2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2021 Honda Ridgeline

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline was designed with a clear understanding of what makes a truck visually appealing. It featured a long, flat hood, an aggressive grille, and bulging fenders, all contributing to its robust truck-like appearance. The redesign included a new front end and rear bumper with exposed dual exhaust outlets, enhancing its rugged look. The Ridgeline offered a range of trim levels, from Sport to Black Edition, with prices starting at $44,355. It came equipped with a 280-horsepower V6 engine, all-wheel drive, and a nine-speed automatic transmission, ensuring a powerful and smooth driving experience. The interior, modeled after the Honda Pilot SUV, emphasized functionality with generous storage and easy-to-clean surfaces.

In contrast, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz presented a unique blend of SUV and truck styling. With its unibody construction and unconventional design, it stood out on the road. The Santa Cruz was smaller than traditional midsize pickups, measuring 4,970 mm in length, yet it offered a spacious interior. The exterior featured a toothy grille and blended headlights, while the interior was more conventional, focusing on practicality rather than ruggedness. The Santa Cruz was available with 20-inch wheels, and its interior included thoughtful design elements like integrated air vents and appropriate materials for its price range. Despite its smaller size, the Santa Cruz aimed to deliver a versatile and adventurous driving experience.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline was powered by a 280-horsepower V6 engine, delivering 262 lb-ft of torque. It featured a nine-speed automatic transmission with Normal and Sport modes, and all-wheel drive was standard. The Ridgeline's Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) system allowed for torque-vectoring, distributing up to 70% of the engine's power to a single rear wheel. With Intelligent Traction Management offering Snow, Sand, and Mud settings, the Ridgeline was well-suited for various terrains, though not for rock-crawling. It had a ground clearance of 194 mm and a towing capacity of 2,267 kg, with a payload rating of 694 kg. The Ridgeline's unibody construction and independent rear suspension contributed to its athletic and enjoyable driving experience.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, available in Canada with a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, produced 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It came with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Santa Cruz's multi-link suspension and self-leveling feature made it agile in corners, and it offered a smooth ride even on 20-inch wheels. With a ground clearance of 21.8 cm, the Santa Cruz was capable of light off-roading, though it lacked low range and locking differentials. Its towing capacity matched the Ridgeline at 2,268 kg, but it offered a higher payload capacity of 864 kg. The Santa Cruz was designed more for recreation than heavy-duty work.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline excelled in comfort and functionality. It featured a spacious interior with a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and a 4-way power-adjustable passenger seat, both heated. The rear seat was the roomiest in its class, and the Ridgeline included triple-zone automatic climate control and a power moonroof. Storage was abundant, with a large centre console and various bins throughout the cabin. The composite cargo bed was durable, with tie-down hooks and a power outlet. The dual-action tailgate and 207-litre in-bed trunk added to its utility, making it easy to load and unload cargo.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz, while offering an impressive payload capacity, had a smaller truck bed at 1,323 mm long. This limited its ability to carry larger items like bicycles or plywood without adjustments. However, Hyundai included features like a lockable tonneau cover, tie-down points, and in-bed lighting to maximize utility. The Santa Cruz was available in a four-door crew-cab configuration, with seating for five. While rear-seat space was tight, front-seat space was more generous. The interior offered decent storage, with a centre console and under-seat compartments. The controls for heated and ventilated seats were conveniently placed, though touch pads for audio and climate control were less user-friendly.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. It included a seven-speaker sound system, text-messaging capability, and basic HondaLink services. Higher trims added features like SiriusXM, HD Radio, and a premium sound system. The Ridgeline's technology was straightforward, focusing on essential connectivity and entertainment options.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz offered a standard 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a digital instrument cluster. The digital cluster displayed blind-spot images from the surround-view camera system. Hyundai's Blue Link telematics service provided smartwatch and Google Assistant connectivity. The touchscreen and digital cluster were responsive and visually appealing, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline included the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. It also had a multi-angle reversing camera and automatic high-beam headlights. The Ridgeline was built to Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering standards, earning high safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, though the redesigned front-end affected its small overlap front crash test score.

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz was a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with standard safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. It also offered blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit assist. The Ultimate grade included a surround-view camera system and Highway Driving Assist. Hyundai's safety systems performed well, though they struggled with highway curves, a common issue among similar systems.