Compare the2022 Hyundai Santa CruzVS 2021 Jeep Gladiator

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 Gladiator doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Santa Cruz has standard head airbag curtains for front and rear seats which act as a forgiving barrier between the driver and outboard passenger's upper bodies and the window and pillars. Combined with high-strength steel door beams and lower side airbags this system increases head protection in broadside collisions. The Gladiator doesn't offer side airbag protection for the head and are only available for the front seats.

The Santa Cruz has standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Gladiator offers an available collision warning system without the automated brake feature that would prevent or reduce the collision if the driver fails to react.

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 Gladiator doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Santa Cruz’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Gladiator doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

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 Gladiator only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or 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 Gladiator doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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 Gladiator uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Santa Cruz and the Gladiator have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, 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 Gladiator’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 Jeep covers the Gladiator. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Gladiator ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 11th.

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 24th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 13 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Santa Cruz’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 51 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 260) than the Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Gladiator.

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 Gladiator doesn’t offer an SMG.

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 Gladiator Sport’s standard 75 series tires. The Santa Cruz’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Gladiator Overland’s 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Santa Cruz has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Gladiator Sport. The Santa Cruz’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Gladiator Overland.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz’s independent front suspension is much lighter than the Jeep Gladiator’s solid front axle, which allows the Santa Cruz’s wheels to react more quickly and accurately to the road’s surface, improving both ride and handling.

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 Jeep Gladiator has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

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

For better maneuverability, the Santa Cruz’s turning circle is 4.5 feet tighter than the Gladiator 4x4’s (40 feet vs. 44.5 feet). The Santa Cruz’s turning circle is 5 feet tighter than the Gladiator Mohave’s (40 feet vs. 45 feet).

The Santa Cruz is 1 foot, 10.3 inches shorter than the Gladiator, making the Santa Cruz easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Santa Cruz is 6.4 inches shorter in height than the Gladiator, making the Santa Cruz much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction makes the Santa Cruz’s chassis much stiffer, which contributes to better handling, and enables softer springs to be used for a better ride. Unibody construction’s stiffness also contributes to better durability and less body squeaks and rattles. The Gladiator doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Santa Cruz has standard flush composite headlights. The Gladiator has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

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

The Santa Cruz’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Gladiator has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Santa Cruz’s standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted. Power windows cost extra on the Gladiator.

The Santa Cruz’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Gladiator’s optional driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully. The Santa Cruz SEL/SEL Premium/Limited’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches.

The Santa Cruz’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Gladiator’s optional power window controls are down in the center of the dashboard, away from the windows and mixed with controls for unrelated features.

The Santa Cruz’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over, or reaching to the back seat. Power locks cost extra on the Gladiator.

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 Gladiator’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Santa Cruz has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Gladiator only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

The Santa Cruz has standard power remote mirrors. The Gladiator only comes with remote mirrors at extra cost. Without them the driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

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 Gladiator doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Santa Cruz (except SE) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Gladiator doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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