Used 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz for Sale nearRaleigh, NC

How much does the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz cost?

Prices have softened 8.25% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 1,042 listings available, which gives you a solid pool of options to compare.

Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz a good car?

Yes — the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz earns a 4.6/5 user rating and an 8/10 expert rating. The model scores 9/10 across Look and feel, Performance, and Technology.

Owners consistently praise its unique design, versatile features, comfortable interior, smooth driving experience, and impressive fuel economy. In context, that fits a vehicle aimed at you if you want something easier to park and more rugged than a sedan or crossover SUV, rather than a traditional work truck.

The main trade-offs are a cramped back seat and a cabin layout that lacks physical buttons for audio and climate control. Even so, the Santa Cruz’s standard advanced safety features and strong warranty help balance those compromises.

The market still shows healthy interest, with 35.8% of listings marked as good or great deals.

Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz reliable?

Owners rate it 4.6/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

Owner feedback points to a dependable-feeling ownership experience, with praise for the Santa Cruz’s comfortable interior, smooth driving experience, and impressive fuel economy. That kind of feedback suggests you can count on it for everyday use, especially if you value a vehicle that feels easy to live with over time.

Hyundai’s warranty coverage is a major ownership perk, including a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a five-year, 60,000-mile new-vehicle warranty, and three years or 36,000 miles of free routine maintenance. For used buyers, the main long-term risk is making sure prior use hasn’t worn down the truck’s more limited towing and packaging strengths.

What should I look for when buying a used 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

Accident-free inventory is solid at 84.7% — always verify the vehicle history report.

You should still check the history report carefully, because accident-free listings are common but not guaranteed. Prioritize a thorough inspection of the cabin controls, rear-seat space, and any signs of hard use if the truck was chosen for utility. It also makes sense to focus on overall condition, since the Santa Cruz’s appeal depends heavily on how well its unique packaging and features have been preserved.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The Santa Cruz’s base setup emphasizes its unusual styling and crossover-like feel, while higher trims add more upscale equipment and convenience features. The base trim also misses some of the comfort and tech upgrades that make the truck feel more complete.
• Powertrain: You get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and there’s also an optional turbocharged 2.5-liter engine. The standard engine is the efficiency-minded choice, while the turbo version brings stronger performance and higher towing capacity.
• Safety package: Hyundai’s standard suite includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. Higher trims add blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a surround-view camera system, and Highway Driving Assist.
• Infotainment: The standard 8-inch touchscreen includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims can add a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, plus connected features through Hyundai’s telematics system.
• Fuel efficiency: The base engine is rated at 23 mpg combined, with 21 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. The turbo engine is rated at 22 mpg combined, with 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

Which 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz trim should I buy?

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is offered in 3 trim levels: SE, SEL Activity Package, and SEL Premium.

Here's the short version:

• SE: This is the entry point, and it makes the Santa Cruz’s core idea accessible if you want the truck’s unique design and standard safety tech without paying for extras you may not need. It’s the trim to start with if value matters most.
• SEL Activity Package: This is the best-value choice for many shoppers because it adds more of the features that make the Santa Cruz feel more polished and useful without jumping all the way to the top end. If you want a balanced mix of equipment and price, this is the one to focus on.
• SEL Premium: This trim is for you if you want a more upscale Santa Cruz experience with more convenience and tech content. It makes the truck feel closer to a loaded lifestyle vehicle than a basic utility pickup.

Higher trims also bring more of Hyundai’s available safety and driver-assistance features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a surround-view camera system, and Highway Driving Assist.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz?

This is a moderate market for selective buyers, so you have room to shop carefully without waiting forever for a better deal.

• Deal availability: 35.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 1,042 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 8.25% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 84.7% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $22,083, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz's resale value?

The current average of $22,083 sits slightly below last year's $24,067.

That price movement suggests the Santa Cruz has softened enough to create a more approachable used-buying window, but not so much that it looks weak in the market. If you buy well now, you may be able to limit depreciation risk compared with paying closer to the prior-year average.

Its distinctive design and strong owner satisfaction should help keep demand steady among shoppers who want something different from a conventional pickup or crossover. Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.6/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz safe?

The Santa Cruz is a new model, so safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA aren’t available yet.

It earns a 7/10 safety score from our experts.

Hyundai includes standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-follow assist, rear-seat reminder, and a driver-attention monitor. If you want more protection and convenience, higher trims add blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, a surround-view camera system, and Highway Driving Assist.

The main caveat is that some of the more advanced driver-assistance features are reserved for higher trims, so you should check the exact equipment on any used listing you’re considering.

Should I buy a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2022 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2022 if:

• 35.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is solid at 84.7% — always verify the vehicle history report.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 8.25% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.6/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2022 stands out as Hyundai’s first U.S. pickup and a more crossover-like alternative to conventional trucks.

The bottom line: If you want the Santa Cruz’s distinctive formula and you find a clean example at a good price, the 2022 is a smart target year. If you’re especially price-sensitive, keep shopping listings closely and focus on the trims that give you the best mix of equipment and value.

How does the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz compare to the 2022 Ford Maverick?

Expert Pros & Cons (per CarGurus review team)

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz:

• Pros: Fun to drive, Standard advanced safety features, Great warranty.
• Cons: Cramped back seat, Lacking physical buttons for audio and climate control.

2022 Ford Maverick:

• Pros: Great ride quality, Excellent value for money, Standard hybrid powertrain.
• Cons: Older infotainment system.

Our experts score the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz 8/10 and the 2022 Ford Maverick 8.2/10. The Santa Cruz is the more fun-to-drive and better-warranted choice, while the Maverick leans harder into value and efficiency with its standard hybrid powertrain. If you care most about a more polished driving feel and standard safety content, the Santa Cruz makes a strong case. If you want the better value proposition and stronger fuel economy, the Maverick has the edge.

Read our full side-by-side expert comparison here.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from November 10, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.