Compare the2023 Chevrolet ColoradoVS 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Colorado’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Colorado and the Santa Cruz have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Colorado’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Colorado has a standard 170-amp alternator (220-amp - Colorado optional). The Santa Cruz’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Colorado has a standard 800-amp battery. The Santa Cruz’s 600-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is rated lower.

The Colorado has more powerful engines than the Santa Cruz:

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Colorado (310 HP engine) is faster than the Hyundai Santa Cruz turbo 4 cyl.:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Colorado’s fuel efficiency. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Colorado’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Colorado has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Cruz (21.5 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Colorado has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Colorado higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Santa Cruz (5). This means the Colorado produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Santa Cruz every 15,000 miles.

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

The Colorado stops shorter than the Santa Cruz:

For better traction, the Colorado has larger standard tires than the Santa Cruz (255/65R17 vs. 245/60R18). The Colorado ZR2’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Cruz (285/70R17 vs. 245/60R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Colorado Trail Boss offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Santa Cruz’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Chevrolet Colorado’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Santa Cruz only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Colorado has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Colorado offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Santa Cruz; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Colorado’s wheelbase is 13.1 inches longer than on the Santa Cruz (131.4 inches vs. 118.3 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Colorado ZR2 has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Cruz (10.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Colorado to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Colorado uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Colorado has .1 inches more front headroom, 3.8 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front hip room than the Santa Cruz.

The Colorado has a much larger cargo box than the Santa Cruz shortbed (41.9 vs. 27 cubic feet).

The Colorado’s cargo box is larger than the Santa Cruz’s in every dimension:

Both the Colorado and Santa Cruz have bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading, but the Colorado also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

The Colorado has stake post holes, to allow the containment of tall, light loads. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer stake post holes.

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Santa Cruz is limited to 5000 pounds. The Colorado offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Colorado Trail Boss/Z71/ZR2 can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Colorado can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Santa Cruz can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Colorado is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Santa Cruz. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

When two different drivers share the Colorado Z71/ZR2, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Colorado Z71/ZR2’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Colorado’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Santa Cruz does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Colorado’s standard front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Santa Cruz’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically. The Santa Cruz SEL/Night/XRT/Limited’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to lower them fully.

The Colorado offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Santa Cruz doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Insurance will cost less for the Colorado owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Colorado will cost $350 less than the Santa Cruz over a five-year period.

The Colorado will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Colorado will retain 65.83% to 68.58% of its original price after five years, while the Santa Cruz only retains 56.28% to 61.98%.

Motor Trend selected the Colorado as their 2024 Truck of the Year. The Santa Cruz has never been chosen.

The Chevrolet Colorado outsold the Hyundai Santa Cruz by over two to one during 2022.