In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz, which, ironically, was officially discontinued days after we bought one for testing. We talk about the history and future of small trucks, discuss why Hyundai decided to end production of the Santa Cruz, and answer a question from a Santa Cruz owner about why the Santa Cruz returned low scores in our cargo capacity assessment.
SHOW NOTES:
0:00 - Introduction & Why We Bought Another Santa Cruz
1:03 - Why Hyundai discontinued the Santa Cruz
3:03 - Is a small truck enough for most people?
7:05 - What we dislike about the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
13:35 - Best Small Truck Alternatives
19:50 - Audience Question: How Does CR Score the Bed Size of a truck?
27:15 - Audience Question Follow up: Favorite cars purchased by Ernie from North Carolina
LINKS:
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hyundai/santa-cruz/2026/overview/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Ford Maverick: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/maverick/2026/overview/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Model History: Honda Ridgeline: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/honda/ridgeline/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Ford Maverick Hybrid: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/maverick-hybrid/2026/overview/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
Test Results: Ford F-150 Hybrid: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/ford/f-150-hybrid/2026/overview/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT
6 Most Reliable Used Pickup Trucks, According to Consumer Reports' Experts: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/pickup-trucks/most-reliable-used-pickup-trucks-a7737894754/?EXTKEY=YSOCIAL_YT