Hyundai Santa Cruz
Registered from 2022 to 2027.
About this model
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.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Power train: more complaints than 97% of 2022 cars — 50% of its 179 complaints, where an ordinary 2022 car has 15%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- POWER TRAIN — 49 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
- POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 14 owners reported this
- ENGINE — 12 owners reported this
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 7 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 6 owners reported this
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 5 owners reported this
- ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 4 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
Crash test
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ |
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | No |
| Lane departure warning | No |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 9.8 L/100km (EPA) · 11.2 L/100km city · 8.1 motorway |
| 2026 | 281 hp · 11.8 L/100km (EPA) · 13.1 L/100km city · 9.4 motorway |
| 2025 | 281 hp · 1860 kg · 3010 mm wheelbase · 10.7 L/100km (EPA) · 12.4 L/100km city · 8.7 motorway · Pickup, 4-door |
| 2024 | 191 hp · 1860 kg · 3010 mm wheelbase · 10.2 L/100km (EPA) · 11.2 L/100km city · 9.0 motorway · Pickup, 4-door |
| 2023 | 191 hp · 1860 kg · 3010 mm wheelbase · 10.2 L/100km (EPA) · 11.2 L/100km city · 9.0 motorway · Pickup, 4-door |
| 2022 | 191 hp · 1860 kg · 3010 mm wheelbase · 10.2 L/100km (EPA) · 11.2 L/100km city · 8.7 motorway · Pickup, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
37% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
22V197000
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall 222.
22V746000
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.
23V038000
A detached roof molding could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the roof moldings, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 241.
23V181000
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed starting May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 244. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-633.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
Hyundai filed 14 bulletins about the 2026 Santa Cruz.
- Electrical system: 6
- Air bags: 2
- Power train: 2
- Structure: 2
- Exterior lighting: 1
- Forward collision avoidance: 1
- Some Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have a tonneau cover that does not latch or unlatch, does not retract properly, and/or has a v-gap that is present when closed. This may be due to a broken or… · July 2026
- This bulletin provides information related to a Transmission Control Unit (TCU) software update for some vehicles equipped with an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission (8WDCT). The software update… · June 2026
- Some Santa Fe (MX5A) and Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may exhibit a low idle or excessive vibration while in Drive or Reverse, or DTC P050600 (Idle Air Control System – RPM Lower than Expected) caused… · June 2026
- Certain Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may experience Over-the-Air (OTA) update failures due to outdated Central Communication Unit (CCU) software. This bulletin provides instructions to perform a… · May 2026
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile… · May 2026
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo… · May 2026
- Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink functions. This may be due to an occasional disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow… · April 2026
- Some 2019MY and newer vehicles equipped with a front view camera may illuminate certain warning lights and trigger DTC C272246 fault code for the front camera. In the following cases, the front… · March 2026
6 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.