The Hyundai Santa Cruz
Rumored Pick up
There have been rumors that Hyundai would announce a pickup truck for the North American market for years, but that didn’t stop attendees at the January 2015 Detroit Auto Show from being absolutely stunned when Hyundai surprised everyone with the Santa Cruz truck concept: a unique, compact truck with a single-body design and a diesel engine.
Hyundai said it came up with the Santa Cruz’s basic format after “intently listening to customers” and recognizing their needs. The automaker’s research showed that full-size pickup purchases are declining among both women and the under-30 crowd and that those groups might be impressed with a CUV-type vehicle that includes a space to stash cargo.
Low and behold, the Santa Cruz.
Some people drew comparisons to the Honda Ridgeline, another crossover vehicle with a unibody construction. But unlike the Ridgeline, the Santa Cruz is compact. It’s actually smaller than Chevy’s new “mid-size” Colorado and far lower too. It also isn’t a four-door crew cab like the Honda, opting for a proportion-friendly, extended-cab configuration with rear-hinged suicide doors instead.
The Santa Cruz’s large hexagonal grille is flanked by narrow headlights and deep-set fog-lamp nacelles. The car’s fenders feature three tie-down hooks a piece to give owners nearly infinite cargo-securing options for anything they might need to stack on the roof. If there’s one thing the Santa Cruz has going for it, it’s absolutely the practicality. The concept even included an extension mechanism for the pickup bed; the entire aft section of the bed slides out like a drawer, bringing the tailgate, taillights and rear bumper with it.
Unfortunately, information about the Santa Cruz petered out after the initial tease. Hyundai says that they’re “waiting more for an announcement than an approval”, but we’re not quite sure what that means. Talk about the Santa Cruz started floating around at the same time the Honda Ridgeline was teased, yet we’re still waiting on an official announcement about the Santa Cruz while the Ridgeline has already been revealed.
Of course, we’re more than willing to wait while Hyundai works out any potential kinks. The Santa Cruz is slated to be a light workhorse, the perfect combination of muscle and practicality for the average outdoorsy-type looking to carry around the kayak while still chipping in with the after-school carpool. It is, after all, a five-seater vehicle. Plus, it’s got some off-road ability already baked in with its available all-wheel drive and plastic-lined truck bed to repel scratches and dents.
While you anxiously await more news about the Santa Cruz, come visit us at Rosen Hyundai. If versatility, practicality and adventure are what you’re looking for, then the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport might be a good fit for you. Come take it for a spin and let us know what you think.
