Hyundai has released teaser images of the Santa Cruz that is set to be unveiled globally on 15th April. The South Korean brand calls it a sport adventure vehicle and claims it creates an entirely new vehicle category.
Designed at Hyundai Design North America, the light pickup is based on the fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson that was revealed in September last year.
Sporting a very similar radiator grille to the one on the 2022 Tucson, the Santa Cruz also has striking lighting elements that emerge from the grille.
While the front bumper is not clearly visible, we can make out the 2022 Tucson-esque main lights and aggressive styling which should give the ute an angry “face”.
Looking at the side profile shows one definitively that the pickup is based on the new generation Tucson, for the character lines and the front doors look very similar. However, the rear doors have been excessively shortened and the roof lopped off to make space for the cargo bed.
Unlike the Tucson’s trapezoidal wheel arches, the Hyundai Santa Cruz teaser images show that the model will come with rounded wheel arches and it also has some interestingly styled alloy wheels.
At the rear, there are lighting elements that do not look dissimilar to Thor’s Hammer lighting features seen on Volvo cars. They are split by the tailgate which has the model named embossed on it, while the bumper has integrated steps.
Thus far, no interior images have been revealed, but the carmaker has stated that it will feature “cutting-edge connectivity”. Also, Hyundai has been coy about the powertrain options the Santa Cruz will get, only stating they will be “powerful” and “efficient”.
However, the light pickup can be expected to come with a 2.5-litre petrol (190 PS and 247 Nm) and 1.6-litre turbo petrol (230 PS and 350 Nm in PHEV guise) engine options. The transmission is likely to be an 8-speed unit which will send the engine’s power to all 4 wheels.
To go on sale in the USA as a 2022 model later this year, the Santa Cruz will be produced in Montgomery, Alabama.
