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Hyundai Santa Cruz Pickup Set For Debut April 15, GM Has No U.S. Rival

South Korean automaker Hyundai has released new teaser sketches for the upcoming Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck, building hype for the model’s debut later next month. General Motors currently has no direct rival in the U.S. market.

Hyundai says the new Hyundai Santa Cruz straddles the line between the SUV segment and pickup truck segment, with both a rear bed and a spacious four-door cabin, as well as plenty of infotainment and technology features and AWD grip.

“Santa Cruz, with its bold styling, breaks open all-new segment territory, both for Hyundai and the industry as a whole,” says Hyundai Motor North America president and CEO, Jose Munoz. “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.”

Details and specs for the new Hyundai Santa Cruz are still light, but for now, the new model is tipped to offer unibody construction with small dimensions, as well as possibly the same turbocharged 2.5L I4 gasoline engine as the Hyundai Santa Fe, likely paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The latest teaser images also give us a look at the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s styling, following up on concept images released in 2019. The look includes a broad, V-shaped front fascia and grille with tiered horizontal lighting elements. The profile shows relatively balanced front-to-rear proportions, with hard styling lines and angles that lend it a futuristic vibe. The rear bed is short, falling away from the four-door cabin and leading the eye to horizontally oriented tail lights.

The all-new Hyundai will hit production this year, arriving in dealerships before the year’s end. Production will take place at Hyundai’s facility in Alabama.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Nice looking Truck/Crossover, at best I don’t see this vehicle as being competitive to no more than the makes of Subaru and the Honda Ridgeline, in addition, the Colorado and Canyon will get a major overhaul next year as 2023 models with more engine choices and more Towing capabilities so gm doesn’t have too much to worry about at this point.

    Reply
  2. The Ridgeline and Maverick will be what this will challenge. FWD based AWD vehicle on a CUV platform.

    The question is will this segment grow or will it have to fight for the small slice it has with the Ridgeline.

    FWD based model trucks have never really taken off. I expect that if they grow sales here it will be from the CUV segment.

    Mfgs want this to work as being on a shared platform there is more margins in these vs the mid size trucks.

    GM could quickly make one of these if needed from a Blazer on a Traverse length chassis but they really need better numbers than the Ridgeline to make it worth while.

    It is not enough to just make money but to max the return on investment is key anymore.

    Reply
  3. Will be interesting to see what Hyundai thinks they have up their sleeve with this Santa Cruz. Subaru Brat, Ford Explorer Sport, Subaru Baja, GM Avalanche, all very limited audience.
    Honda has teased with a Civic based UTE for years – may entice them if this carves out any market share.
    GM could do this off of the BOLT SUV platform.

    Reply
  4. Not sure if I am correct or not but I feel like a Pickup Driver would prefer the so called Traditional Pickup Truck look of the Maverick to this. Not sure if a Swoopy Pickup is looked as a coveted vehicle. I mean look at the Tesla Cybertruck, it looks Apocalyptic and it has well over a Million Pre-Orders

    Reply
    1. This is so something all are watching. All FWD based trucks have not looked like trucks. They have either shared styling with a car or CUV. Will the Ford truck styling help or hurt?

      The real trouble is no bed or cab options yet. Ford hinted that this may come. That I think would help most. For now they will only gamble on the most popular combo.

      As for Tesla orders are not trucks delivered. By the time they get it here the shock value will wear off and many orders will be canceled.

      Reply
      1. @C8.R
        I agree. I am really interested to see what Ford can do with the Maverick.
        I personally think it is a great idea. If priced correctly, I think a lot of active current CUV owners might flip to it.
        I would actually purchase one that is like a 3-5 year old one to just to putz around in at like Home Depot and for my Bicycles and gear and stuff. I personally do not need a Full size Pickup and the Colorado is expensive for like a second or sometimes third vehicle option.

