline, built on a unibody platform similar to the Honda Pilot and Passport, offered increased rigidity compared to traditional body-on-frame trucks. Its styling was conservative, with the main giveaway being its snub nose, a result of its front-wheel-drive platform. The rear three-quarter view was classic pickup, featuring vertical taillights, a big centered badge, and dual exhausts peeking out from the rear bumper.

When the current-generation Ridgeline debuted in 2017, its front-end styling was more rounded, resembling the Honda Pilot. For 2021, Honda reshaped the front end, making the grille blockier and more upright, enhancing its truck-like appearance. The 2022 Ridgeline continued with this design, and Honda Performance Development (HPD) packages added fender flares, bronze or black 18-inch alloy wheels, and decals for extra visual flair. The interior’s basic, no-nonsense design felt appropriate for a truck, with high fit and finish standards. However, the copious piano black trim was prone to smudges and scratches.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The base engine produced 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while an optional turbocharged engine delivered 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The naturally aspirated version offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD), while the turbocharged engine was AWD only.

The Santa Cruz’s driving experience was far from truck-like. Its standard multi-link suspension made it genuinely fun in corners, and it included a self-leveling feature for a loaded bed. Even with 20-inch wheels, the ride quality was impressive, and cabin noise was minimal. The turbo engine provided ample thrust when driving unloaded, though towing and testing the base engine were not part of our experience. The Santa Cruz had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the naturally aspirated engine and 5,000 pounds with the turbo engine, along with a maximum payload capacity of 1,906 pounds. While its off-road capability was respectable with 8.6 inches of ground clearance, it lacked low range and locking differentials, making it less suitable for serious off-roading.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline stuck with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 engine produced 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Honda listed a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds for all Ridgeline models. The Ridgeline RTL-E and Black Edition had a maximum payload capacity of 1,509 pounds, while the RTL and Sport were rated at 1,544 pounds and 1,583 pounds, respectively.

While these figures were not groundbreaking, the Ridgeline could handle a small boat or a pair of jet skis. The naturally aspirated V6 provided ample power, but the nine-speed automatic transmission was slow to respond, and the engine start-stop system was sluggish. Once up to speed, the Ridgeline impressed with its handling and ride quality, feeling more like a luxury car than a traditional pickup. Its unibody platform, fully independent suspension, and torque vectoring AWD contributed to its precise handling. However, its design limited off-road capability, with a maximum ground clearance of 7.64 inches and no dedicated off-road version comparable to other midsize pickups.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz’s maximum payload capacity was impressive, but its small truck bed limited utility. At 52.1 inches long, it was much shorter than the short bed available on the Toyota Tacoma, making it challenging to fit typical cargo like bicycles or a 4x8 sheet of plywood. Hyundai suggested strapping bikes with a wheel hanging over the edge or carrying plywood with the tailgate down, which seemed suboptimal. However, Hyundai included features to maximize space, such as a standard lockable tonneau cover, a height-adjustable tailgate, tie-down points, in-bed LED lighting, and a 115-volt power outlet. Storage compartments under the bed and rear seats, along with corner steps for easier access, added to its practicality.

The Santa Cruz was available only in a four-door crew-cab configuration with seating for five. Rear-seat passengers had limited legroom, but front-seat space was more generous, and outward visibility was good thanks to a low hood and stubby front end. The center console offered decent storage space, and controls for optional heated and ventilated seats were conveniently placed. However, touch pads for functions like audio volume and climate control were harder to use while driving.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline, available only with a four-door crew cab and a 64-inch bed, offered a decent balance of passenger and cargo space. Its bed was longer than those in crew-cab versions of the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma. The Ridgeline’s bed included a 7.3-cubic-foot lockable in-bed trunk with a drain plug for easy cleaning, and a slot for the spare tire, eliminating the need to crawl underneath the truck. An in-bed audio system and a 115-volt AC outlet were also available. The Dual-Action Tailgate, which could open down or to the side, and the bed’s width, which could accommodate 4-foot-wide sheets of plywood, added to its functionality.

Inside, the Ridgeline offered additional storage space under the rear seats and rear USB ports on higher trim levels. Up front, a pushbutton shifter made room for cupholders, a large center console storage bin, and a large wireless phone charger. Controls were sensibly laid out and easy to use, with toggle switches for cabin temperature. While the Ridgeline didn’t have a clear advantage in headroom or legroom on paper, it felt more spacious thanks to its wider stance and lower cowl height.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trim levels offered a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The digital cluster could display images of blind spots from the optional surround-view camera system. Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics service included smartwatch and Google Assistant connectivity.

In the Santa Cruz Limited test vehicle, the 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster looked great and worked well. The instrument cluster was impervious to glare, and the touchscreen had attractive graphics and quick response times. Wireless device charging and Hyundai’s digital-key feature, which allowed the use of a smartphone instead of a key fob, were also available, though the latter only worked with Android phones.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Bluetooth. SiriusXM satellite radio was available on all but the base Sport trim level, while navigation was available on the RTL-E and Black Edition models.

While the interface wasn’t cutting edge, it was functional. The screen was small by current standards, and the graphics were dated, but the touchscreen was easy to navigate. Analog controls on the dashboard and steering wheel handled vital functions, reducing the need to use the touchscreen. While the Ridgeline didn’t offer much for tech-savvy buyers, its infotainment system was user-friendly, and most rivals only offered basic tech as well.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, being a new model, didn’t have safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) yet. However, Hyundai offered standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trim levels included blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a surround-view camera system, and Highway Driving Assist, which combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline received top “Good” scores in most IIHS crash tests but got a lower “Average” score in the passenger-side small overlap frontal test. The IIHS gave it a top “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech but a “Marginal” headlight rating and an “Average” rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Ridgeline a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash testing.

The Ridgeline came standard with the Honda Sensing array of driver aids, including automatic emergency braking, Road Departure Mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Automatic high beams were standard on the RTL-E and Black Edition trim levels, while blind spot monitoring was standard on all but the base Sport trim level. The blind spot monitoring system’s warning light was conveniently placed inside the cabin at the base of the forward pillar. However, a 360-degree camera system was missing, which would have been useful in a vehicle of this size.