Hyundai Santa Cruz small pickup unveiled

KUALA LUMPUR: Originally unveiled as a concept back in 2015, Hyundai's small and sporty pickup truck, the Santa Cruz, finally made its global debut in production-spec form. Dubbed as ‘Sport Adventure Vehicle’, the truck is not built in a traditional body-on-frame manner, rather it is based on unibody construction technique. On the design part, it seems largely influenced by the Hyundai Tucson having an open bed behind the rear seats. 

Dimensionally, the new Santa Cruz measures 195.7 inches in length, 75 inches in width, 66.7 inches in height, and has a wheelbase of 118.3 inches. These numbers make it the first compact pickup of the US market; the segment that will soon have one more model, i.e. Ford Maverick. Speaking of the towing capacity, the amazingly strong truck can pull 2,268 kg.

Unlike the prototype, the production truck features a Tucson-like bold face with a full-width grille underlying LED daytime running lights. The rear end also appears more rugged now housing “T” lighting graphics that go deep into the boot lid. The tail lights feature ‘Designed in California’ lettering as it was penned in California. 

Added to the exterior highlights is lockable in-bed storage with a lockable tonneau cover, integrated bumper steps, and 20-inch alloys with armour-like wheel arches. The 18-inch rims will also be available with thicker tyres.

Coming to mechanical bits, Hyundai will offer the Santa Cruz in two 2.5-litre engine options, first is a naturally aspirated unit churning out 190+ horsepower and 244+ lb-ft of peak torque, while the other being a turbocharged mill with 275+ hp and 420+ lb-ft. The former is paired with 8-speed automatic transmission, whereas the latter gets a dual-clutch transmission.

Inside the Hyundai Santa Cruz, one can see the following elements:

• 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 10-inch instrument cluster
• Wireless smartphone charger
• Bose eight-speaker sound system
• Leather seating
• Plush carpets
• Under-seat storage compartment

In terms of safety, the Santa Cruz pickup specs sheet comprises several advanced features like forward collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, driver attention warning, safe exit assist, highway drive assistance, a surround-view monitor, blindspot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert.

“Santa Cruz, with its bold styling, breaks open all new segment territory, both for Hyundai and the industry as a whole. Open-bed flexibility coupled with closed-cabin security meets the changing everyday needs of its adventure-oriented buyers, while powerful and efficient engines and superb maneuverability ensure it is a pleasure to drive in urban or off-road environments. Our customers will wonder just how they managed before owning one,” said Jose Munoz, president, and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America.

While there is still no information about the Hyundai Santa Cruz price, it is slated to go on sale in the US market this summer,

Also read: 2021 Hyundai Staria MPV technical details out, launch soon