Refined on the inside. Redefining the outside. Meet the all-new, first-ever, one-of-a-kind Hyundai SANTA CRUZ. A Sport Adventure Vehicle ready to live up to the name.
Hyundai enticed its enthusiasts on its facebook page by announcing the arrival of the majestic Santa Cruz. The launch date and price in Pakistan has to be announced yet.
It’s still up in the air whether the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup will share a platform with the new 2022 Tucson or the refreshed Santa Fe. The likelier of the two seems to be the Tucson, based on the spy photos and word from Hyundai itself, though KDesign AG on Blanche.net has a series of unofficial renderings that give the new pickup the Santa Fe’s design cues.
Spy photos have shown that the pickup will feature a split-headlight design, and that’s present in the renderings. The truck in the rendering also features thin-slit daytime running lights sitting above rectangular headlights that flow into the large grille. Triangular intakes flank the lower bumper, which is trimmed in chrome, just as it looks on the 2021 Santa Fe. A full-width taillight spans the tailgate and Santa Fe-inspired taillight shape with more chrome accents at the rear. Spy shots have shown Hyundai keeping the rear-end hidden.
Back in September, Hyundai Motor Group Head of Global Product Management said that the pickup would be based on the 2022 Tucson, though Hyundai wouldn’t clarify when contacted. If the Santa Cruz shares parts with the Tucson, then the Tucson engines are likely to power the pickup, too. That’d give the pickup the choice of either a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter or an optional turbocharged 1.6-liter hybrid mill. Inside, the Tucson base should give the Santa Cruz a nicely appointed interior with the latest technology, including a 10.3-inch center infotainment screen and a digital instrument cluster.
There are rumors that it could get the Palisade’s 3.8-liter V6 that makes 290 horsepower (216 kilowatts), which would help it compete against staples like the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline. However, the Tucson platform with the four-cylinder engines makes us think the Santa Cruz could be better suited competing against the Ford Maverick, a new light truck from the Blue Oval that’ll ride on the same platform as the new Escape and Bronco Sport. It’d lineup perfectly against the Santa Cruz.
To check pre launch reviews, here are some videos on the Hyundai Santa Cruz:
For more information about Hyundai Santa Cruz launch and price in Pakistan, stay tuned to Foxtrot Automotive
Source: KDesign AG / Behance.net