Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Lexus NX: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Lexus NX burns about $1,900 of fuel annually against $2,450 for the Hyundai Santa Cruz. That $550 yearly gap compounds to roughly $2,750 over five years and $4,400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Lexus NX leads in both cycles — 42 mpg city and 38 mpg highway against 22 and 30 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Santa Cruz is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI & PFI), the Lexus NX with 4 (SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; PHEV). Across 20 recorded Hyundai Santa Cruz configurations and 58 for the Lexus NX, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Hyundai Santa Cruz is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Lexus NX with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Lexus NX emits 87 g/mile of CO2 versus 356 g/mile for the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.