2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz Safety Rating
Small pickups Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS source checked 2026-09-16
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz scores 86.2/100, ranking #1 of 7 current small pickups and #81 of 136 vehicles overall with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
Results below Good: Moderate overlap front (updated test) rated Acceptable. Rear-passenger restraints in the updated moderate-overlap test: Acceptable; rear-passenger head protection: Good.
Which build and equipment does this score describe?
Latest applicable build; standard AEB and lowest current-trim headlight rating. Headlights use the lowest rating among applicable current trims; this is a conservative equipment baseline, not a claim that every trim has identical results. Confirm the production date and equipment of the car you are buying.
Headlights: baseline Good
- Good β Trim level(s): All trims
Pedestrian crash prevention: baseline Acceptable
- Acceptable β standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
Vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention 2.0: baseline Marginal
- Marginal β standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist. Rating applies to all 2023-26 models
Optional-system results are shown separately. Combining the best rating from different packages does not establish that one purchasable configuration earns them all. Check IIHS equipment details.
IIHS displays a 2025 TSP badge for this model. It is a previous award cycle and is not counted as a current award.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (52 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2022-26 models
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2022-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Rating applies to 2026 models
Side: updated test
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Headlights
Β· Trim level(s): All trims
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Rating applies to all 2023-26 models Β· standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
Seat belt reminders
Rating applies to 2022-26 models
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2022-26 models
Opens on iihs.org in a new tab
How the score is built
See our full scoring methodology and rules β
NHTSA 5-star rating
2026 HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ PU/CC N/A AWD
NHTSA stars are shown for reference and carry no weight in the score. NHTSA source. Why the two programs disagree β
IIHS crash-test videos
These videos are embedded on IIHSβs ratings page for this model. The tested vehicle may be an earlier model year or a related version whose results IIHS applies to this vehicle. Check the test description and source for the exact coverage.
Load a player to watch on this page, or use the YouTube link. Video footage helps explain the test; the published injury measurements and ratings are the basis for comparison.
Small overlap front: Driver-side
Tested vehicle: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL crew cab 4-door 4wd
Rating applies to 2022-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Tested vehicle: 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz SE 4-door 4wd
Rating applies to 2026 models
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 30 per million registered vehicle-years | Small pickups as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
Compared with other small pickups
Closest-scoring current small pickups with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every small pickup ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz (this page) | #1 of 7 | β | $29,750 | 86.2 | |
| 2026 Nissan Frontier | #2 of 7 | β | $33,550 | 79.5 | |
| 2026 Jeep Gladiator | #3 of 7 | β | $39,820 | 76.9 | |
| 2026 GMC Canyon | #4 of 7 | β | $38,900 | 75.3 | |
| 2026 Ford Maverick | #5 of 7 | β | $27,145 | 74.0 |
Our analysis
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz belongs to the Small pickups class. This class has a below-average driver death rate compared with the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the 2025 award cycle. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 6 IIHS rating categories reported, the Hyundai Santa Cruz earned 3 Good ratings. Results below Good deserve attention, especially the updated frontal and side tests that IIHS toughened in 2022 and 2023. Our updated crash test analysis explains what changed.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Hyundai or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this model and year. An unmatched or unavailable lookup is not evidence of a clean recall record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A recall applies to a range of build dates, not necessarily every car of this model year, so confirm against your own VIN. Recalls do not affect the safety score on this page.
Use this score on your own site
Writing about the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz? Paste this badge into a post or forum reply. It updates on its own whenever IIHS publishes new results for this model.
Free to use with the link left intact. The badge is a plain image and an ordinary link, with no tracking script.
Questions about the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz a safe car?
The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz scores 86.2/100 in our published formula and ranks #1 of 7 current small pickups with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
What is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz IIHS rating?
IIHS reports: small overlap front = Good; moderate overlap front: updated test = Acceptable; side: updated test = Good; headlights = Good; seat belt reminders = Acceptable; latch ease of use = Acceptable.
Is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz an IIHS Top Safety Pick?
No. The 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz does not hold an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the 2026 model year, which can reflect a result below Good in a qualifying test or tests that IIHS has not yet completed.
What is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz NHTSA rating?
NHTSA gives the 2026 HYUNDAI SANTA CRUZ PU/CC N/A AWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 5, side 5, rollover 4). NHTSA stars are shown for reference and are not part of our score.
How does the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz compare with other small pickups?
The class leader is the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz at 86.2/100. The comparison table on this page lists the closest-scoring current small pickups with complete records.
Continue comparing
Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.