This is quite a price premium over the Ford Maverick.
The US pickup truck market is now a little more competitive. Hyundai has finally revealed pricing for its Santa Cruz. The initial reaction may be one of shock. Base model Santa Cruz SE is priced at $23,990. That’s $4,000 more than the 2022 Ford Maverick. There’s more to it.
Five trim levels are available for the Santa Cruz from Hyundai, while only three are offered by Ford (excluding a limited-run First Edition). Hyundai also offers three different core trims: SEL Activity, SE, and SEL. All-wheel drive is also available. Although the price tag of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz may seem high, the mid-range trim levels are much more comparable. This is likely to be where most sales will go. The general pricing chart for Santa Cruz & Maverick gives a glimpse at that strategy.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cru |
Price (includes dest. ) |
2022 Ford Maverick |
Price (includes dest. ) |
| SE FWD 2.5 | $25,175 | 2.5 FWD XL | $21,490 |
| SEL FWD 2.5 | $28,375 | 2.5 FWD XLT | $23,775 |
| SEL Activity FWD 2.5 | $31,645 | Lariat FWD 2.5 | $26,985 |
| SE AWD 2.5 | $26,675 | XL AWD 2.0 Turbo | $24,795 |
| 2.5 SEL AWD | $29,875 | XLT AWD 2.0 Turbo | $27,725 |
| SEL Activity AWD 2.5 | $33,145 | Lariat AWD 2.0 Turbo | $30,935 |
| SEL Premium 2.5 Turbo | $36,865 | Lariat First Edition | $36,310 |
| Limited 2.5 Turbo | $40,905 | N/A | N/A |
We can see that the price gap is narrowing in mid-range all wheel-drive models. However, Ford still holds an advantage. It’s not possible to compare apples to apples as Ford offers only all-wheel drive with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an upgraded eight-speed transmission. Front-wheel-drive Mavericks receive the 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain with CVT. All-wheel drive is available from Hyundai with the base 2.5-liter engine. All Santa Cruz trucks receive an eight-speed auto transmission, except for the Premium or Limited, which have a performance-oriented 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Hyundai has yet to share a Santa Cruz configurator, further complicating the pricing situation. Although the Maverick is significantly cheaper in the base-model trim, it also comes with steel wheels and automatic emergency braking. We expect that more equipment will be offered in the Santa Cruz lineup than is available in Maverick. This shows in a maximum Maverick cost of $42,000 after every option box has been checked. The options Hyundai offers for the Limited model could make Ford more expensive.
In this new compact truck segment, Hyundai will outsell Ford. Santa Cruz sales will begin in July 2021, while Maverick will be available in dealerships by the end of the year.