First Look At The Amazing Hyundai Santa Cruz Pick-Up Truck Concept
Hyundai is targeting millennials with the unveiling of their brand-new Santa Cruz crossover truck concept at the Detroit Auto Show. This may seem like a pretty small market until you realize that millennials are actually the second-largest group of car buyers.
The name that Hyundai gives this group is “Urban Adventurers,” and they believe that this crossover perfectly meets the needs of that lot.
Mark Dipko, director, corporate planning, Hyundai Motor America, believes that the vehicle checks all the boxes for millennials, allowing them to use the crossover for their work, social, and play needs, and all without having to compromise on features, which is what happens with the models currently on the market.
If one word could only be used to describe the new Hyundai Santa Cruz concept, it would need to be versatility.
It goes beyond what the traditional truck offers in terms of expression, efficiency, and maneuverability.
Santa Cruz photos
The design of the Santa Cruz is bold, as it features a wide stance and a particularly aggressive side profile.
A cool looking hexagonal grille can be found up front, as can honeycombed projection headlight and LED fog lights.
The wheels are big and bold, and are equipped with Michelin tires that have a special tread design.
They also feature yellow brake calipers and center-locking hubs that help give the Santa Cruz a great looking side profile. You will also see rear-hinged doors that integrate with the design of the front doors, making rear seat access that much easier.
The concept features tie-down cleats that help secure cargo of all different shapes and sizes. The expandable cargo bed also means that longer cargo can be easily accommodated with a minimum of fuss.
Once the bed has been fully extended, you are looking at a cargo bed area similar to that of a midsize pick-up.
Under the hood you will find a 2.0L CRDI turbo diesel powertrain delivering 190 horsepower and 300lb-ft (406Nm) of maximum torque.
That is enough to take fuel economy into the high 30 mpg range. An HTRAC all-wheel drive system can also be found on the Santa Cruz.
The concept offers seating for 5, but this is still a compact model, with the overall capacity much like that of a CUV.
That size means that this is a vehicle that is equally at home in the city as it is in crossover style driving conditions.
Hyundai made this concept vehicle with both crossover and sedan buyers in mind.
It offers a level of utility that will appeal to both buyers, and which isn’t generally found in a standard truck. As such, towing, payload, and ground clearance were not major design factors.
Hyundai has not said whether a production model of the Santa Cruz pick-up truck will ever see the light of day.
When will it available to order?