The new 27.5x3 bikes are IMHO, the best of all worlds and should be the only Mtb you will need. You might want more, but this will do all that you ask from it.
I recently bought a Framed Marquette CF plus bike, in a hard tail frame. I think that if I bought this bike first, I wouldn't have any other off road bikes!

On Sale Carbon 27.5+ Plus / 29" Bikes

The Santa Cruz is nice and a good bike, but you will pay extra just for the name branding.