My New Vehicle - the Santa Cruz!

I have started 2022 with a new vehicle. Traded in the red Mustang and I am now driving a 2022 Santa Cruz. It was the vehicle I didn't know I wanted. This a compact truck, or UTE, or SAV, or cross over SUV with a bed OR what every you wish to call it. I was shopping out another Subaru and instead purchased a Korean, Alabama made car. I purchased the SC right before New Year’s.

This vehicle is a quad cab with 4'3” hard composite molded bed with a rubber mat over the floor. There is an additional trunk underneath the bed floor that can double as a cooler with drain plug.

For the transmission, this SC has an 8-speed "SHIFTRONIC" automatic with their HTRAC AWD. For "rubber", the SC comes with 18" wheels - 245/60 R18 105H.

The front has LED running lamps built into the grill. As a theme, the entire vehicle is covered in triangles and even the body lines have triangles. The center dash infotainment unit has Apple play (wireless, Bluetooth, camera, etc.) with everything that you would expect in a modern vehicle. Drive modes include normal, sport, smart, and snow with a AWD lock and downhill accent control.

DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 118.3 in || Length: 195.7 in || Width: 75.0 in

The SC has good ground clearance with 8.6 inches of ground clearance and a decent 23.2-degree departure angle. This should do fairly well for off paved-road driving.

The color is what is being called "stone blue". I have thought about naming the vehicle "Bl-UTE-iful". I admit, that might be a little corny. The steering feels great and is Rack-Pinion. Handles very smoothly. The turning diameter is 40 ft. The wheels are jeepish looking 18" x 71.5" with aluminum wheels.

The front grill has a lot of use of chrome with hidden LED lights. Hidden during the day anyway. At night with lights directly towards the grill they are more visible while the car is off.

Another view with the lights on at night.

Apple car play selected with Apple's GPS/Map on. Android is an available option with the system, but we are an Apple family. Also have HD radio and MP3 player.

The mode select, AWD lock, camera select, auto hold, and down hill assist are located in the center by the gear shifter.

The interior is very SUV like and has chrome lines that "flows" through out.

In sport mode, the outer left and right sides of the guages turns reds.

Using the HTRAC AWD on snow and ice felt fairly sure footed.

Here you can see the triangles on the wheel well's trim and on the 245/60 R18 tire. As I stated earlier, these triangles cover much of the Santa Cruz.