Used Hyundai Santa Cruz for SaleNationwide

How much does the Hyundai Santa Cruz cost in today's market?

Used Hyundai Santa Cruz prices span a wide range depending on model year. Here's what the market looks like right now:

The Hyundai Santa Cruz's current nationwide average price is $26,394, and over the past year that nationwide average price reached a low of $26,038. Recently, prices have come down for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 models, making now a good time to shop recent model years.

Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz a good car?

Yes — the Hyundai Santa Cruz earns strong owner approval across its model years.

The all-generations owner rating is 4.65/5 across every model year in the data.

Owners consistently praise the Santa Cruz for its smooth ride, modern technology, and versatile interior space. They also highlight its unique design and everyday usefulness, with fuel economy and comfort coming up often as strengths.

Expert reviews rate the 2025 and 2022 models among the highest across all years.

The main trade-offs center on towing and payload expectations, along with some concerns about electronic feature durability and, on certain versions, on-pavement handling.

35.2% of listings are priced as good or great deals.

Are Hyundai Santa Cruz models reliable?

Owners consistently praise the Santa Cruz for its smooth ride, modern technology, and versatile interior, while expert coverage also points to a strong warranty and easygoing everyday usability. Across the model years, the Santa Cruz earns especially positive feedback for comfort, design, and practical utility.

• Owners rate the Hyundai Santa Cruz between 4.25 and 4.88 out of 5 stars across all model years in the data.

Long-term ownership risk looks manageable for used buyers who stay on top of routine maintenance and carefully inspect electronics, since owner feedback points to a few durability concerns in that area.

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

Across all model years, accident-free inventory is excellent at 90.3% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

Key things to evaluate:

• Safety package: SmartSense with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-centering assist.
• Infotainment: a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluelink+ connected services, Hyundai Pay technology, a digital key system, and fingerprint scanning.
• Fuel efficiency: the SEL Activity with all-wheel drive (AWD) is EPA-rated to return 24 mpg in combined driving, while the Limited AWD promises 22 mpg. The XRT is the least efficient version of the Santa Cruz, at 21 mpg. We averaged 21.1 mpg while driving the XRT on our mountainous Southern California evaluation loop.

Which Hyundai Santa Cruz trim should I buy?

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz offers these trims:

• SE: The entry trim starts the lineup with the Santa Cruz's core utility and everyday usability, making it the starting point if you want the model's basic formula.
• SEL: This trim adds a step up in comfort and convenience while staying close to the value end of the lineup.
• SEL Activity: This is the best-value trim if you want a stronger mix of equipment and everyday versatility.
• XRT: The XRT adds the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, an improved approach angle, standard all-terrain tires, blind-spot cameras, a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control with automatic speed adjustment for curves, and Highway Driving Assist.
• Limited: The Limited adds the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine and Highway Driving Assist, and it suits you if you want the most upscale feel in the lineup.

What Hyundai Santa Cruz do most buyers choose?

The Hyundai Santa Cruz years with the most listings are 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Those higher-volume years tend to be the most popular used picks because they give you more inventory to compare and more chances to find the right price and equipment mix. They also usually reflect the model years shoppers are cross-shopping most heavily.

What is the Hyundai Santa Cruz's resale value?

Prices are moving lower across every model year shown, which is good news if you're shopping used. The biggest drops are in the newer years, while the smaller declines in the older years suggest those models are moving a bit more steadily. Overall, the table points to a market that is giving buyers more room to negotiate than it was a year ago.

The 2023, 2025, and 2022 model years have held their value best, with the smallest year-over-year price changes.

Is the Hyundai Santa Cruz safe?

• 2025: 9/10
• 2024: 8/10
• 2022: 7/10

SmartSense is standard on the 2025 Santa Cruz, bringing forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-centering assist.

For the safest used buy, the 2025 model posts the highest confirmed score of 9/10.

Should I buy a used Hyundai Santa Cruz now or wait for the next model?

Buy now if:

• Price trend: The 2025 model is at −5.9% versus a year ago, and the 2024 model is at −8.74%.
• Deal availability: The 2025 model has 34.6% good and great deals, and the 2024 model has 34.5%.
• Sweet-spot year: The 2023 model has the most listings at a current average price of $24,842. The Hyundai Santa Cruz offers a distinctive design and a versatile, easygoing character that makes it appealing if you want a compact truck with everyday comfort.

Consider waiting if:

• Powertrain/efficiency: Driving a turbocharged Hyundai Santa Cruz is fun because the engine produces a robust 281 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque between 1,700 rpm and 4,000 rpm.
• Tech: Every 2025 Santa Cruz includes a sophisticated 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluelink+ connected services, Hyundai Pay technology, a digital key system, fingerprint scanning, and more.
• Safety: Starting with the XRT trim level, the Santa Cruz features an intersection collision-braking system, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot cameras, and adaptive cruise control with automatic speed adjustment for curves.
• Starting price: Prices range from $30,245 to $44,245, including the $1,450 destination charge.

If you're buying used today, the 2023 model year offers the best mix of value and availability. If you want the latest tech and features, it may be worth waiting for the next model year's inventory to build up.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from October 20, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.