Head-to-head
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2026 Toyota Tacoma
The Hyundai Santa Cruz wins clearly, 96.2 to 79.5, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota Tacoma is ahead on performance.
C
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact pickup truck with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Santa Cruz FWD, i…
vs
A2026 Toyota Tacoma
The 2026 Toyota Tacoma is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact pickup truck with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tacoma Hyb…
Verdict · default weights
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Clear winThe Hyundai Santa Cruz wins clearly, 96.2 to 79.5, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota Tacoma is ahead on performance.
Tech & comfort2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz leads by 77.2
Safety2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz leads by 12.1
Performance2026 Toyota Tacoma leads by 16.5
| Category · weight | 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruzoverall 96.2 | 2026 Toyota Tacomaoverall 79.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 92.3 |
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 92.4 |
| Safetyw 4 | 91 | 78.9 |
| Space & cargow 2 | 100 | 100 |
| Performancew 2 | 83.5 | 100 |
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 22.8 |
| Warrantyw 2 | no data | no data |
| Overall | 96.2 | 79.5 |
Hyundai Santa Cruz: base trim SE FWD · Toyota Tacoma: base trim SR 4X2. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.
Advertisement
Specifications side by side
48 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $29,750 | $32,245 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | twin turbo |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 2,497 cc | 2,393 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.5L GDI + MPI DOHC 16-valve Inline 4-cylinder | 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Turbocharged, Double Overhead Cam (DOHC) 16-Valve, D-4S Fuel Injection |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 16-Valve | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 191 hp | 228 hp |
| Torque | 181 lb-ft | 243 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 22 mpg | 20 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | 25 mpg | 23 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 30 mpg | 26 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 4.081 | 3.583 |
| Transmission speeds | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 8.6 in | — |
| Overall height | 66.7 in | 73.9 in |
| Overall length | 196 in | 213 in |
| Overall width | 75 in | 76.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 118 in | 132 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Total interior volume | 102 cu-ft | — |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40.2 in | 39.7 in |
| Second-row headroom | 39.6 in | 38.4 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 41.4 in | 41.8 in |
| Second-row legroom | 36.5 in | 33.7 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,779 lbs | 4,365 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,779 lbs | 4,145 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 5,522 lbs | 5,605 lbs |
| Payload capacity | 1,411 lbs | 1,460 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | MacPherson strut with coil springs | Independent double-wishbone with stabilizer bar and twin-tube shocks |
| Rear suspension type | Multi-link | Leaf spring rear suspension with outboard-mounted twin-tube shocks |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS), Rack and pinion, column-mounted | Electronic Power Steering (EPS); power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 19.8 ft | 22.9 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 325 mm | — |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | Electronic with Automatic Vehicle Hold | Electronic |
| Rear brake diameter | 325 mm | — |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | ventilated disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 18 in | 17 in |
| Wheel material | forged alloy | steel |
| Wheel width | 7.5 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 245/60R18 | 245/70R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 17.7 gal | 18.2 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | Bluelink+ | — |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 57.7 in | 58.3 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 56.1 in | 57.8 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
114 features · differences first, then sharedSafety28 differ · 29 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with Pedestrian Detection | std | — |
| Lane Following Assist (LFA) | std | — |
| Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) | std | — |
| Airbags (Front - Advanced): Driver (1) and Front passenger (1) | std | — |
| Driver and front passenger side-impact FR (Thorax) (2) | std | — |
| Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) | std | — |
| Side air curtains (front and rear passengers) with rollover sensors (2) | std | — |
