Sep 20, 2024
The grille and daytime running lights on a black 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Night.

If you’re looking for an athletic compact truck, you’ll find the best option is the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. This pickup is perfect for those who want a truck but don’t want something big and cumbersome. It can haul and tow and has plenty of storage space for your tools, gear, and equipment or shopping bags and boxes. Whether you’re headed toward Knoxville for dinner with friends or you’re hoping to go off-road on some wilderness trails, you’ll love how fun the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is.

Not only is it fun, but the Santa Cruz is also practical, efficient, and sturdy. It’s easy to load up, consumes less fuel than a larger truck, and can handle all sorts of weather, from snow to storms. However, there is a decision to make in which trim level is best for what you want to do. Each trim has key differences, and the higher up you go, the more features or opportunities to upgrade there are. If you’ve been thinking about buying a Santa Cruz from a Hyundai dealer near Powell like ourselves, then we have just the thing for you: a handy guide to each trim level.

The Santa Cruz SE & SEL

The first two trim levels, the SE and SEL, both come with an inline four-cylinder engine, which will give you 191 hp and 181 lbs of torque. Front-wheel drive with an eight-speed automatic is standard, as well as drive mode selection. The two trims with this engine can tow up to 3,500 lbs and have an independent suspension. They differ, however, when it comes to things like comfort, convenience, and tech. The SE comes standard with projector BI-LED headlights, high beam assist, a lockable under-bed storage compartment, a multi-functional tailgate, front dual USB ports, and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, among other features.

The SEL builds on that to include side mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators, heated side mirrors, a proximity key with push button start, power driver’s lumbar support, heated front seats, and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Many drivers opt for the first trim level because they don’t want all the bells and whistles that come with higher trim levels. If you want a few of those features, however, you can take a spin in the 2024 Santa Cruz SEL and try it out to see if it’s the trim level you want. What’s stopping you from being just a little bit fancy?

The cabin of a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz at a Hyundai dealer near Powell.

The Santa Cruz Night

Are you looking for a little bit extra? You can take a look at the Santa Cruz Night, the middle sibling of the five trim levels. It ups the ante a bit with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, along with HTRAC All-Wheel Drive, eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters, and the capability of towing up to 5,000 lbs when properly equipped. If you’re looking for a little more oomph in your truck so you can hit downtown Knoxville or the backroads of Sevierville, you’ll want the Santa Cruz Night. Check out one of the many parks scattered nearby and think of what you can do with an athletic pickup like this.

The 2024 Santa Cruz Night also comes decked out with interior features—a power tilt-and-slide sunroof, front and rear interior LED lights, wireless device charging pad, black H-Tex trimmed upholstery, a 10.25-inch onboard navigation center, dynamic voice recognition, and traffic flow including incident data from HD radio. If you’re going fishing, hunting, camping, tailgating, or off-roading, you’ll want the Santa Cruz Night to go with you. It can help you enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains to the fullest. You can bring the family along or a few friends, and they’ll all fall in love with your new pickup.

The Santa Cruz XRT

Want a spiffier version of the Santa Cruz? You’ve got to check out the XRT trim. It has everything from 18-inch alloy wheels with orange anodized XRT center caps, bed top side rails, wider fender flares, a digital key, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. If you want something that looks sporty and carries itself with an air of elegant charm, you want the Santa Cruz XRT. It steps out in style with its orange center caps, as well as matte black trim outside and black upholstery trim inside.

The XRT is for those who like to be subtle in their style. Although it doesn’t look too flashy, it will command attention with its presence and would be quite intimidating. Whether you’re thinking of taking a trip to the park or you’re thinking about sampling some of the best food Tennessee can offer, your entrance into the Santa Cruz XRT is sure to turn heads. If you like bold and classic styling, and you’re interested in a pickup that could give another vehicle a run for its money, you need to get behind the wheel of a Santa Cruz XRT.

Close-up of the wheel of a white 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT.

The Santa Cruz Limited

The highest trim level for the Hyundai Santa Cruz is the Limited, the ultimate experience in a compact pickup. It comes with 20-inch wheels, premium dark chrome front and rear bumper trimming, body-color door handles and side mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, second-row dual USB ports, a surround-view monitor (SVM), a heated steering wheel, floor console-mounted rear A/C vents, ambient interior lighting, leather-trimmed seating surfaces, ventilated front seats, and a Bose premium audio system. If you want a truck that is loaded with everything you could possibly want, you’ll need the Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited.

Are you looking for the ultimate compact pickup? You’ve found it in this trim. The top-of-the-line Limited is ready to help you fulfill your wildest dreams, whether that’s taking the jet skis to the lake or you’re thinking of going on an extended trip into the Great Smoky Mountains. Tailgate the night away with your friends, do a little dancing with the truck’s premium audio system, and prepare to be the life of the party. After all, why not give your friends and family an opportunity to celebrate with you? You’ve got the Hyundai Santa Cruz Limited!

Get Your Own 2024 Santa Cruz Today!

Which one of these trims do you think would work best for you? If you still aren’t sure, visit us and we’ll show you the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz, take you for a test drive, and talk specs so we can help you figure out which one you should take home. We can help you with any optional features, or we can put in a custom order so you get the specific build you want. Our staff is friendly and knowledgeable and will do their best to ensure that you enjoy every moment inside our dealership.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the perfect compact pickup for you, and no matter what your credit score is, we aim to help all drivers get behind the wheel of a Hyundai. Talk to us about our specials and events going on, and let us know what questions you have about the Hyundai brand or the Santa Cruz specifically. Don’t wait to try out your next truck; come see us at Rusty Wallace Hyundai today!