For drivers shopping the compact truck segment, the 2025 Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz deliver a smart, sporty performance. But which is ultimately the best choice for drivers in Owosso, Michigan? Our buying guide helps you make the right choice.
Key Takeaways
- Both trucks are budget-friendly, but the Maverick can give you a little bit of a discount!
- Of the pair, the Santa Cruz offers the smoothest ride.
- Choose the Maverick for the best balance of strength and cruising comfort.
- With its hybrid powertrain, the Maverick saves you a bundle at the gas station!
The Maverick (starting at $28,145*) wins this one by a hair. Compared to the entry-level Santa Cruz (from $28,750*), Ford’s small truck can help you maximize your budget. But don’t forget that the final price of your compact truck depends on many factors, including trim model, equipment, and local fees! Browse our current inventory for more specific prices.
*Price as of 4/29/25.
Cruising Comfort: 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
For the smoothest cruise into Lansing or Detroit, consider the Santa Cruz. Hyundai’s compact truck makes your commute a comfy one with its easygoing ride and nicely cushioned front seats. We’re also fans of the Santa Cruz’s available upgrades! And thanks to available features, like heated and ventilated front seats, Hyundai’s little pickup can keep you comfy through all four seasons.
The Maverick, meanwhile, is tuned more for performance than its Hyundai counterpart. By comparison, it feels a little stiffer on bumpy pavement. Otherwise, though, this small truck is a roomy, comfortable choice, with road-trip-friendly legroom and supportive seat contours. And the Maverick is equally available with luxury features that will keep you cozy during a cold snap, including heated seats and a heated steering wheel!
Everyday Performance: 2025 Ford Maverick
Shopping for a small but mighty truck? The Maverick feels much more truck-like than the competition. Properly equipped, this Ford pickup can tow up to 4,000 pounds. And most models haul max payloads of 1,500 pounds (at no extra cost!). And now that you can equip either engine with all-wheel drive, the Maverick is our first choice for handling icy winter drives! Plus, the all-new Maverick Tremor delivers the best off-road performance, complete with maximum ground clearance (9.1 inches), rugged all-terrain tires, and a locking rear differential.
2025 Ford Maverick Powertrain Options
- Standard 2.5L hybrid four-cylinder engine (191 hp, 155 lb-ft)
- Optional turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine (250 hp, 280 lb-ft)
- Continuously variable transmission (with hybrid) or 10-speed automatic transmission (with 2.0L engine)
- XL, XLT, Lariat: front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive
- Lobo, Tremor: all-wheel drive
If you prefer to prioritize on-road comfort, Hyundai’s truck may be the right choice for you. The Santa Cruz aims for a sportier performance with its own trail-friendly trim, the XRT, which gives you a little extra ground clearance (8.6 inches) and all-terrain tires. However, it lacks features that you’d want in complicated terrain, like a locking differential. And while the Hyundai Santa Cruz delivers extra horsepower, its comfort-tuned suspension holds it back from delivering as rugged a performance as the competition. There’s one other caveat here. Although the Santa Cruz requires a trailer brake controller to tow max loads of 5,000 pounds, it doesn’t offer one. Unfortunately, that means you’ll need an aftermarket part to tow a camper weighing more than 1,500 pounds!
2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz Powertrain Options
- SE, SEL: 2.5L four-cylinder engine (191 hp, 181 lb-ft)
- XRT, Limited: turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder engine (281 hp, 321 lb-ft)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- SE, SEL: front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive
- XRT, Limited: all-wheel drive
Fuel-Efficient Power: 2025 Ford Maverick
Not only does the Maverick give you the sportiest trucking skills, but it’s also the most efficient option! With its standard hybrid powertrain, Ford’s compact truck earns up to 38 mpg combined (42 city/35 highway). Add all-wheel drive and those figures drop ever so slightly, to 37 mpg combined (40 city/34 highway).
Unfortunately, the Hyundai Santa Cruz can’t quite compete in this category. It earns its best EPA ratings — up to 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway) — with its optional 2.5-liter engine. So you’ll not only need to pay more to enhance fuel mileage, but you won’t save nearly as much at the pump as you would with the Maverick.
Your New Compact Truck
In the end, which compact truck is better in Owosso, the Maverick or Santa Cruz? Hyundai’s small truck might deliver the smoothest ride, but most Michigan drivers we’ve met prefer the Maverick’s incredible blend of fuel economy and strength. If that sounds like you, visit us at Lunghamer Ford to test-drive any of the Maverick’s five trim models!