Santa Cruz, with its bold styling, breaks open all new segment territory, both for Hyundai and the industry as a whole. Open-bed flexibility coupled with closed-cabin security meets the changing everyday needs of its adventure-oriented buyers, while powerful and efficient engines and superb maneuverability ensure it is a pleasure to drive in urban or off-road environments.
For the 2021 model year, Ridgeline features all-new sheet metal from the front roof pillars forward, including a new hood with a pronounced power bulge, a new squared off nose and upright grille, and new front fenders. Flanking the grille are new, brighter LED headlights bisected by the crossbar atop the grille, which is painted gloss black on Sport trims and Black Edition, and is chrome plated on RTL and RTL-E. The body-color lower front bumper further accentuates the Ridgeline’s tough new look with a prominent skid plate and broad side vents that create air curtains to route air through the bumper and around the front tires and wheels to improve aerodynamic performance. A reshaped rear bumper exposes aggressive new twin exhaust outlets, and all Ridgeline trims feature tougher looking 18-inch wheels and an additional 20 mm of track width to give Ridgeline a broader, more planted stance. New tires top off the more rugged look with a more aggressive sidewall and shoulder design. Ridgeline also adds a new Radiant Red Metallic to its exterior color palette.
So of the two if you were in market, which would you choose? Ridgeline or Santa Cruz?