Compare the2022 Hyundai Santa CruzVS 2021 Honda Ridgeline

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Santa Cruz are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Santa Cruz offers optional Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Santa Cruz Limited has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ridgeline only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Santa Cruz’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Santa Cruz offers optional Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

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

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 Ridgeline’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 Honda covers the Ridgeline. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Ridgeline ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Cruz for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Ridgeline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

The Santa Cruz’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 262) than the Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

The Santa Cruz offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Ridgeline doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better traction, the Santa Cruz’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ridgeline (255/45R20 vs. 245/60R18).

The Santa Cruz’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ridgeline’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Cruz offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Ridgeline’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

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

For better maneuverability, the Santa Cruz’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Ridgeline’s (40 feet vs. 43.4 feet).

The Santa Cruz is 1 foot, 2.5 inches shorter than the Ridgeline, making the Santa Cruz easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz has a standard rear cargo step, which allows for much easier access to the cargo area. The Honda Ridgeline doesn’t offer a rear cargo step.

The Santa Cruz has bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading to help accommodate diverse loads; the Ridgeline doesn’t offer two-tiered loading.

The Santa Cruz’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Ridgeline’s parking brake has to released manually.

The Santa Cruz Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Ridgeline’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Santa Cruz’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Ridgeline’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

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 Ridgeline doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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