| Downhill Brake Control (DBC) - Driver Selectable | std | — |
| Driver Attention Warning (DAW) | std | — |
| Rear side airbags with rollover sensors (2) | std | — |
| Safe Exit Warning (SEW) | std | — |
| VSM, ESC, TCS, DBC, TSC, HAC, ABS, BA, EBD, & TPMS | std | — |
| Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with 4-wheel disc brakes | std | — |
| Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) * with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) * | — | opt |
| Blind-Spot Collision and Rear Cross-Traffic Avoidance-Assist Indicators (on mirrors) | std | — |
| Electronic Parking Brake w/ Automatic Vehicle Hold | std | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control (TCS) and Brake Assist | std | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control (TCS) and Brake Assist | std | — |
| Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking | — | opt |
| High Beam Assist | std | — |
| Hillstart Assist Control (HAC) | std | — |
| Leading Vehicle Departure Alert | std | — |
| Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) | std | — |
| Steering wheel haptic feedback (for LKA and BCW) | std | — |
| Toyota Safety Sense™ 3.0 (TSS 3.0) – Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD), Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Road Sign Assist (RSA), Automatic High Beams (AHB), Proactive Driving Assist (PDA) | — | std |
| Vehicle Stability Management | std | — |
| Immobilizer | std | — |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) w/Individual Tire Indicator | std | — |
| Backup Guide Monitor | std | std |
Infotainment13 differ · 13 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth controls (Voice recognition, Accept call, Hang up) | std | — |
| 12.3" Touchscreen Display (ccNc Lite) with 6-speakers | std | — |
| 8-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen with 4-speaker audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay® * & Android Auto™ * compatible, SiriusXM® * with 3-month Platinum Plan trial subscription. | — | opt |
| 8-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen with 6-speaker audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay® * & Android Auto™ * compatible, SiriusXM® * with 3-month Platinum Plan trial subscription. | — | opt |
| AM/FM/HD Radio/SiriusXM®, Bluelink+ | std | — |
| Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ (Wireless) | std | — |
| Audio controls (Volume up/down, Mute, Seek up/down, Mode) | std | — |
| Bluelink+ Connected Car System | std | — |
| Front dual USB ports (Type-C) | std | — |
| HD Radio™ Technology | std | — |
| OTA update capability (ECU & multimedia – all; Map update only on XRT and Limited) | std | — |
| Second row dual USB ports (Type-C) | std | — |
| SiriusXM® Satellite Radio (3-month trial subscription) | std | — |
Convenience8 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Start (on key fob) / Tailgate remote release (on key fob) | std | — |
| 12-volt outlet - Front (1) | std | — |
| Cruise control | std | — |
| Digital Key * capability — Digital Key * enables smartphone to be used instead of a physical key (Remote Connect * subscription required.) | — | opt |
| Power door locks | std | — |
| Remote keyless entry system with alarm and panic | std | — |
| Smart Key System on driver door with Push Button Start | — | std |
| Power Window Switches - Driver auto down | std | — |
| Smart Key System on driver and front passenger doors with Push Button Start | std | std |
Climate3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin air filter | std | — |
| Manual air conditioning | std | — |
| Rear seat heater ducts | std | — |
Seating7 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric-trimmed seats; 6-way manually adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way power adjustable lumbar support on drivers seat only | std | opt |
| 60/40 split, folding rear seat with Under-Seat Storage | — | opt |
| Cloth-trimmed seats (stain- and odor-resistant) | std | — |
| Fabric-trimmed seats; 6-way manually adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way power adjustable lumbar support on drivers seat only | — | opt |
| Fabric-trimmed seats; 6-way manually adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way power adjustable lumbar support on drivers seat only; Fold flat passenger seat | — | opt |
| Passenger Capacity (5) | std | — |
| Rear Seats 60/40 split tip-up lower seat cushions | std | — |
Interior17 differ · 18 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2" Multi-Information Display | std | — |
| 3-Spoke steering wheel | std | — |
| Assist grips (4) | std | — |
| Cupholders, Dual - Front center console-mounted | std | — |
| Fold-flat passenger seat, lockable rear storage panel with integrated pegboard, and lockable deep storage compartment | — | opt |
| Front and Rear LED maplights | std | — |
| Front center console - Fixed armrest storage box | std | — |
| Glove compartment with Damper | std | — |
| Polyurethane manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel with phone, audio, display/infotainment, and Driver Assist controls | — | std |
| Rear cupholders (on door panel) | std | — |
