Hyundai Santa Cruz detailing in Houston

What we watch for

Paint and interior on the Santa Cruz

Paint and exterior

Lots of black textured trim on the bumpers, fender flares and bed rails, all of which fade in the sun. The hood and tailgate are large flat panels where water spots stand out on darker colors.

Interior

A Tucson-like cabin in cloth or synthetic leather, with storage under the rear seat. The lockable trunk under the bed floor has a drain plug, so it is rinsed out and dried with the rest of the bed.

Living in Houston

Weekend runs to the garden center, Brazos Bend or the boat ramp leave mulch, sand and lake water in the bed and red mud on the lower panels. The tonneau cover seals hold pollen in spring.

• Pickup bed: tell us what the bed carries; spray-in liners clean up well, drop-in liners come out for the rinse.
• Unpainted textured trim: it fades grey in the sun, so it is cleaned and dressed with a matte UV protectant.
• Cloth seats on many trims: spot-treated in every interior detail, with shampoo extraction as an add-on when they need it.
• Soft clear coat: it marks from a dirty towel or an automatic wash, so every wash is two-bucket with clean mitts, and polishing finishes down with a fine pad.