Hyundai has tried to make every type of car imaginable, even inventing a few new segments along the way, as is the case with the Veloster. However, it now believes there's some money in pickup trucks.
Yes, trucks. Everybody knows that the F-150 is the most popular vehicle in America. The Silverado is also making a lot of money, but Hyundai will start things off at the bottom end of the scale with a compact.
We are, of course, talking about the Santa Cruz. We've heard a lot of things about it, including that it's got a unibody design that makes it stand out. The Ford Ranger-sized truck will come out of the Montogomery, Alabama factory next year and cost from around $25,000.
The most obvious engine is a 2.4 or 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder, though there have been rumors about a 2-liter turbo or even a diesel. The Santa Cruz is probably going to look and drive more like a crossover, while its bed won't be that big.
This isn't it, though. Korean artist KooKiSung Studio did a study of a Hyundai "authentic" light pickup that's more in line with traditional truck construction. The separation between the bed and double-cab body indicates a ladder chassis, for example.
The basis for this rendering is obviously the new Chevy Silverado, and it's quite interesting to see how the new GM front end matches Hyundai's current design. You've got a T-shape connecting the upper headlights to the ones below, which is a new look that will probably be introduced on the Santa Fe facelift. Also, the giant grille makes the rendered truck appear rugged but affordable.
Of course, we can't rule out the possibility of larger Hyundai trucks in the future. Both Nissan and Honda are now serious truck makers but didn't really start out that way.
We are, of course, talking about the Santa Cruz. We've heard a lot of things about it, including that it's got a unibody design that makes it stand out. The Ford Ranger-sized truck will come out of the Montogomery, Alabama factory next year and cost from around $25,000.
The most obvious engine is a 2.4 or 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder, though there have been rumors about a 2-liter turbo or even a diesel. The Santa Cruz is probably going to look and drive more like a crossover, while its bed won't be that big.
This isn't it, though. Korean artist KooKiSung Studio did a study of a Hyundai "authentic" light pickup that's more in line with traditional truck construction. The separation between the bed and double-cab body indicates a ladder chassis, for example.
The basis for this rendering is obviously the new Chevy Silverado, and it's quite interesting to see how the new GM front end matches Hyundai's current design. You've got a T-shape connecting the upper headlights to the ones below, which is a new look that will probably be introduced on the Santa Fe facelift. Also, the giant grille makes the rendered truck appear rugged but affordable.
Of course, we can't rule out the possibility of larger Hyundai trucks in the future. Both Nissan and Honda are now serious truck makers but didn't really start out that way.