Hyundai Santa Cruz Towing Capacity

What lowers your Santa Cruz's real towing limit

• The engine sets the rating. The 2.5L I4 is rated 3,500 lbs with trailer brakes in FWD or AWD form. The 2.5L turbo with AWD is rated 5,000 lbs.
• In 2022–2023 the turbo was also offered with FWD, and that version is rated 3,500 lbs. The 5,000-lb rating requires AWD.
• Without trailer brakes, every Santa Cruz is limited to about 1,650 lbs (1,653 lbs on 2025).
• Turbo models get standard 4/7-pin pre-wiring and Tow Mode. Hyundai's 2023 towing reference guide lists a heavy-duty transmission oil cooler and self-leveling rear suspension on both engines.

The maximum rating assumes a specific, lightly loaded configuration. Three other limits apply on every tow, and the first one you hit is your real limit:

• Payload. Passengers, cargo, accessories and the trailer's tongue weight all count against payload. The payload figure on your door-jamb Tire and Loading Information placard is the one for your exact vehicle.
• Tongue weight. A conventional trailer typically puts 10–15% of its weight on the hitch, so a 5,000-lb trailer adds roughly 500–750 lbs to the truck or SUV. The hitch receiver has its own tongue-weight limit, printed on the receiver label.
• GCWR. The gross combined weight rating caps the loaded vehicle plus the loaded trailer. Every pound of passengers and cargo added to the vehicle comes off the trailer weight you can pull at GCWR.

Always stay within the lowest of these limits for your specific vehicle.