Last updated: 2026-10-10
Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz: Reliability Compared
Ford Maverick
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Reliability is effectively tied between the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa-Cruz, with nearly identical complaint rates per truck sold. The Maverick carries far more recalls and more crash-linked complaint areas, while the Santa-Cruz's biggest worry is sudden power loss from its transmission.
How Do the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz Generations Compare?
Verdict
The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz are evenly matched with a reliability score of 68/100.
Effectively tied. Owners file complaints at almost the same rate per truck sold, and both trucks share the same strongest and weakest model years. The split is in the kind of trouble. The Maverick has far more recalls and crash-linked complaints in brakes, electrical and engine. The Santa-Cruz has fewer recalls and fewer problem areas, but its main failure, sudden loss of power, is serious. Neither truck earns a clear reliability edge over the other.
Key Differences
- 1Hyundai Santa Cruz has 58 fewer total recalls
- 2Hyundai Santa Cruz has 0.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold
Category Scoreboard
Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | Ford Maverick | Hyundai Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 68/100 | 68/100 |
| Years Tracked | 5 | 5 |
| Total Recalls | 69 | 11 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 20.8 | 20.2 |
| Year Wins | 2 (1 tied) | 2 (1 tied) |
What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Spread across many systems, the Maverick's trouble includes front CV axles that wear out early and shake the truck under acceleration, hybrid trucks that lurch when slowing below about 6 mph, and a 12-volt battery that drains while parked. Brakes, electrical and engine complaints all include crashes. The Santa-Cruz is more concentrated. Its main failure is sudden power loss while merging, with a transmission that stops shifting, and two powertrain complaints are crash-linked. Fuel injector misfires, a driver attention camera that cancels cruise control, and weak low beams round out the rest. No other Santa-Cruz area is crash-linked.
| Component | Ford Maverick | Hyundai Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 5.9Average | 8.1Above Avg |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4.5Average | 1.9Low |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1.7Low | 1.8Low |
| ENGINE | 1.6Low | 1.7Low |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2.3Low | 0.3Very Low |
| AIR BAGS | 0.6Very Low | 0.5Very Low |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 0.5Very Low | 0.6Very Low |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 0.1Very Low | 0.8Very Low |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | —None | 0.8Very Low |
| STRUCTURE | 0.6Very Low | 0.1Very Low |
| SUSPENSION | 0.6Very Low | —None |
| STEERING | 0.5Very Low | 0.1Very Low |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | —None | 0.6Very Low |
| TRAILER HITCHES | —None | 0.3Very Low |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| SEATS | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | —None | 0.1Very Low |
Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.
How Does Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | Ford Maverick | Hyundai Santa Cruz | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 80/1002R / 0C | 74/1002R / 0C | Ford Maverick |
| 2025 | 77/1006R / 31C | 72/1002R / 15C | Ford Maverick |
| 2024 | 71/10014R / 139C | 71/1001R / 30C | Tie |
| 2023 | 60/10020R / 308C | 64/1002R / 73C | Hyundai Santa Cruz |
| 2022 | 54/10027R / 572C | 57/1004R / 171C | Hyundai Santa Cruz |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Ford Maverick scored 71/100 and the 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz scored 71/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.
Who Should Buy the Ford Maverick vs the Hyundai Santa Cruz?
Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz: Common Questions
- Is the Ford Maverick more reliable than the Hyundai Santa-Cruz?
- No, they are effectively tied. Owners complain at nearly the same rate per truck sold. Both rate good, and both have 2022 and 2023 as their weakest years. The Maverick has more recalls and more crash-linked complaints, so the kind of trouble differs more than the amount.
- Which has more recalls, the Maverick or the Santa-Cruz?
- The Maverick has far more. Federal recall records show 69 across its five model years, against 11 for the Santa-Cruz. A higher count does not by itself make a truck worse, but it does mean more dealer visits for you to check on any used Maverick.
- What is the biggest problem with the Hyundai Santa-Cruz?
- Sudden loss of power is the main one, often while merging onto a highway. The transmission stops shifting, revs climb with little speed, or the truck enters limp mode. Dealers often cannot reproduce it, and some trucks got replacement transmissions before 20,000 miles.
- What goes wrong with the Ford Maverick's front axles?
- The front CV axles wear out early and cause violent shaking under acceleration, often at 40 to 50 mph. Failures cluster from about 17,000 to 50,000 miles. Some replacement axles fail again, and owners report back-ordered parts. Front tires can wear quickly as a result.
- Which model years of these trucks should I avoid?
- Avoid 2022 and 2023 on both trucks, since they are the weakest years in the data. The 2025 and 2026 trucks look best, but they have had less time to collect complaints. Inspect them carefully and do not treat them as proven.
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Decided between Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.
How we score the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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