Compare the2026 Hyundai Santa CruzVS 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor

Full-time four-wheel drive is optional on the Santa Cruz. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Ranger Raptor.

Both the Santa Cruz and Ranger Raptor have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Santa Cruz has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ranger Raptor’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Santa Cruz uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Ranger Raptor uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Santa Cruz and the Ranger Raptor have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Santa Cruz is safer than the Ford Ranger Raptor:

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

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 Hyundai Santa Cruz is safer than the Ford Ranger Raptor:

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

The Santa Cruz comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Ranger Raptor’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Santa Cruz 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Ranger Raptor. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Ranger Raptor ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Santa Cruz’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Ranger Raptor’s (7 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Santa Cruz first among midsize pickups in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Ranger Raptor isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 13th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 3 places higher in reliability than Ford.

On the EPA test cycle the Santa Cruz gets better mileage than the Ranger Raptor:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Santa Cruz uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Ranger Raptor requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Santa Cruz has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Ranger Raptor. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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

The Santa Cruz stops much shorter than the Ranger Raptor:

The Santa Cruz’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ranger Raptor’s standard 70 series tires. The Santa Cruz Limited’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Ranger Raptor’s 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Cruz has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Ranger Raptor. The Santa Cruz Limited has standard 20-inch wheels.

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Santa Cruz has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Ford Ranger Raptor has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Santa Cruz has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Santa Cruz flat and controlled during cornering. The Ranger Raptor’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Santa Cruz has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Ranger Raptor doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Santa Cruz SEL 4x4 handles at .83 G’s, while the Ranger Raptor pulls only .69 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Santa Cruz XRT executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Ranger Raptor (27.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Santa Cruz’s turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the Ranger Raptor’s (39.6 feet vs. 43.3 feet).

The Hyundai Santa Cruz may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1550 pounds less than the Ford Ranger Raptor.

The Santa Cruz is 1 foot, 3.2 inches shorter than the Ranger Raptor, making the Santa Cruz easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Santa Cruz is 9.2 inches shorter in height than the Ranger Raptor, making the Santa Cruz much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Santa Cruz’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Ranger Raptor doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Santa Cruz has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ranger Raptor (101.8 vs. 98.3).

The Santa Cruz has .6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and 1.9 inches more rear legroom than the Ranger Raptor.

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Santa Cruz easier. The Santa Cruz’s bed lift-over height is 31.6 inches, while the Ranger Raptor’s liftover is 36.5 inches.

The power windows standard on both the Santa Cruz and the Ranger Raptor have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Santa Cruz is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ranger Raptor prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Santa Cruz SEL/XRT/Limited’s front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches, and the driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Ranger Raptor’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Santa Cruz Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Ranger Raptor doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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

The Santa Cruz is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Ranger Raptor doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Santa Cruz first among midsize pickups in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Ranger Raptor isn’t in the top three.