        As far as the Cybertruck is concerned, lets all remember that the Model 3 had about 350K Pre Orders and some didn’t go through with it but I believe Tesla has sold about 750K Model 3’s so far. I did not Pre Order a Model 3 but got one about two years later. Most people that are not Car People like us do not even know that a Cybertruck even exists. The first time they will see it they will see it on the road and be like WTF is that? Good or Bad. I am very intrigues to see what Tesla can and or will do with the Cybertruck. If they keep half of their Pre orders that is still over 500K orders. That is way more than Toyota and Nissan combined can do and they have been selling Full size Trucks for at least two decades if not more.

        Reply
  5. Once more, this and the Ford Maverick are a size smaller and will be significantly cheaper than the Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline starts @ $36,500 these days and can get into the mid-upper $40’s with all the options. The Santa Cruz and Maverick are going to be about $10-12K less. There is an audience out there for these and some of those will be an older crowd that remembers the Ranger and others when they were smaller and cost in the $20-25K range.

    Reply
    1. There was a time you could get a S10 for $9,999.

      The truth is even $10k less at $25,000 is not much less vs a Colorado that can still be found in LT trim crew for $30,000. You can even find 4 cylinder versions in extra cab for $19,k to $21k.

      Many assume all mid site trucks are $40k as these loaded versions are the ones tested. Most are low $30k range with 4×4 and V6.

      Just look at the Bronco Sport and see the price and MPG will not be much different.

      What will be different is lower towing and pay load but better ride.

      This truck for better or worse is not the old Ranger.

      Reply
      1. Lol… i like it. But not my choice… Some small to medium SUV segments and small car segments might be challenged as said here.

        No real truck buyer will be influenced but that doesn’t mean gpa and the college folk won’t be buying it off the shelf.

        Reply
  6. Just like the Honda Ridgeline, this is a pseudo-pickup. Let’s see owners carry a 2×4 or sheet of plywood in this joke of a ‘utility’ vehicle.

    Reply
    1. Typical ill informed answer. This has a bed expansion ability to carry 4×8.
      This rig has no intention to compete with full size trucks. With the SUV/CUV craze, this offers a bit more of a utilitarian option.
      It’s a daily driver/grocery getter/haul the kids/ Home Depot kind of vehicle that is modern technology and doesn’t suck gas like full-size pickups.

      Reply
    2. The 2nd Generation Ridgeline 2017-2021 can carry 4×8 sheets of plywood or drywall laying flat in it’s bed.
      Tailgate down about 12in hanging off tailgate.
      Ranger Tacoma Frontier Colorado and Canyon pickup trucks can’t do that. Ridgeline bed and truck is wider.
      Also with this platform Unibody and FWD drive layout.
      There are no wheel well intrusion in the bed rear wheel humps.

      Reply
  7. Can’t understand how they are saying this is “Opening up a new market”?
    The old Subaru and the current Honda Ridgeline started that segment years ago.

    Reply
    1. I wonder if the date of the post has anything to do with it. (wink)

      Reply
    2. This is a segment with very little competition. Pretty sure that Hyundai has analyzed this.
      Younger generations are not as interested in full size trucks as the older age groups were for daily drivers. This is smaller than a Ridgeline, and Subaru isn’t in this market anymore.
      It’s “easy” for me to understand.

      Reply
  8. I own a tundra and a Subaru Baja. The perfect match. I’m retired and certainly like the updated look of Santa Cruz.

    Reply
  9. Owned 6 different Hyundai models. Actually an excellent brand..have a Canyon and Terrain now but Terrain lease up next year. This intrigues me. May go back to Hyundai to check this out.

    Reply
  10. I think I would like to try this new Hyundai vehicle . Front what I have heard Hyundai vehicles tend to be more reliable than some others now.

    Reply
  11. It’s time for someone to make a small truck again. A two seater, awd with a bed. All these new trucks are big.

    Reply
  12. My wife had a 2003 Subaru Baja. I had to pay for truck registration for a vehicle that you could not haul very much stuff in.

    Reply

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