Which compact pickup is better? Edmunds compares the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz

By DAN FRIO Edmunds If you wished a midsize truck years ago your choices included an aging Toyota Tacoma or an even older Nissan Frontier design In the present day renewed versions of the Chevrolet Colorado Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline have revitalized the segment enough to have spawned a new compact pickup class led by the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz They approach light-duty truck utility from different angles Although it offers a wildly fuel-efficient hybrid engine the Maverick with robust towing and hauling limits plus its bouncy ride and barren interior is a more conventional pickup The Santa Cruz is classier and more content more SUV than truck It can tow more than the Ford but it lacks the heavy hauling strength The best one for buyers really comes down to intended use This photo provided by Hyundai shows the Hyundai Santa Cruz a compact pickup with a car-like interior and impressive towing capabilities Courtesy of Hyundai Motor America via AP Power and fuel market system Both the Maverick and Santa Cruz start with four-cylinder engines rated at horsepower Neither truck is quick but both are capable Importantly the Maverick is a hybrid that delivers an impressive mpg combined and we even squeezed out a sparse extra mpg in our real-world testing The Santa Cruz isn t a hybrid but gets up to mpg combined city highway Adding all-wheel drive shaves the estimates for both trucks by mpg Both models offer optional turbo engines for better performance The Maverick can dash from to mph in seconds with its -horsepower four-cylinder while the Santa Cruz is nearly as swift seconds with its -horsepower engine The turbo trucks are also more evenly matched at the pump The turbo Maverick gets an EPA-estimated - mpg combined which we substantiated in our real-world testing while the Santa Cruz indeed outperformed its - mpg combined EPA rating with mpg in our tests Winner Maverick Towing and payload Properly equipped the Maverick can tow up to pounds plenty for a small pop-up or tour trailer or a couple of dirt bikes with a trailer and fuel but doing so requires the pricier turbo engine The hybrid is limited to pounds The Santa Cruz is rated at a more robust pounds with its turbo engine or pounds with its base engine One thousand pounds isn t much when comparing big trucks but it s a sizable advantage for a compact pickup The Maverick s -pound payload maximum fuel passengers and bed weight combined edges out the Santa Cruz s rating of pounds and the Ford s slightly longer bed improves utility The Maverick also offers a trailering package hitch wiring harness and trailer brake controller from the factory For the Santa Cruz you d need to source aftermarket components Since both trucks are capable in different tactics this choice comes down to specific use cases Winner tie Off-road capability Neither truck offers serious off-road hardware although the Maverick comes close Both can handle a rutted trail or fire road thanks to optional all-wheel drive a measure of body armor and roughly inches of ground clearance The Santa Cruz XRT trim includes all-terrain tires front tow hooks and a surround-view monitor to enhance visibility but the Maverick Tremor trim is the best choice for dirt work The Tremor comes with even higher ground clearance a specially tuned suspension and locking rear differential underbody skid plates and modes that optimize speed and traction for different terrain But the pricey Tremor isn t the only way to go off-road The optional FX package for the Maverick XLT trim offers several of the same features for less money Winner Maverick Comfort tech and value If you expect a truck-like ride the Maverick doesn t disappoint It jostles along like a basic work truck its street-oriented Lobo trim the only exception The Santa Cruz feels like a Mercedes by comparison with a softer controlled ride more typical of a crossover The theme continues in the cabin which feels fresher and more upmarket than the Maverick s plastic expanse Related Articles How to make the most of of a summer gig Detroit auto parts company that sued over crippling tariff framework could close in weeks Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs sickens dozens across states Trump pressures Fed s Powell to cut rates a full point surprising region winners in Both trucks come with large touchscreens -inch in the Maverick -inch in the Santa Cruz underpinned by clean user interfaces and responsive system But the Hyundai s extra standard and optional driver aids including adaptive cruise control give it an edge You can also get more optional creature comforts with the Santa Cruz such as ventilated seats and leather upholstery Both trucks cost nearly the same with the Maverick starting at including destination and the Santa Cruz at The latter s classier features give it an edge here Winner Santa Cruz Edmunds says Get the Maverick if you need typical truck muscle or excellent fuel business activity Get the Santa Cruz if you want classier crossover comfort or need to tow heavier loads This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds Dan Frio is a contributor at Edmunds