Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Nissan Frontier
Side-by-side comparison from manufacturer specifications, NHTSA safety data, and live dealer listings.
Vehicles
Vehicles
2026 Nissan Frontier
Overview
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| Selected trim | SE | S |
| Body style | Unknown | Truck (King Cab) |
| Drivetrain | front wheel drive | rear wheel drive |
| Fuel type | regular unleaded | regular unleaded |
| Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic | 9-speed shiftable automatic |
| Engine type | gas | gas |
| Model year | 2027 | 2026 |
Pricing & market
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $30,300 (best) | $32,150 |
| Lowest listing price | $18,750 | $12,998 (best) |
| Median listing price | $33,429 (best) | $36,974 |
| Highest listing price | $45,096 (best) | $50,534 |
| For sale now | 111 | 138 (best) |
Fuel economy & range
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| Combined MPG | — | 21 MPG (best) |
| City MPG | — | 19 MPG (best) |
| Highway MPG | — | 24 MPG (best) |
| Fuel tank | 17.7 gal | 21 gal (best) |
Performance
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 191 hp | 310 hp (best) |
| Torque | 181 lb-ft | 281 lb-ft (best) |
| Engine size | 2.5 L | 3.8 L (best) |
| Cylinders | I4 | V6 |
Size & capability
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | 5 seats (best) | 4 seats |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Towing capacity | 3,500 lbs | 7,150 lbs (best) |
| Payload | — | 1,590 lbs (best) |
| Curb weight | 3,785 lbs (best) | 4,385 lbs |
| Ground clearance | 8.6 in (best) | — |
| Wheelbase | 118.3 in | 126 in (best) |
| Length | 195.7 in | 210.2 in (best) |
| Width | 75 in (best) | 73 in |
| Height | 66.7 in | 71.5 in (best) |
Safety & recalls
| Spec | Hyundai Santa CruzSE | Nissan FrontierS |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA overall | — | 4 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Frontal crash (driver) | — | 3 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Frontal crash (passenger) | — | 4 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Side crash (driver) | — | 5 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Side crash (passenger) | — | 5 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Side pole | — | 5 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Rollover | — | 3 / 5 ★ (best) |
| Open recalls (YMM scope) | None reported (best) | 1 |
Highlighted values indicate the better figure for that spec when a clear winner exists. Specs reflect the selected trim for each vehicle. Drag a vehicle header to reorder columns. MSRP and specifications are manufacturer data; listing prices and inventory come from live dealer listings. Safety ratings are from NHTSA.
Trim overview
All available trims with MSRP. The trim selected above is highlighted; comparison specs use that selection.
| Trim | Hyundai Santa Cruz | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SE $30,300 MSRP(Currently comparing) | S $32,150 MSRP(Currently comparing) |
| 2 | SE $31,800 MSRP | S $33,550 MSRP |
| 3 | SEL Activity $34,700 MSRP | S $35,150 MSRP |
| 4 | SEL Activity $36,200 MSRP | S $36,550 MSRP |
| 5 | XRT $42,775 MSRP | SV $36,190 MSRP |
| 6 | — | SV $36,690 MSRP |
| 7 | — | SV $39,490 MSRP |
| 8 | — | SV $39,990 MSRP |
| 9 | — | PRO-X $38,570 MSRP |
| 10 | — | PRO-4X $41,870 MSRP |
| 11 | — | PRO-4X $42,370 MSRP |
Live inventory
Hyundai Santa Cruz111 for sale
See all- New
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SEL
Atlas White•Black12 mi$32,966Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
- New
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SEL Activity
Atlas White•Medium Gray2 mi$35,275Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
- New
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SEL
Phantom Black•Medium Gray14 mi$31,551Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
- New
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SEL Activity
Blue Stone•Medium Gray2 mi$35,755Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
- New
2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Limited
Rockwood Green•Black25 mi$43,601Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
- New
2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz
SEL Activity
Sage Gray•Medium Gray2 mi$40,554Preston Hyundai of Millsboro
Millsboro, DE
Nissan Frontier138 for sale
See all
Used2023 Nissan Frontier
SV
Glacier White•Charcoal45,326 mi$33,686Tadd Jenkins Auto Sales Idaho Falls
Idaho Falls, ID
Used2023 Nissan Frontier
PRO-4X
Green Metallic•Steel22,721 mi$34,099Jim Coleman Nissan Bethesda
Bethesda, MD
New2026 Nissan Frontier
SV
Glacier White•Charcoal6 mi$38,159College Station Nissan
College Station, TX
New2026 Nissan Frontier
SV
Glacier White•Charcoal3 mi$36,994College Station Nissan
College Station, TX
New2026 Nissan Frontier
PRO-4X
Boulder Gray Pearl•Steel105 mi$42,511College Station Nissan
College Station, TX
New2026 Nissan Frontier
SV
Glacier White•Charcoal6 mi$37,495College Station Nissan
College Station, TX
Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Nissan Frontier FAQ
- Which is better: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- It depends on priorities. OpenDealer compares 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2026 Nissan Frontier on MSRP, fuel economy, horsepower, seating, towing, NHTSA safety ratings, and live market prices so you can weigh the tradeoffs.
- Which costs less: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- Based on starting MSRP, the 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz starts lower at $30,300. Live Hyundai Santa Cruz listings start at $18,750. Live Nissan Frontier listings start at $12,998.
- Which has better startingMsrp: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- The 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz leads on startingMsrp in this comparison (30,300).
- Which has better combinedMpg: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- The 2026 Nissan Frontier leads on combinedMpg in this comparison (21).
- Which has better horsepower: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- The 2026 Nissan Frontier leads on horsepower in this comparison (310).
- Which has better maxTowingLbs: 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz or 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- The 2026 Nissan Frontier leads on maxTowingLbs in this comparison (7,150).
- How do the NHTSA safety ratings compare for 2027 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs 2026 Nissan Frontier?
- NHTSA overall crash-test ratings in this comparison: Nissan Frontier (4/5 NHTSA overall).