Don't get it twisted: the new 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a pickup truck. Its smaller proportions and unibody construction just mean it's no full-size tow rig. Instead, think of the first Hyundai pickup as an alternative to the also-unibody Honda Ridgeline, which too features a one-size-fits-all crew cab, short-bed body style.
The Santa Cruz certainly looks more distinct than the Honda–or any other mid-size truck, for that matter­–with its interesting face and creased sheet metal.
Its interior also appears to be snazzier than its classmates, but the lack of physical controls (knobs and buttons) for the infotainment and HVAC systems, as well as what appears to be a small back seat, are question marks. Still, the 2022 Santa Cruz is a more functional twist on the tired crossover formula, and that open box on its butt means it qualifies as a pickup truck.