Model research hub
Hyundai Santa Cruz
MotorTrend calls the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz a rare automotive centaur, essentially a Tucson SUV with a pickup bed grafted to the rear, and says Hyundai slightly tweaks the 2026 Santa Cruz's powertrain offerings from the prior model year while outfitting it with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 4.2-inch gauge cluster display. Car and Driver says the Santa Cruz was given a styling refresh the year before, and the compact pickup truck sees only two notable changes for 2026. RoadLancer says the Santa Cruz arrived with one of the more striking silhouettes in the American truck market, and the 2026 model maintains that visual identity with the confidence of a design that has proven its appeal over multiple model years, continuing to refine the case for a genuinely original vehicle in a segment the Santa Cruz effectively invented in its current form.
A Tucson with a bed
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) calls the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz a rare automotive centaur, essentially a Tucson SUV with a pickup bed grafted to the rear, and says Hyundai slightly tweaks the 2026 Santa Cruz's powertrain offerings from the prior model year while outfitting it with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 4.2-inch gauge cluster display.
Only two notable changes for 2026
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the Santa Cruz was given a styling refresh the year before, and the compact pickup truck sees only two notable changes for 2026.
A segment it effectively invented
RoadLancer (opens in a new tab) says the Santa Cruz arrived with one of the more striking silhouettes in the American truck market, and the 2026 model maintains that visual identity with the confidence of a design that has proven its appeal over multiple model years, continuing to refine the case for this genuinely original vehicle in a segment the Santa Cruz effectively invented in its current form.
Questions buyers ask
What SUV is the Hyundai Santa Cruz based on?
MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) says the Tucson.
What's new on the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says only two notable changes, after a styling refresh the year before.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is built around 2.5L four-cylinder or turbo 2.5L four-cylinder, rated at 191 / 281 horsepower across its compact pickup body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2027 U.S. lineup has 5 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe most the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is published to tow is up to 5,000 lb.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2027 Santa Cruz.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SE, SEL and SEL Activity share the 191-horsepower base engine and 3,500 lb towing; XRT and Limited step up to a 281-horsepower turbo with standard HTRAC AWD and 5,000 lb towing.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
4 indexed Hyundai Santa Cruz model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2025 record → | |
| 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2023 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say 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.
- Powertrain
- The Santa Cruz is available with a standard naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with both port and direct injection that produces 191 hp (194 PS; 142 kW) and 181 lb⋅ft of torque that is exclusive to the United States.
Source: Hyundai Santa Cruz (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Hyundai Santa Cruz at a glance
- Production
- June 2021 – present
- Model years
- 2022–present
- Assembly
- United States: Montgomery, Alabama (HMMA)
- Class
- Compact pickup truck
- Body style
- 4-door pickup
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive (HTRAC)
- Platform
- Hyundai-Kia N3
- Chassis
- Unibody
- Transmission
- 8-speed A8F27 automatic, 8-speed D8LF1 dual-clutch automatic
- Wheelbase
- 3005 mm
- Length
- 4970 mm
- Width
- 1905 mm
- Height
- 1695 mm
- Curb weight
- 3704 lb
- Related models
- Hyundai Tucson (NX4)
NHTSA rated the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.
Recent recalls (4 campaigns across the latest model years)
- May 2026, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes. Consequence: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.
- January 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument… Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
- November 2025, Air Bags:Side/Window:Curtain. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy… Consequence: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Owners filed 19 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz, most often about forward collision avoidance (10), exterior lighting (3), electrical system (3).
