Hyundi Santa Cruz

[mikeflys]

My FB feed has been continuously hit with adds for this little car/truck. Biggest selling point they seem to be pushing is the claimed 5000lb towing capacity. Is this believable? Just a quick search of the web finds several small TT's that weigh in at around 3900lbs. Could this rig safely pull one? Or am I missing some big piece of this puzzle?

[valhalla360]

mikeflys wrote:
My FB feed has been continuously hit with adds for this little car/truck. Biggest selling point they seem to be pushing is the claimed 5000lb towing capacity. Is this believable? Just a quick search of the web finds several small TT's that weigh in at around 3900lbs. Could this rig safely pull one? Or am I missing some big piece of this puzzle?

First question: Is the 3900lb the empty weight or the GVWR.

If it's the GVWR, probably doable but not a great tow vehicle.
If it's the empty weight, you will probably be overloaded.

For the same price look into a 1/2 ton truck but make sure to check both tow rating and payload. Look for one with a payload above 2000lb and you should have a vehicle that will tow much better.

[Thermoguy]

I finally saw what I would consider the right trailer with the right tow vehicle, when it comes to small SUV's. Today, I think a Hyundi, coming the other way, with a nice, small, narrow trailer. Looked perfectly sized for the little SUV...

I have a V6 Explorer with a 5000lb towing capacity and tow package. I can't imagine towing a travel trailer that size and enjoying the drive...

[bgum]

rjstractor wrote:

bgum wrote:
Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.

Gotta read the fine print on Toyota's website. The unicorn $27K Tacoma can only tow 3500 lbs. A Tacoma that can tow over 6K starts at closer to $40K.

As far as towing with a DI turbocharged engine, there seems to be a feeling that a little tiny high-strung turbocharged engine will wind itself to pieces even trying to tow a little popup. Look at the specs on this motor- 2.5 liter, 281 hp/311 torque with max torque at 1700 rpm. Don't see any issues here- this motor's actually a little bigger than the Ranger's. Heck, GM uses a motor that's hardly any bigger in a FULL size truck- 2.7 liters (still 4 cylinder) with 310 hp/348 torque, so that motor's even more high strung! 5700 lb GVWR and 1600 payload, don't see any problems here towing a smallish TT.

My main concern would be the DCT in a towing application. I don't know how well these take abuse trying to launch on a steep hill. I'd prefer one over a CVT any day though.

Really, in the OP's situation, the only thing that would steer me away from the Santa Cruz is how it looks-:E and that only matters to me, no one else.

$32100.00 SR5 V6

[mkirsch]

If you buy the one with the 5000lb tow package, I don't see why not.

You may not like it but it will get you safely from point A to point B.

Then again you may be the type that will drive 100 miles on 3 flat tires and claim they didn't notice the difference in driving characteristics of the vehicle. I should expound on that to say, and wouldn't care that you had to keep the pedal mashed to the floor just to do 55.

[rjstractor]

bgum wrote:
Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.

Gotta read the fine print on Toyota's website. The unicorn $27K Tacoma can only tow 3500 lbs. A Tacoma that can tow over 6K starts at closer to $40K.

As far as towing with a DI turbocharged engine, there seems to be a feeling that a little tiny high-strung turbocharged engine will wind itself to pieces even trying to tow a little popup. Look at the specs on this motor- 2.5 liter, 281 hp/311 torque with max torque at 1700 rpm. Don't see any issues here- this motor's actually a little bigger than the Ranger's. Heck, GM uses a motor that's hardly any bigger in a FULL size truck- 2.7 liters (still 4 cylinder) with 310 hp/348 torque, so that motor's even more high strung! 5700 lb GVWR and 1600 payload, don't see any problems here towing a smallish TT.

My main concern would be the DCT in a towing application. I don't know how well these take abuse trying to launch on a steep hill. I'd prefer one over a CVT any day though.

Really, in the OP's situation, the only thing that would steer me away from the Santa Cruz is how it looks-:E and that only matters to me, no one else.

[KD4UPL]

Sure it's believable. It would probably tow a 5,000 pound boat just fine. It would probably tow a 5,000 pound load cinder blocks on a flatbed just fine.
There are many different types of trailers and a hard sided travel trailer is probably, by far, the most difficult to tow. The high percentage of tongue weight, inability to move the tongue weight, large frontal area, poor aerodynamics, and large side sail area make a travel trailer a difficult tow.
Just because a tow vehicle says it will tow 5,000 pounds doesn't mean just any old trailer at all. The same vehicle that might handle a 5,000 pound boat just fine might be a struggling handful with a 4,000 pound RV.
Further, some people have very different expectations. I expect my tow vehicle to be able to maintain interstate speeds up a mountain while towing. Some people are just as happy to be doing 45 with their 4 ways on up the mountain. Some people have never tow within 100 miles of a mountain. I also expect my vehicles to last for 200,000 or more miles. Some people think a vehicle is worn out at 100,000.
That vehicle probably would pull a 4,000 pound RV but I doubt you'll like the experience, particular up a mountain, and I bet it won't live very long.

[Lwiddis]

Beware of Hyundi claims. Daughter leased an electric Hyundi with an advertised range of 300 miles or so and then a year later Hyundi lowered it to 240-250. It won't go beyond the new range. Computer was reset. Saving their battery for resale I believe.

There is also a recall but no dealers local Hyundi will do the work.

[jdc1]

My daughter uses her Subaru Accent to tow a 5,000 trailer. Does it work good? Yes, it has the power. That's all I can say. The transmission already has been worked on. Will it last? Probably not. That little turbo'd engine just doesn't seem, to me, a good idea for towing much of anything. Now, a Hyundai? They already have a reputation for lived motors. Why take a chance on exasperating that issue?

[bgum]

Toyota tacoma 6800 lbs towing starts at $27000. It appears the Santa Cruz is no bargain as a tow vehicle.

[p220sigman]

Two issues I see. First, to get the 5K towing capacity, you have to get either the top of the line or the next to the top of the line model which are going to start at 37K. The other is the carrying capacity is still only about 1500 lbs.

There are a number of trucks in that price range that will have more capability. The Ford Ranger comes to mind. If memory serves, the XLT 4x2 starts at about 30K and is rated to tow 7500 lbs with more carrying capacity. There are others I'm sure.