| Seatback map pockets - Front Passenger | std | — |
| Sunvisors - Dual vanity mirror with cover | std | — |
| Sunvisors with sliding function | std | — |
| Tilt & Telescoping steering wheel | std | — |
| Electric Power Steering (EPS) and power-assisted rack-and-pinion with an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) | — | std |
| Floor mats - Carpeted | opt | — |
| Trip odometer | std | — |
| Manual day/night rearview mirror | std | std |
Exterior17 differ · 19 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bi-LED headlights (high/low beam, projector-type) | std | — |
| "TACOMA" stamped easy lower and lift tailgate | — | std |
| Acoustic Laminated Windshield | std | — |
| Body color side mirror housing | std | — |
| Hood insulator | std | — |
| Integrated rear bumper side steps | std | — |
| LED Bed Lighting | — | opt |
| LED cargo light (roof-mounted) | std | — |
| LED taillights | std | — |
| Multi-functional tailgate (assisted open/close) | std | — |
| Roof-mounted Center High-Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL) | std | — |
| Shark-fin roof antenna (gloss black) | std | — |
| Automatic headlights | std | — |
| Privacy Glass - Rear/back glass | std | — |
| Rear window defroster | std | — |
| Solar glass - Front Door, Windshield | std | — |
| Spare Tire - Temporary Spare Tire | std | — |
| LED headlights with Daytime Running Lights (DRL), auto on/off feature and manual leveling adjustment | std | std |
| Front and rear mudguards | opt | opt |
Powertrain4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| HTRAC AWD, Active On-Demand | opt | — |
| Drive Type - FWD | std | — |
| AWD Lock | opt | — |
| Drive Mode - Center-console mounted | std | — |
Chassis3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf spring rear suspension | — | std |
| Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) Rack and pinion steering, column-mounted | std | — |
| Rear gas-pressurized shock absorbers, self leveling | std | — |
Cargo9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 5-ft. Bed | — | opt |
| 6-ft. Bed | — | opt |
| Class-IV towing hitch receiver and wiring harness with 7-pin/4-pin connector * | — | opt |
| Deck rail system with four adjustable tie-down cleats and four fixed cargo bed tie-down points | — | opt |
| Heavy duty cargo D-rings | std | — |
| Lockable under bed storage compartment | std | — |
| Sheet Molded Composite bed | std | — |
| Sidewall bed storage compartments | std | — |
| Trailer pre-wiring (4-pin for 2.5L, 4/7-pin for 2.5T) | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Advertisement
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPHyundai Santa Cruz
Safety Signal76 C
NHTSA overall★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover★★★★★ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls3
Owner complaints5 · 0 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained aboutPower Train (2), Lane Departure (2), Vehicle Speed Control (1)
Top recalls
- highForward Collision Avoidance26V316000 · 423,062 vehicles
- highElectrical System26V047000 · 41,651 vehicles
- highAir Bags25V809000 · 258 vehicles
Toyota Tacoma
Safety Signal100 A
NHTSA overall★★★★☆
Frontal / side / rollover★★★☆☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls0
Owner complaints6 · 0 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained aboutPower Train (2), Electrical System (1), Structure (1)
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Hyundai Santa CruzSE FWD | Toyota TacomaSR 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,750 (base trim) | $32,245 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $29,750 – $43,700 8 trims | $32,245 – $64,450 8 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Santa Cruz FWD | Tacoma Hybrid 4WD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 25 | 23 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,500 | $2,700 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | 3 yr / 36,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | 5 yr / 60,000 mi |
| Roadside assistance | — | 2 yr |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz or the 2026 Toyota Tacoma?
The Hyundai Santa Cruz wins clearly, 96.2 to 79.5, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota Tacoma is ahead on performance. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz scores 96.2 and the 2026 Toyota Tacoma 79.5. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz or the 2026 Toyota Tacoma?
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz starts lower — $29,750 against $32,245, a gap of $2,495 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz or the 2026 Toyota Tacoma?
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz: 5 NHTSA stars, grade C, 3 recalls. 2026 Toyota Tacoma: 4 NHTSA stars, grade A, 0 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the differences between the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz and the 2026 Toyota Tacoma?
This page puts 48 specifications and 114 equipment items side by side, with the better value marked on every row where the direction is unambiguous and the differences listed before the things both cars share.