Hyundai may soon be pulling the plug on the Santa Cruz, according to a new report from Automotive News. While the compact pickup was originally expected to remain in production through 2027, sluggish sales have reportedly accelerated Hyundai’s plans, with discontinuation now expected much sooner.
Since its launch, the Santa Cruz has struggled to gain traction in a segment that has effectively become a one-horse race. Its lone direct rival, the Ford Maverick, has dominated sales, posting more than 155,000 units sold in 2025 alone. By comparison, Hyundai reportedly sold roughly 25,000 Santa Cruz models over the same period, a gap that has proven difficult to ignore.
As a result, Hyundai is said to be scaling back Santa Cruz production beginning in the first quarter of 2026, signaling that the end of the model may be near. While Hyundai has not officially confirmed a final production date, the move suggests the automaker is reassessing its approach to the pickup market in North America.
Importantly, the Santa Cruz’s potential exit doesn’t mean Hyundai is abandoning trucks altogether. Hyundai has already confirmed plans to introduce a midsize, body-on-frame pickup by the end of the decade—a vehicle that would target a very different buyer than the lifestyle-oriented Santa Cruz ever did.
For now, the writing appears to be on the wall for Hyundai’s compact pickup experiment, as market demand continues to favor more traditional truck formulas.
