2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz Trim Comparison

September 3rd, 2026 by


The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz for sale at our Hyundai dealership in Anderson, South Carolina, is available in 3 trim levels. At Hyundai of Anderson, our knowledgeable team is here to walk you through each of the new Santa Cruz trims, including:

  • SE
  • SEL Activity
  • XRT

Which 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz Trim Is Right for Me?

The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a great choice for South Carolina drivers who want a crew-cab pickup that parks like a crossover but hauls like a truck. The XRT stands apart with 281 hp, 311 lb-ft of torque, and a 5,000-lb tow rating, nearly 43% more than the 3,500-lb ceiling on every other trim. If you’re considering the latest Santa Cruz, the team at our Hyundai dealership in Anderson, South Carolina, can help you compare the available features of each trim.

SE

  • 2.5L 4-cylinder engine with 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque
  • Available with FWD or AWD
  • 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Lockable under-bed storage
  • Multi-function tailgate
  • 6-way adjustable driver’s seat
  • 12.3-inch touchscreen display
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
  • Rearview camera

SEL Activity

  • Heated exterior mirrors with turn signal indicators
  • Power sunroof
  • Roof side rails
  • Heated front seats
  • 8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support
  • 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
  • Dual automatic temperature control
  • Wireless device charging

XRT

  • 2.5L Turbo 4-cylinder engine with 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque
  • All-Wheel Drive
  • 12.3-inch color touchscreen with onboard navigation
  • Bose® premium audio system
  • Dynamic Voice Recognition
  • Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Smart Cruise Control 2 with Stop & Go

What Are the Features of the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

The latest Santa Cruz carries over many features of this adventurous Hyundai vehicle from the previous model year, with a streamlined trim lineup and enhanced features on the remaining trims. Delivering power and versatility, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is the best of both a truck and an SUV. Whether you’re intrigued by the Santa Cruz’s bold exterior or its off-road capability, this new Hyundai has plenty to offer South Carolina drivers who don’t want to have to sacrifice comfort for cargo bed space and utility.

Rugged Style

The latest Santa Cruz wears a crew-cab pickup body on a short wheelbase of 118.3 in, keeping its overall length at 195.7 in, compact enough for downtown Anderson’s tighter parking lots while still projecting a truck stance. Its width is 75 in, and height ranges from 66.7 in on the SE trims to 66.9 in on the SEL Activity and XRT trims. Ground clearance is 8.6 in across all five trims.

Lighting is full LED throughout: projector-beam LED headlights with auto high-beam, LED daytime running lights, LED side indicators, LED rear lights, and LED brake lights. Bumpers are painted body color front and rear on all trims. The XRT 2.5 AWD distinguishes itself with gloss-black exterior mirrors rather than the painted mirrors on other trims, reinforcing its off-road visual identity.

The SEL Activity and XRT trims add black roof rails as standard equipment, a practical visual element that also supports optional Cross Rails for carrying gear to the foothills or the lake. Interior color choices include Black H-Tex and Medium Gray H-Tex synthetic leather across all trims, with Premium Exterior Colors available as an option on every configuration.

Power and Handling

The powertrain split between the XRT and the rest of the lineup is the most important spec decision a Santa Cruz buyer will make. The SE and SEL Activity share a naturally aspirated Smartstream 2.5L inline-4 engine producing 191 hp at 6,100 rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The XRT pairs a turbocharged Smartstream 2.5L with the same 8-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic, but output jumps to 281 hp at 5,800 rpm and 311 lb-ft of torque arriving early at just 1,700 rpm.

Because it weighs less, the SE trim carries the highest payload figures: 1,738 lbs with FWD and 1,735 lbs with AWD. The XRT’s curb weight of 4,160 lbs trims payload to 1,638 lbs, but its 5,000-lb tow rating is the headline number for anyone planning to pull a pontoon boat to Lake Hartwell. For the 3,500-lb trims, towing a small fishing boat or a jet ski trailer is well within reach.

Suspension is independent front strut with coil springs and an independent rear multi-link with coil springs across all trims, with automatic rear leveling standard. Electric power steering is standard throughout.

Comfort and Cargo Space

All 3 SantaCruz trims seat five in a 2+3 configuration with front bucket seats and a split-bench rear. The crew cab’s four conventional front-hinged doors make rear-seat access straightforward for passengers of any age.

Measurement Value
Front headroom 40.2 in (SE) / 38.2 in (SEL Activity, XRT)
Rear headroom 39.6 in
Front legroom 41.4 in
Rear legroom 36.5 in
Front shoulder room 57.7 in
Rear shoulder room 56.1 in
Front hip room 54.5 in
Rear hip room 53.5 in

The SE trims offer 40.2 in of front headroom; the SEL Activity and XRT trims, which include a standard panoramic glass sunroof, measure 38.2 in up front, as the sunroof housing reduces headroom slightly. Rear headroom is 39.6 in on all trims.

The pickup bed delivers about 27 cu ft of cargo volume on every trim, with a bed length of 52.1 in, a width of 53.9 in, and 42.7 in between the wheelhouses. Loading floor height is 31.6 in. A fixed rear cargo step is standard on all trims. The SE trims include a straight-sided composite-lined bed. The SEL Activity and XRT trims add a standard manual tonneau cover, keeping gear dry on the drive back from the lake.

