Compare the2026 Chevrolet ColoradoVS 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Colorado’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Chevrolet Colorado achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Hyundai Santa Cruz has not been tested.

Both the Colorado and the Santa Cruz have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Colorado is safer than the Hyundai Santa Cruz:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Colorado is safer than the Santa Cruz:

There are over 3 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Colorado’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Colorado has a standard 170-amp alternator (220-amp - Colorado optional). The Santa Cruz’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Colorado has a standard 800-amp battery. The Santa Cruz’s 600-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

The Colorado’s 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder produces 119 more horsepower (310 vs. 191) and 249 lbs.-ft. more torque (430 vs. 181) than the Santa Cruz’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Colorado’s 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (310 vs. 281) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (430 vs. 311) than the Santa Cruz XRT/Limited’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Colorado’s fuel efficiency. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Colorado’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Colorado has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Cruz (21.4 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Colorado has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Colorado’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Cruz:

The Colorado stops shorter than the Santa Cruz:

For better traction, the Colorado has larger standard tires than the Santa Cruz (255/65R17 vs. 245/60R18). The Colorado ZR2 Bison’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Cruz (315/70R17 vs. 245/60R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Colorado Trail Boss offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Santa Cruz’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Chevrolet Colorado’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Santa Cruz only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Colorado has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Colorado offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Santa Cruz; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Colorado’s wheelbase is 13.1 inches longer than on the Santa Cruz (131.4 inches vs. 118.3 inches).

The Colorado LT 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the Santa Cruz XRT pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Colorado LT 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Santa Cruz XRT (27 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Colorado ZR2 Bison has a 3.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Cruz (12.2 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Colorado to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Colorado uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Colorado has .1 inches more front headroom, 3.8 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front hip room than the Santa Cruz.

The Colorado has a much larger cargo box than the Santa Cruz shortbed (41.9 vs. 27 cubic feet).

The Colorado’s cargo box is larger than the Santa Cruz’s in every dimension:

Both the Colorado and Santa Cruz have bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading, but the Colorado also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

The Colorado has stake post holes, to allow the containment of tall, light loads. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer stake post holes.

The Colorado’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Cruz’s (7700 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Colorado Trail Boss/Z71/ZR2 can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Colorado can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Santa Cruz can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Colorado has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Santa Cruz:

The Colorado has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Santa Cruz (1710 vs. 1411 lbs.).

The engine in the Colorado is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Santa Cruz. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

When two different drivers share the Colorado (except WT/Trail Boss/LT), the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Colorado (except WT/LT/Trail Boss)’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Colorado’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Santa Cruz does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Colorado’s standard front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Santa Cruz’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically. The Santa Cruz SEL/XRT/Limited’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to lower them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Colorado’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Bluelink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Colorado’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Santa Cruz SEL/XRT/Limited.

The Colorado offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Colorado and the Santa Cruz offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Colorado has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Motor Trend selected the Colorado as their 2024 Truck of the Year. The Santa Cruz has never been chosen.

The Chevrolet Colorado outsold the Hyundai Santa Cruz by almost three to one during 2024.