With only two models on the market that qualify as compact trucks — the 2024 Ford Maverick and 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz — it’s easy to see why you’d want to know more about each one. To help you choose the best compact truck for your needs, our comparison guide reviews each model’s strong points.
Key Takeaways
- Specially designed as an economy option, the Maverick comes at the best price!
- The Maverick offers the sportiest performance, delivering incredible power with its turbocharged engine.
- No matter which Maverick powertrain you select, you’ll enjoy greater fuel economy than the Santa Cruz can offer.
- With aftermarket upgrades, the Santa Cruz can tote the biggest trailer, with a max tow rating of 5,000 pounds.
Best Price: 2024 Ford Maverick
Part of the main appeal of the 2024 Maverick is that it was built as an economy option, with a starting price of $23,815. Although the 2024 Santa Fe is also pretty attainable, its MSRP of $26,900 will force you to dig a little deeper into your pockets!
For the compact model that drives like a truck (and also looks like one), you want the Maverick. This year’s Maverick comes standard with a peppy, 250-horsepower turbocharged engine and offers a hybrid powertrain as an option. With the standard engine, all-wheel drive is available to provide extra traction on sandy trails or slick pavement.
The 2024 Maverick is available with these powertrain options:
- Turbo 2.0L four-cylinder engine (250 hp, 277 lb-ft)
- 2.5L four-cylinder hybrid engine (191 horsepower, 155 lb-ft of torque)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Optional all-wheel drive (2.0L only)
Like the Maverick, the Santa Cruz has a unibody design, which makes it easy to handle in just about any situation. However, Hyundai’s “sport adventure vehicle” (the automaker doesn’t actually call it a truck) doesn’t deliver as much power as the competition.
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz is available with these powertrain options:
- 2.5L four-cylinder engine (191 hp, 181 lb-ft of torque)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Optional all-wheel drive
Fuel Economy: 2024 Ford Maverick
With its available hybrid powertrain, the 2024 Maverick delivers incredible fuel savings, with EPA ratings of 37 mpg combined (42 city/33 highway)! Compared to the Santa Cruz, even the Maverick’s powerful 250-horsepower engine can be the thriftier option, with ratings of up to 26 mpg combined (23 city/30 highway).
Equipped with front-wheel drive, the 2024 Santa Cruz earns its best EPA ratings, 23 mpg combined (22 city/26 highway). Without a turbocharger, the Santa Fe can’t even compete with the Maverick’s much more powerful engine option.
Towing Capabilities: 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Equipped with an aftermarket trailer brake controller (Hyundai doesn’t offer one), the Santa Cruz is the most capable tower, with a maximum rating of 5,000 pounds. Without that brake controller, tow ratings max out at 3,500 pounds. This adventure vehicle is also a pretty good mover and shaker, with about the same space in its truck bed as the Maverick. Properly equipped, the Santa Cruz can haul payloads weighing up to 1,411 pounds.
With the proper equipment (Ford does offer a trailer brake controller) and the standard turbocharged engine, the Maverick can tow max loads of 4,000 pounds. That’s good news for anyone with a Jet Ski or small boat! Hybrid trucks can tow up to 2,000 pounds. And every Maverick is ready to haul up to 1,500 pounds — no upgrades necessary!
Your New Compact Truck
Compared to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz, the 2024 Ford Maverick offers truck drivers a longer list of benefits. Not only does Ford’s compact pickup come at a great price, but it also provides more power, greater fuel economy, and stronger hauling capabilities. Not to mention it can tow a pretty sizable trailer!