Verify the most recent J.D. Energy high quality & reliability rankings, and you are going to discover the Hyundai Santa Cruz sitting on the prime with a score of 87 out of a doable 100, main the next-most dependable unibody pickup by two factors, beating Ford, Honda, and Tesla for the primary spot. Look into experiences filed with the NHTSA, and this score appears to take a look at, with the 2024 mannequin having simply 14 complaints on file, and a single recall.
In order that leaves us with just a few questions: what makes the Hyundai Santa Cruz so dependable, what are these complaints all about, and the way did the competitors do? This is what it is advisable find out about probably the most dependable unibody pickup accessible within the US.
Reliability knowledge for this text has been sourced primarily by J.D. Energy, the NHTSA, CarComplaints.com, and RepairPal.com.
What Makes The Hyundai Santa Cruz So Dependable?
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is powered by a Smartstream G2.5 GDi, in each naturally aspirated and turbo variants. The Smartstream is an all-aluminum engine household courting again to 2018, with the G2.5 debuting in 2019 within the Sonata and the Kia K5. The turbo model launched a yr later, and was made accessible within the Hyundai Santa Fe. The G2.5 has been the Santa Cruz’s sole engine for the reason that truck’s debut in 2021 for the 2022 mannequin yr.
Most drivers will let you know that Hyundai engines manufactured in Korea are usually probably the most dependable, however the G2.5s bought within the American market are constructed at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, and so they’ve held up very properly. The naturally aspirated model of the truck hasn’t been seen a single engine-related recall.
There is no specific secret to what makes the Smartstream so dependable. It is constructed from high-strength aluminum, it is comparatively easy in its development, and it is produced by a model that commonly ranks within the J.D. Energy prime ten yr after yr (Hyundai’s subsidiary, Kia Motors, ranks first total for 2023). The bottom GDi model of the engine makes 191 horsepower at 6,100 rounds per minute, so it is not burning itself out with super-high RPMs, and the heaviest Santa Cruz barely weighs greater than a pair tons.
Briefly: good engineering, strong development, a constant, dependable manufacturing pipeline, and lifelike efficiency targets all make for an engine that is simple to depend on.
Watch Out For Transmission Points, And Verify Your VIN For Steering And Turbocharger Recollects
No automobile is ideal, and we’re unlikely to ever see a mass-production automobile, truck, or SUV that goes its complete life with out a single grievance. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is not any completely different. It scored an 87, in spite of everything, not a 100. So, what do it’s important to look out for behind the wheel of a Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Potential Fireplace Hazard Ensuing In Small, However Extreme Recall
Essentially the most extreme recall affecting the Hyundai Santa Cruz is a leaking turbocharger oil provide pipe within the 2022 mannequin. The NHTSA has an lively security warning in impact for this recall, however solely 16 models are affected. Even so, if you happen to drive a turbocharged 2022 mannequin, examine your VIN to be sure to’re within the clear.
Add CarBuzz to your Google Information feed.
Loss Of Energy Steering Help
The 2024 Santa Cruz was included in a recall for 795 Hyundais (the remaining being 2024 Tucsons) for a problem with a circuit board within the energy steering meeting. The circuit boards in affected models could also be liable to brief circuit, which can lead to the facility steering going out.
Chance Of Early Transmission Failure, Particularly In 2022 Fashions
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has generated 77 powertrain complaints, a lot of them pointing to transmission failure and energy loss. The 2023 mannequin generated simply 17 powertrain complaints, and the 2024 mannequin simply three. This situation recurs on CarComplaints, the place one driver of a 2022 Santa Cruz reported failure to speed up at 2,000 miles.
Whereas RepairPal doesn’t have sufficient knowledge to generate a report on the Santa Cruz itself, they estimate a $468 annual restore value for Hyundais usually, awarding the model an total reliability score of 4 out of 5 stars, rating them fourth for reliability out of 32 automakers in whole.
What About The Different Unibody Pickups?
The Hyundai Santa Cruz takes a powerful lead as J.D. Energy’s most dependable unibody pickup, however the Maverick and the Ridgeline each scored a minimum of 80 factors with the buyer watchdog, and each vans present only a few complaints with the NHTSA for the 2024 mannequin yr. As for the Cybertruck, we’ll get to that. This is what it is advisable know concerning the second, third, and fourth most dependable unibody pickups accessible within the US:
Ford Maverick – J.D. Energy High quality & Reliability score: 85/100
Working both a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost, or a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid, the Ford Maverick is the top-selling truck in its phase, shifting 116,257 models in 2023, greater than 4 instances as many because the Santa Cruz, at 23,046. The Maverick can largely be credited for sparking a renewed curiosity in small pickups within the American market.
A recall for hybrid powertrain failure owing to a software program error impacts 8,727 Fords, together with quite a few 2022-2024 Mavericks. 217 Ford Mavericks, all within the 2024 mannequin yr, have been recalled for a possible gas tank leak. One driver experiences altering the oil after 2,200 miles in a 2024 Maverick and discovering metallic flakes within the oil.
Honda Ridgeline – J.D. Energy High quality & Reliability score: 84/100
Nearly any checklist of million-mile automobiles may have just a few Hondas on it. The mid-size Ridgeline scores J.D. Energy’s bronze medal for unibody pickups, thanks little question partially to its relative age. The present Ridgeline debuted in 2016 for the 2017 mannequin yr, and it is solely run a single engine in its eight years of service, a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated 6-cylinder, so Honda has had loads of time to work out the kinks, leading to probably the most spectacular NHTSA numbers of the bunch, with a single recall and simply 6 complaints on file for the 2024 mannequin yr.
The 2024 Ridgeline’s sole recall is for defective backup cameras in 187,290 models from the 2020 to 2024 mannequin years. 2020-2023 Ridgelines had been included amongst 124,077 models recalled for a free fastener on the brake booster meeting. Plenty of drivers have reported a gas scent within the cabin, with some experiences courting again to 2019.
Tesla Cybertruck – J.D. Energy High quality & Reliability score: N/A
The fourth most dependable unibody pickup, in a race of 4, is the Tesla Cybertruck. The electrical pickup has not really been rated by J.D. Energy as but, however the automaker is available in second to final place within the web site’s automaker rankings for 2023, reporting 266 issues per 100 automobiles. This ties Tesla with Rivian, and places them proper forward of Polestar at 316. For reference, Hyundai averages 170 complaints per 100 models.
The Tesla Cybertruck’s largest remembers should do with construct high quality, together with 11,688 models recalled for windshield wiper failure, and 12,150 models for improperly adhered trunk mattress trim. One driver experiences the passenger aspect door swinging extensive open on the freeway. 3,878 models have been recalled for unintended acceleration owing to trapped accelerator pedals.
The Cybertruck apart, Hyundai solely wins the race for many dependable unibody pickup by a nostril. J.D. Energy formally ranks the truck two factors forward of the Maverick and three factors forward of the Ridgeline, which implies that all three pickups are exceptionally dependable, so you will not be kicking your self over any reliability points if you happen to purchase a Maverick as a substitute of a Santa Cruz.
Sources:
NHTSA
,
CarComplaints
,
RepairPal
,
J.D. Energy
