Ford’s F-Series has once again claimed the top spot as America’s favorite nameplate and best-selling truck for the 47th consecutive year. Chevrolet’s Silverado and Ram’s trucks follow closely behind in popularity. The GMC Sierra, Toyota Tacoma, and Tundra also have a strong presence in the market. However, Ford’s dominance extends beyond full-size pickup trucks. Their unibody Maverick, a compact pickup truck, is rapidly approaching the impressive milestone of 100,000 deliveries.
These numbers highlight two important points. Firstly, carmakers may have underestimated the potential of the compact pickup truck segment in previous years. Secondly, Hyundai’s Santa Cruz, the only other unibody compact pickup truck available in America, is facing a challenging situation. Last year, Hyundai only managed to sell approximately 37,000 Santa Cruz vehicles, while Ford’s Maverick achieved a remarkable 94,000 sales. If Hyundai doesn’t act swiftly, the situation could worsen for them.
Fortunately, Hyundai is not sitting idle. Recent spy shots captured the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz being tested alongside its 2024 model year sibling. It is evident that the South Korean automaker intends to begin production of a facelifted Santa Cruz later this year at HMMA in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Santa Cruz is built on the same Hyundai-Kia N3 platform as the 2024 Hyundai Tucson (NX4). One of the potential drawbacks of the Santa Cruz was its design, which closely resembled that of a crossover like the Tucson. In contrast, the rugged Maverick bears a stronger resemblance to Ford’s Ranger and F-150, rather than the Escape and Bronco Sport, which share the Ford C2 architecture.
Another advantage the Maverick holds is its availability as a hybrid. In fact, the hybrid option outsold Ford’s F-150 PowerBoost last year. Perhaps Hyundai should consider introducing a hybrid version of the 2025 Santa Cruz, along with updated exterior and interior features. The full details will be revealed soon, as the official unveiling is likely just around the corner.
While we await the official information, digital car content creators have been using recent spy shots to imagine the styling of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz. For instance, the Halo oto channel on YouTube has provided fresh automotive information accompanied by their virtual designs. These CGI concepts offer a glimpse into what the upcoming Santa Cruz might look like.
So, what are your thoughts? Will Hyundai opt for a subtle update to bridge the gap between its unibody compact pickup truck and Ford’s best-selling Maverick? Or is the company planning a more extensive overhaul to challenge Ford’s dominance in the coming year?
