2026 head-to-head · Small SUV

2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Mitsubishi Outlander

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,860/ year to fuel
25 MPG
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,788/ year to fuel
26 MPG

The 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, it costs about $1,788 a year to fuel (26 MPG), versus $1,860 for the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz (25 MPG). That's roughly $72 a year, or about $358 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • Hyundai Santa Cruz
  • Mitsubishi Outlander

Side by side

Hyundai Santa CruzMitsubishi Outlander
$1,860 Your annual fuel cost $1,788
25 MPG Combined efficiency 26 MPG
22 MPG City 23 MPG
30 MPG Highway 29 MPG
356 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 344 g/mi
5/10 EPA fuel economy score 5/10
5/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 5/10
Gas Powertrain Gas
Regular gasoline Fuel Regular gasoline
2.5L 4-cyl Engine / motor 2.0L 4-cyl
8-speed automatic Transmission CVT
FWD Drivetrain 4WD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Mitsubishi Outlander across model years

  • Hyundai Santa Cruz
  • Mitsubishi Outlander

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Among 114 2026 small SUVs, the Hyundai Santa Cruz ranks 79th and the Mitsubishi Outlander 70th for lowest fuel cost.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz or the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander?

Measured by cost to drive, the Mitsubishi Outlander. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is rated 25 MPG combined and the Mitsubishi Outlander 26 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz vs. the Mitsubishi Outlander per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, about $1,860 for the Hyundai Santa Cruz and $1,788 for the Mitsubishi Outlander.

Hyundai Santa Cruz vs Mitsubishi Outlander in other years

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