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Production-Ready 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Pickup Truck Spied With Very Short Bed

How long has it been since Hyundai took the veils off the Santa Cruz? The concept was revealed in January 2015 at the Detroit Auto Show, and the crossover-based truck got approved for production in August 2017.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype 7 photos
Photo: 80% Garage on YouTube
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz production-ready prototype
Spied on numerous occasions, the Santa Cruz has been photographed in a parking lot by YouTube do-it-yourself projects channel 80% Garage with production-ready parts. “I was actually on my way home from dropping my kids off at school,” said the original poster, “and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted this little truck. About three or four months ago in this very same parking lot I’d actually seen three test mules for the Genesis GV70.”

Despite the camouflage up front, on the sides, and out back, it’s obvious that Hyundai took a lot of inspiration from the all-new Tucson. From the shut line of the hood with the front fender to the design of the side mirror and the A-pillar’s triangular trim, there are Tucson influences galore. The front grille, taillights, and rear quarters give the Santa Cruz an identity of its own, along with a bed length estimated at four feet (1.2 meters) by the original poster.

That’s not long enough for Hyundai’s newcomer to rival a mid-size pickup truck such as the Ranger, Colorado, or Tacoma, and it also falls short of the 2022 Ford Maverick and Honda Ridgeline. For reference, the crossover-based pickup from the Blue Oval is estimated at 5.0 feet (1.5 meters), while the Japanese contender trumps both challengers with 5.3 feet (1.6 meters).

Expected to enter production at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Montgomery sometime in the second half of 2021 as a 2022 model, the Santa Cruz will join the U.S.-spec Tucson, Santa Fe, Elantra, and Sonata. HMMA is also responsible for no fewer than four engines, as follows: 1.6 T-GDI, an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-pot motor, the 2.5 GDI, and 2.5 T-GDI.

Given this information, it’s clear that Santa Cruz customers will get front-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine as standard. Expected to start from approximately $25,000, the crossover-inspired truck should feature an eight-speed automatic as standard and HTRAC AWD as an option.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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