Year by year
The Hyundai Santa Cruz across 6 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 20–25 | $2,600–$3,250 | 3 | |||
| 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 20–25 | $2,500–$3,100 | 4 | 3 | 5 stars | |
| 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 21–25 | $2,500–$2,950 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 5 stars |
| 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 22–23 | $2,700–$2,850 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 5 stars |
| 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 22–23 | $2,700–$2,850 | 3 | 2 | 77 | 5 stars |
| 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz | 22–23 | $2,700–$2,850 | 3 | 4 | 179 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Hyundai Santa Cruz, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to 2027 | 4 to 3 | Labels: Santa Cruz AWD | Labels: Santa Cruz AWD NX4 OB 2.5 AWD 8AT, Santa Cruz AWD NX4 OB 2.5T AWD 8AT | |
| 2025 to 2026 | 23.0 to 22.5 | Labels: Santa Cruz AWD NX4 OB 2.5 AWD 8AT, Santa Cruz AWD NX4 OB 2.5T AWD 8AT | Labels: Santa Cruz AWD; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S8) | |
| 2024 to 2025 | 3 to 4 | 22.5 to 23.0 | Labels: Santa Cruz XRT AWD |
Buying used
What the Hyundai Santa Cruz recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | air bags (side/window); electrical system (instrument cluster/panel); forward collision avoidance (automatic emergency braking) | None |
| 2025 | 3 | electrical system (wiring); air bags (side/window); forward collision avoidance (automatic emergency braking) | None |
| 2024 | 1 | steering (electric power assist system) | None |
| 2023 | 2 | structure (body); trailer hitches | 1 stop-driving or park-outside |
| 2022 | 4 | engine and engine cooling; power train (automatic transmission); structure (body); 1 more | 1 stop-driving or park-outside |
Recalls that told owners to stop driving or park outside
- 2022, campaign 23V-181 (Mar 2023): trailer hitches. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- 2023, campaign 23V-181 (Mar 2023): trailer hitches. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| power train | 126 | 40% | 2022 (90) |
| engine | 77 | 24% | 2022 (50) |
| unknown or other | 51 | 16% | 2022 (35) |
| electrical system | 40 | 13% | 2022 (21) |
| fuel/propulsion system | 32 | 10% | 2022 (21) |
| vehicle speed control | 29 | 9% | 2022 (18) |
Trim by trim
Every 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE | AWD | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) | 191 | 181 | 3,931 | 3,500 | 24 | $31,950 |
| SEL Activity | AWD | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) | 191 | 181 | 4,045 | 3,500 | 24 | $36,350 |
| XRT | AWD | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 281 | 311 | 4,160 | 5,000 | 20 | $44,425 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2027 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Hyundai Santa Cruz model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 3 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 191–281 | 3,931–4,160 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
| 2026 | 5 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 191–281 | 3,922–4,191 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 191–281 | 3,921–4,237 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
| 2024 | 5 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 191–281 | 3,755–4,217 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
| 2023 | 5 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo, GDI) | 191–281 | 3,708–4,164 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
| 2022 | 4 | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI) / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder (GDI, Turbo) | 191–281 | 3,704–4,164 | 3,500–5,000 | 17.7 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Hyundai Santa Cruz.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | – |
| 2024 | – | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | – |
| 2022 | – | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | – |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Hyundai Santa Cruz: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | not available | airbags, electrical system, forward collision system |
| 2025 | 3 | 18 | electrical system, airbags, forward collision system |
| 2024 | 1 | 35 | steering |
| 2023 | 2 | 77 | structure, trailer hitch |
| 2022 | 4 | 179 | engine cooling, powertrain, structure, trailer hitch |
| 2021 | not available | ||
| 2020 | not available | ||
| 2019 | not available | ||
| 2018 | not available | ||
| 2017 | not available | ||
| 2016 | not available | ||
| 2015 | not available |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Hyundai Santa Cruz model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Federal recall records don't single out a best Hyundai Santa Cruz model year: recall counts across the 5 published model years checked here stay within a normal range of this nameplate's own average (about 2.6 recalls per year), with no year standing out as notably higher or lower. Recall count is one input, not a purchase verdict. It says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record.
Q02What are common recall-related problems on the Hyundai Santa Cruz by model year?
2026: airbags, electrical system, forward collision system. 2025: electrical system, airbags, forward collision system. 2024: steering. 2023: structure, trailer hitch. 2022: engine cooling, powertrain, structure, trailer hitch.
Q03Why do some Hyundai Santa Cruz model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Hyundai Santa Cruz model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Engine and cooling, Transmission and drivetrain, Buying, records and recalls, Brakes, tires and steering, Climate and electrical.
Compared with
Models this Hyundai Santa Cruz is most often compared with.
Nearest Hyundai models
Other Hyundai models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2027 Santa Cruz come in?
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz (compact pickup) comes in 5 trims: SE, SEL, SEL Activity, XRT, Limited.
Q02What are the 2027 Santa Cruz trims?
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz trims are SE, SEL, SEL Activity, XRT, Limited, listed from the entry SE up to the top Limited.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2027 Santa Cruz use?
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is built around 2.5L four-cylinder or turbo 2.5L four-cylinder, rated at 191 / 281 horsepower across its compact pickup body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2027 Santa Cruz have?
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is rated at 191 / 281 horsepower (2.5L four-cylinder or turbo 2.5L four-cylinder).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2027 Santa Cruz?
The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz is offered with FWD / AWD.