The part most people get wrong: you do not need the turbo engine to get the 5,000 lb rating. Here is the full breakdown by trim, and what those numbers actually pull around the Triangle.
Towing figures are properly-equipped maximums and require the correct hitch and, for the 5,000 lb rating, a trailer brake controller.
Santa Cruz Towing Capacity by Trim
Five trims, two engines, two towing ratings. The split is not where most people assume it is.
| Trim | Engine | Horsepower | Torque | Max Towing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SE | 2.5L, no turbo | 191 hp | 181 lb-ft | 3,500 lbs |
 SEL | 2.5L, no turbo | 191 hp | 181 lb-ft | 3,500 lbs |
 SEL ActivityTow Pick | 2.5L, no turbo | 191 hp | 181 lb-ft | 5,000 lbs |
 XRT | 2.5L turbo | 281 hp | 311 lb-ft | 5,000 lbs |
 Limited | 2.5L turbo | 281 hp | 311 lb-ft | 5,000 lbs |
Figures are properly-equipped maximums for all-wheel-drive configurations. How an individual vehicle is built changes what it is rated to pull, so confirm the specific truck before you buy a trailer.
This is the single most useful thing on this page. The SEL Activity runs the same 191 horsepower naturally aspirated engine as the SE and SEL, and it is still rated at 5,000 lbs. It is the lowest trim in the lineup that gets there.
That does not make the turbo pointless. The XRT and Limited make 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft, and with a loaded trailer behind you on the I-40 grade toward Chapel Hill, that extra torque is the difference between the truck working and the truck straining. But if what you need is the rating rather than the effortlessness, the SEL Activity gets you there.
What 5,000 lbs Actually Pulls Around the Triangle
A number on a spec sheet is not much use until you know what fits under it. Here is the honest version for Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill buyers.
Comfortably inside 5,000 lbs
- Most single-axle bass boats, pontoons and small runabouts headed to Jordan Lake or Falls Lake
- A pair of jet skis on a double trailer
- A small teardrop or pop-up camper for a run out to the Eno River or west toward the mountains
- A 5x8 or 6x10 utility trailer with mulch, mowers or moving boxes
- A single-car open trailer, empty or with a light track car
Where you are pushing it, or past it
- A larger travel trailer. Most start above 5,000 lbs loaded, and dry weight is never what you actually tow
- A dual-axle boat over about twenty feet, once you add fuel, batteries and gear
- Any enclosed car hauler. These are heavy before anything goes inside
- A skid steer or compact tractor on a trailer. This is body-on-frame territory
The number that matters is your trailer plus fuel, water, batteries, gear and whatever ends up in the back at the last minute. Dry weight is always the smallest figure a manufacturer publishes. A boat listed at 3,200 lbs dry can leave the driveway closer to 4,300 once it is rigged and fuelled.
The bed does a lot of the work anyway
Plenty of what people assume they need a trailer for fits in the bed. It runs about 4.3 feet with a dual-level floor and a lockable in-bed trunk underneath, which is roughly 27 cu ft of usable space and the reason the Santa Cruz gets bought by people who thought they wanted an SUV.
Mulch, bikes, a weekend of camping gear, a load for the transfer station. What it will not do is take a full sheet of plywood lying flat, and we would rather tell you that now than after you have bought one.
The 4.3-foot bed with the tailgate down. A bike goes in without a rack.
Setting Up a Santa Cruz to Tow Properly
Three things decide whether you actually get the rating on the sticker.
1. The trailer brake controller
The 5,000 lb rating depends on it. North Carolina also requires trailers over a certain weight to carry their own brakes, so this is not an optional nicety, it is the law and the rating at the same time. Our service department can tell you what a specific vehicle needs.
2. The right hitch and wiring
How an individual Santa Cruz left the factory changes what it can pull. Two trucks on the same lot with the same badge on the tailgate can be rated differently. Ask before you assume.
3. Tongue weight, which nobody thinks about
Roughly ten to fifteen percent of the trailer's weight presses down on the hitch. Get that balance wrong and the trailer sways at highway speed, which on I-40 in crosswind is genuinely unpleasant. Load heavy items over the trailer axle, not at the back.
Every new Hyundai is covered by the 10-Year / 100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. See dealer for warranty details and limitations.
Santa Cruz Towing Questions
What is the towing capacity of the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Do I need the turbo engine to tow 5,000 lbs?
Which Santa Cruz trim is the most affordable way to get 5,000 lbs of towing?
Do I need a trailer brake controller?
Can a Santa Cruz tow a boat to Jordan Lake or Falls Lake?
Is the Santa Cruz a real truck for towing, or a crossover?
How much can the Santa Cruz bed carry?
Can I get the towing figure for a specific truck on your lot?
Come Hitch One Up
Bring your trailer. Genuinely. It is the fastest way to find out whether a Santa Cruz is the right amount of truck for what you actually pull, and it takes twenty minutes.
Sport Durst Hyundai
4507 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
www.sportdursthyundai.com
Sales: (919) 873-4783
- Monday to Saturday9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Sunday12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
What Triangle Drivers Say
See the Santa Cruz in Durham
Inventory changes weekly. Call ahead and we will confirm which trims are on the lot and how they are equipped to tow.
Sources. Towing capacities, horsepower and torque by trim from the Kelley Blue Book 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz specifications, verified August 11, 2026. Model, trim and equipment details from HyundaiUSA.com. Towing figures are properly-equipped maximums and vary with how an individual vehicle is built and optioned. The 5,000 lb rating requires a trailer brake controller. Never exceed the towing, payload or tongue-weight limits printed on your vehicle's own door-jamb label and in its owner's manual. Trim availability and equipment are subject to change. Contact Sport Durst Hyundai at (919) 873-4783 to confirm the specifications of any specific vehicle.
