DecodedCarsHyundai Santa Cruz
6 model years from 2022 to 2027, compared on size, efficiency, safety and reliability.
- Model years
- 2022–2027
- Class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Latest engines
- 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo
- Best MPG
- 23–25 combined, by year
- Latest rating
- ★★★★★ (2025)
- Recalls
- 9 campaigns, all years
- Most complaints
- 2022 (185)
- Fewest problems
- 2023
- Interest
- 4,327 Wikipedia views / 30 days
The 2026 Santa Cruz in brief
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.5L 4-cyl and 2.5L 4-cyl turbo) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
EPA rates its most efficient version at 25 MPG combined (22 city / 30 highway), 17% worse than the 2026 small SUV average of 30.2 MPG, for an estimated $2,700 a year in fuel.
It has 3 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the power train.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has 6 model years in our data, from 2022 to 2027.
Its most efficient year was 2027 at 25 MPG combined; across all years the best version ranged from 23 to 25 MPG.
Owners most often report problems with the power train (127), engine (79), unknown or other (53).
Buying used? 2024 has the fewest problems in our data, and 2022 is the year to avoid.
2022 has the most recalls (4); all years together count 9 campaigns and 325 owner complaints.
How the 2022 Santa Cruz compares
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.5L 4-cyl and 2.5L 4-cyl turbo) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 196 inches long and 75 inches wide on a 119-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,101 lb.
About the Hyundai Santa Cruz
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a four-door compact pickup truck manufactured and marketed by Hyundai. Released in 2021 for the 2022 model year, the Santa Cruz is the first four-door pickup truck sold by Hyundai in the North American market. The vehicle is based on the Tucson crossover SUV, and uses a unibody chassis design.
From the Wikipedia article "Hyundai Santa Cruz", licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
2026 Santa Cruz pros & cons
Full 2026 details →What's good
- AWD / 4WD available
- Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
Watch out for
- Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 25 MPG combined, 17% below the 2026 small SUV average of 30.2 MPG.
Best and worst years to buy used
2024 Santa Cruz
35 owner complaints · 1 recall · 3 crash reports
NHTSA overall: ★★★★★
Year to avoid2022 Santa Cruz
185 owner complaints · 4 recalls · 1 fire report · 5 crash reports
Most reported: Power Train
NHTSA recalls and complaints for 3 model years since 2015; use it alongside a pre-purchase inspection. How we calculate this →
Compare head to head
Santa Cruz changes by model year
Years without a measurable change are left out.
Show all 6 model years side by side
| Year | Latest engines | Best MPG / range | Length | Weight | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 25 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 3 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 25 MPG | 195.7 in | 4,101 lb | ★★★★★ | 3 | 21 |
| 2024 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 23 MPG | 195.7 in | 4,101 lb | ★★★★★ | 1 | 35 |
| 2023 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 23 MPG | 195.7 in | 4,101 lb | ★★★★★ | 2 | 79 |
| 2022 | 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 23 MPG | 195.7 in | 4,101 lb | Not rated | 4 | 185 |
Alternatives to the 2026 Santa Cruz
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Toyota RAV4 | 43 MPG | Not rated | 2 |
| 2026 Ford Bronco | 20 MPG | Not rated | 9 |
| 2026 Hyundai Tucson | 38 MPG | Not rated | 6 |
| 2026 Subaru Forester | 35 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2026 Mazda CX-5 | 26 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2026 Kia Seltos | 29 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
Most common owner-reported problems
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Hyundai. How we calculate this →