Is the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz a truck or an SUV — how is it classified in Canada?
The 2025 Santa Cruz is classified as a "sport adventure vehicle" or "pickup truck" depending on the province and context in Canada. It combines an SUV-style cabin (5 passengers, AWD, car-like driving dynamics) with an open cargo bed measuring 122 cm in length. This hybrid classification can offer tax advantages for business use in some provinces (deductible as a commercial vehicle under certain criteria). Transport Canada and most insurers generally categorize it as a "compact pickup truck." The available H-TRAC all-wheel drive includes selectable drive modes (Normal, Sport, Mud, Sand, Snow). With 200 mm of ground clearance, it can handle moderate off-road trails — less capable than a Honda Ridgeline in serious off-road but superior to most compact SUVs.