Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz
Midsize pickups · head to head, 2022–2027
The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz were both sold for 6 model years (2022–2027). Among the Maverick's own years, its best bet is 2024; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2025. Among the Santa Cruz's own years, its best bet is 2024; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2025.
Ford Maverick
Pickup · 2022–2027
- Best bet 2024
- Newest good buy 2025
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2022
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Pickup · 2022–2027
- Best bet 2024
- Newest good buy 2025
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2022
How to read this: each model's verdicts compare that model's own years with each other (serious owner complaints per car on the road against that model's usual year, using New York registrations). They are not a reliability ranking of one model against the other, so a good-buy Maverick year says nothing about whether it beats a Santa Cruz. (How we judge.)
Year by year, side by side
| Year | Ford Maverick | Hyundai Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Not rated | Not rated | Side by side |
| 2026 | TOO NEWOnly 1.1 years of owner reports | TOO NEWOnly 1.1 years of owner reports | Side by side |
| 2025 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.4× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual | Side by side |
| 2024 | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.7× usual | Side by side |
| 2023 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.4× usual, mostly power train and engine | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual | Side by side |
| 2022 | CAREFULSerious complaints 2.1× usual, mostly power train and engine | CAREFULSerious complaints 2.0× usual, mostly power train and engine | Side by side |
Each chip rates that year against the same model's other years. Tap a chip for the year's details; "Side by side" compares both models that year, trim by trim.
Compare any year, trim by trim
2027: the newest shared year, at a glance
| 2027 Ford Maverick | 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict (vs the model's own years) | Not rated | Not rated |
| Starting price (MSRP range) | — | $30,300 to $42,775 base price by trim, 3 trims |
| Engines and horsepower | — | 2.5L 4-cyl 2.5L 4-cyl turbo |
| Fuel economy (EPA combined) | — | 20–25 mpg |
| Seats | — | 5 |
| Third row | — | No |
| Cargo behind last row | — | — |
| Max towing | — | 3,500–5,000 lb |
| Bed length | — | 52.1 in |
| NHTSA crash rating | — | 5 of 5 stars |
| Recalls · owner complaints (NHTSA) | — · — | 0 · 0 |
Sources: OpenSpec and the makers' equipment guides, NHTSA vPIC, EPA and NHTSA ratings. Cargo, towing and bed length rows appear when we have them. "—": not in our data. Compare every 2027 trim →
Key features: base trim vs top trim
| Maverick Lariat first listed | Maverick XLT last listed | Santa Cruz SE lowest price, $30,300 | Santa Cruz XRT highest price, $42,775 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Apple CarPlay | Optional | Optional | Standard | Standard |
| Adaptive cruise control | — | — | — | Standard |
| Blind-spot warning | Standard | Optional | Standard | Standard |
| Heated front seats | Standard | Optional | — | Standard |
| Sunroof or moonroof | — | — | — | Standard |
| 360-degree camera | Standard | — | — | Standard |
| Remote start | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
"Standard" and "Optional" are for that trim as the 2027 data lists it (a package or option adds an "Optional" item); "—": not verified in our sources, never a guess. The cheapest and most expensive trim of each model; every trim is on the model's 2027 page (Maverick, Santa Cruz).
Known fixes and extended coverage
Ford Maverick
2 manufacturer programs on file: 0 extended coverage, 2 repair programs.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
15 manufacturer programs on file: 2 extended coverage, 13 repair programs.
- Extended coverage Certain 2022 – 2025 model year Santa Cruz and 2022 – 2025 model year Tucson vehicles may have front wipers that do not return to the designated park position due to a loose wiper motor crank arm nut. In an effort to meet this commitment,… (Z08, 2022–2025 models)
- Extended coverage Some Tucson (NX4A and NX4M) and Santa Cruz (NXT) vehicles may have front wipers that do not return to the designated park position due to a loose wiper motor crank arm nut. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage for the wiper motor… (26-BD-007H, 2022–2025 models)
From manufacturer bulletins filed with NHTSA, counted per program. A count is how many programs exist, not how good or bad a model is: a maker that extends coverage is paying for a known problem. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
Which should you buy?
- Buying used, years both are rated a good buy: 2023–2025. In those years, choose on price, size and features.
- Years to skip: neither model has a year we rate avoid.
- Newest year rated a good buy: Maverick 2025; Santa Cruz 2025.
- Before you buy either: run the VIN for open recalls and ask the dealer whether the extended-coverage repairs above were done.
Rules applied to the data on this page: no overall winner is declared, because our verdicts compare each model with itself.