The SE trims use manual seat adjustments front and rear. The SEL Activity and XRT trims upgrade the driver’s seat to a 5-way power adjustment with electric lumbar, while the passenger seat remains manual. Both SEL Activity and XRT also add heated front seats and a 2-zone automatic climate control system, while the SE trims use manual air conditioning with a single zone.

Below the rear bench, all trims include under-seat storage. A full-width floor console and a partial overhead console add further organization up front.

Connected Technology

The SE’s cabin technology centers around a 12.3-in touchscreen infotainment display paired with a 4.2-in instrument cluster. The SEL Activity and XRT trims upgrade the instrument cluster to a fully digital 12.3-in reconfigurable display, creating a dual-12.3 setup that reads more like a premium cockpit.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard on all trims with no subscription expiration. Bluetooth, satellite radio (3-month trial), AM/FM/digital radio, steering-wheel audio controls, and a USB connection at the front are also standard across the lineup. Two USB charging ports sit at the front and two more at the rear on every trim.

The Bluelink+ connected services suite is standard on all trims and includes remote lock/unlock, remote start, vehicle diagnostics, geo-fencing, speed alerts, theft alert, and over-the-air OS updates. The XRT adds built-in navigation with a 12.3-in screen, 3D voice-guided maps, live traffic data (36-month subscription), map updates (36-month subscription), and a Surround View Monitor with front, rear, and side cameras for enhanced situational awareness. The XRT also includes NSCC (Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control) with stop-and-go capability.

Audio steps up meaningfully at the XRT level: 6 speakers on SE and SEL Activity trims, 8 Bose speakers on the XRT.

Safety

The airbag count on the 2027 Santa Cruz is 6 on all trims: dual front airbags, front side airbags, and front-and-rear side curtain airbags. Seat belts include pre-tensioners and height adjusters at all front positions and a 3-point center rear belt. ABS with brake assist, electronic traction control, stability control, hill-hold, and electronic auto-hold are also standard.

Every 2027 Santa Cruz trim ships with a comprehensive standard safety suite, including standard active features like:

  • Forward Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian Detection
  • Blind Collision Warning
  • Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist
  • Lane Keeping Assist
  • Car exit warning system

The XRT advances to Level 2 partial automation with:

  • Highway Assist
  • Traffic Jam Assist
  • Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning
  • Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go
  • Traffic Sign Recognition
  • Surround View Monitor

Crash test results in the catalog data show NHTSA overall 5-star, NHTSA frontal 5-star, NHTSA side impact 5-star, NHTSA rollover 4-star, IIHS side impact Good, IIHS small overlap front (driver) Good, and IIHS headlights Good ratings.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz

Which trim should I choose if I want an affordable all-wheel drive trim?
The SE 2.5 AWD is the most affordable AWD option in the lineup. It shares the same 191 hp Smartstream 2.5L engine, 8-speed SHIFTRONIC transmission, 3,500-lb tow rating, and about 27 cu ft cargo bed as the FWD version, but adds AWD. If you want AWD plus the tonneau cover, sunroof, power driver’s seat, heated seats, and dual-zone climate control, the SEL Activity with AWD is the next step.
Can the Santa Cruz tow a boat to Lake Hartwell?
It depends on the trim. The SE and SEL Activity are all rated at 3,500 lbs of towing for both FWD and AWD configurations, enough for a small fishing boat, a jet ski trailer, or a lightweight utility trailer. The XRT raises that towing capacity to 5,000 lbs thanks to its turbocharged engine and 311 lb-ft of torque, making it the right choice for a pontoon or a heavier bass boat. All trims include trailer towing preparation as standard equipment, and a Ball Mount Kit and Tow Hitch are available as dealer-installed accessories.
What is the difference between the SEL Activity and the XRT?
Both trims include a sunroof, tonneau cover, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate, and Bluelink+ connected services. The XRT adds the turbocharged engine (281 hp vs. 191 hp), a 5,000-lb tow rating (vs. 3,500 lbs), 8 Bose speakers (vs. 6 speakers), built-in navigation with live traffic, NSCC adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, a Surround View Monitor, Level 2 driver assistance, FCA with Junction Turning, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, paddle shifters, and gloss-black exterior mirrors.
Does the Santa Cruz fit in a standard parking garage?
At 195.7 in long (195.9 in on the XRT), 75 in wide, and 66.7–66.9 in tall, the Santa Cruz fits within most standard parking garage clearances. Its short wheelbase of 118.3 in also helps with turning radius in tight urban environments. The curb-to-curb turning circle is 475.3 in on all trims.
How do I get started with a purchase at Hyundai of Anderson?
You can start a Hyundai finance application before you visit our Anderson Hyundai dealership to streamline the financing process. To speak with a product specialist about trim availability, you can contact our team. If you prefer to visit in person, we’re conveniently located for South Carolina drivers in Seneca, Easley, Greer, and beyond. Our team can also help you find the trade-in value of your current vehicle as part of the purchase process.
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