Photo: Kleber Silva on Behance
The Santa Cruz has received the N treatment from one of our favorite pixel artists, but don’t hold your breath for a go-faster model. After all, Hyundai has specifically designed this pickup to bring new customers to the showroom.
Not as roomy as the crossover on which it’s based nor as capable as the 2022 Honda Ridgeline, the Santa Cruz fills the void between the Hyundai Tucson and a body-on-frame pickup truck such as the Ford Ranger. In other words, the payload and tow capacities clearly aren’t up to snuff.
Imagined with oversized wheels, a swankier grille, and two-tone paintwork by Kleber Silva, the Santa Cruz N makes too little sense to most potential customers. Estimated to start at $25,000 or thereabouts in the most basic specification, the Santa Cruz is already snapping at the heels of a proper truck. Add some performance-oriented parts to create the N version, and you’ll easily venture into Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco price points.
The Santa Cruz N would inevitably be compared with the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Ford Ranger Raptor, off-road pickups with solid fanbases all across the world. The most that Hyundai could offer is an off-road package, something like the Badlands trim level for the Bronco Sport.
To the automaker’s defense, Hyundai doesn’t try to fool anyone with the Santa Cruz. It is what it is, and it fills a niche that has been ignored for a long time in the United States of America. The Ford Motor Company won’t let the South Korean interloper have its way, though, because the all-new Maverick is right around the corner with crossover-based underpinnings.
Slightly wider than the Tucson, the Santa Cruz rocks a 4.3-foot (1.31-meter) bed, two 2.5-liter engines, and two eight-speed transmissions. All-wheel drive is optional for both powerplants, and it’s a versatile AWD system thanks to the variable-torque-split clutch and active torque control.
Arriving at dealers in the summer of 2021, the Santa Cruz is produced locally at the Montgomery assembly plant. The Alabama-based factory also makes the all-new Sonata, which received the seal of approval from TFL as a value-oriented proposition that looks, feels, and performs remarkably well.
Imagined with oversized wheels, a swankier grille, and two-tone paintwork by Kleber Silva, the Santa Cruz N makes too little sense to most potential customers. Estimated to start at $25,000 or thereabouts in the most basic specification, the Santa Cruz is already snapping at the heels of a proper truck. Add some performance-oriented parts to create the N version, and you’ll easily venture into Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco price points.
The Santa Cruz N would inevitably be compared with the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Ford Ranger Raptor, off-road pickups with solid fanbases all across the world. The most that Hyundai could offer is an off-road package, something like the Badlands trim level for the Bronco Sport.
To the automaker’s defense, Hyundai doesn’t try to fool anyone with the Santa Cruz. It is what it is, and it fills a niche that has been ignored for a long time in the United States of America. The Ford Motor Company won’t let the South Korean interloper have its way, though, because the all-new Maverick is right around the corner with crossover-based underpinnings.
Slightly wider than the Tucson, the Santa Cruz rocks a 4.3-foot (1.31-meter) bed, two 2.5-liter engines, and two eight-speed transmissions. All-wheel drive is optional for both powerplants, and it’s a versatile AWD system thanks to the variable-torque-split clutch and active torque control.
Arriving at dealers in the summer of 2021, the Santa Cruz is produced locally at the Montgomery assembly plant. The Alabama-based factory also makes the all-new Sonata, which received the seal of approval from TFL as a value-oriented proposition that looks, feels, and performs remarkably well.
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