Head-to-head reliability
Hyundai Santa CRUZ vs Toyota Camry
How the Hyundai Santa CRUZ and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Hyundai Santa CRUZ vs Toyota Camry: The Santa CRUZ averages 64.6 complaints per year with 13 recalls, while the Camry averages 205.6 complaints per year with 31 recalls. Both have power train and engine issues, but the Camry has more crash-related reports. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Hyundai Santa CRUZ or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Hyundai Santa CRUZ
The Hyundai Santa CRUZ is a compact pickup that has been on the road for five years, averaging about 65 complaints per year. The most common trouble spots are the power train and engine, with owners reporting stalling, warning lights, and sudden loss of power. There are also complaints about electrical glitches and driver-assist features that can be distracting. With 13 recalls and 11 crash-related reports, it's a vehicle that demands a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a long-running midsize sedan with a decade of complaint history, averaging around 206 complaints per year. Power train and engine issues are frequent, including hesitation, shuddering, and key removal problems. Brake and electrical complaints also show up, and the 31 recalls and 171 crash-related reports suggest a wide range of potential problems. Despite its reputation, the data shows many owners have faced significant repairs.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Hyundai Santa CRUZ | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 323 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 13 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 11 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 64.6 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 9 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Hyundai Santa CRUZ
- 01POWER TRAIN128
- 02ENGINE78
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER52
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM41
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM32
Owners report the vehicle stalling or losing power while driving, sometimes with warning lights like check engine and immobilizer illuminating. This can leave you stranded and is a serious safety concern.
Complaints include the engine dying on the highway, requiring the driver to coast to the side of the road. This sudden loss of power can happen without warning and may indicate a serious defect.
Multiple warning lights can illuminate at once, and some owners report issues with the power brakes and driver-assist systems. These glitches can be confusing and may affect critical safety features.
The Driver Attention Warning system can give false alerts, distracting the driver. While not a mechanical failure, it adds to the list of annoyances owners face.
“- Incident occurred on the interstate about a mile from the exit - Was in the right hand lane preparing to exit - Started raining very heavily, could barely see the lane lines - Continued to slow down coming to a momentary stop - When beginning to go again, e…”
“The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while at a complete stop at a traffic light, the check engine warning light, the immobilization system warning light, and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the accele…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key getting stuck and not releasing even when the car is in Park, requiring battery disconnection to remove. Others experience hesitation and shuddering while driving, which can be unsettling.
Complaints include delayed throttle response, where pressing the gas pedal doesn't immediately move the car. This lag can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic.
The electronic parking brake may fail to disengage, requiring a tow to the dealer. Some owners also hear clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area, which dealers may dismiss as normal.
Multiple systems like stability control, power steering, and blind spot monitoring can malfunction simultaneously. This can overwhelm the driver and compromise safety features.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Hyundai Santa CRUZ — 13 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024 Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. The circuit board in the motor-driven power steering assembly may short circuit, resulting in a loss of power steering assist.
The risk: A loss of power steering assist can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the motor-driven power steering electric power pack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson and Santa Cruz vehicles. The console extension wiring assembly may be routed improperly, allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without applying the brake pedal.
The risk: A transmission that can shift out of Park without applying the brake pedal can result in a vehicle roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised to use the parking brake when parking the vehicle. Dealers will reroute the console extension wiring assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Tucson, 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, and 2026 Genesis GV70 vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not have been installed properly, which can cause the air bags not to deploy as intended.
The risk: Side curtain air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reinstall the side curtain air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 29, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 289…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes.
The risk: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the front camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 302. Vehi…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Hyundai Santa CRUZ or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Hyundai Santa CRUZ has far fewer complaints per year (about 65) compared to the Toyota Camry (about 206). However, the Santa CRUZ is newer and has fewer years of data. In practice, the Camry's higher complaint rate means you're more likely to encounter issues, but the Santa CRUZ's problems tend to be more severe, like stalling.
Key differences
- The Santa CRUZ averages about 65 complaints per year, while the Camry averages about 206, but the Camry has been on the road twice as long.
- Santa CRUZ owners frequently report stalling and sudden power loss, whereas Camry owners report key stuck and hesitation issues.
- The Camry has more than double the recalls (31 vs 13) and far more crash-related reports (171 vs 11).
- Both have electrical and brake complaints, but the Camry's brake issues include electronic parking brake failures, while the Santa CRUZ's electrical issues involve multiple warning lights.
- Check for any history of stalling or loss of power, especially during test drive; look for warning lights on the dashboard.
- Inspect the electrical system for signs of glitches, such as random warning lights or driver-assist false alerts.
- Test the ignition key to ensure it releases smoothly from Park; try removing it multiple times.
- Check the electronic parking brake operation and listen for unusual noises from the brake pedal area.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on both models.
- During the test drive, pay attention to any hesitation, shuddering, or delayed acceleration.
- Have a mechanic inspect the power train and electrical systems for stored trouble codes.
- For the Santa CRUZ, test all driver-assist features and warning lights.
- For the Camry, test the key removal and electronic parking brake multiple times.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Hyundai Santa CRUZ | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 19 | 163 |
| 2024 | 35 | 50 |
| 2023 | 79 | 64 |
| 2022 | 185 | 61 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Hyundai Santa CRUZ or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ vs Toyota Camry
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ total complaints
- 323
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ total recalls
- 13
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ avg complaints/year
- 64.6
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ
- Hyundai Santa CRUZ top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN