We're inching closer to the official debut of the Hyundai Santa Cruz, a pickup truck different from anything that's existed before. No, it's not a rival for the Cybertruck, just a compact model designed to handle like your average crossover.
Earlier this month, the Santa Cruz was spotted testing at the edge of the world, near the Arctic Circle. The weather may not be that bad, but it was driving on top of a frozen lake, which is pretty unusual.
As is usually the case with Hyundai prototypes, the pickup was covered in heavy, double camouflage. However, some of the features at the front were visible and using photos similar to the ones we published, KKS Studio was able to render this image.
It looks a little crude in places, but the all-important front-end design is what we really want to see. The Santa Cruz production design will be quite different from the older concept that was supposed to preview it.
We have a large grille with a 3D pattern into which the top part of the headlight disappears. We're not 100% sure, but the actual lights that you turn on at night could be the unassuming ones in that lower square.
“The Santa Cruz is for those who want all the traditional attributes of a compact utility vehicle but need the day-to-day versatility of an open bed. It’s the crossover that creates a whole new segment that successfully combines capability and utility to meet the unspoken needs of a new generation of buyers, especially millennials," says Hyundai in an old statement. So it's not your dad's F-150, but a new kind of truck.
Other than its unibody construction and the production facility at which it will be built, not a lot is known. However, the recent launch of the Kia Sorento confirms a new 2.5 GDI engine is being rolled out and could provide about 185 horsepower to most versions of the Santa Cruz. Even a six-cylinder diesel is possible.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News