Tag Archives: Hyundai Santa Cruz

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz First Reviews In And Here’s What They’re Saying

Back in April, Hyundai introduced the Santa Cruz, a Tucson-based unibody pickup truck. Since then, we’ve seen a few walkarounds in a studio environment, but now, the real-world reviews have arrived.

The Santa Cruz is offered with a choice between naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants of the same 2.5L inline-four. The naturally aspirated version makes 191 hp (194 PS / 142 kW) and 181 lb-ft (245 Nm) of torque, while the turbocharged version makes 281 hp (285 PS / 210 kW) and 311 lb-ft (422 Nm) of torque.

Read More: 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Is Half Tucson SUV, Half Small Pickup Truck

[embedded content]

FWD is standard with AWD as an option, but all Santa Cruz models send their power to the wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Depending on trim, you can haul up to 1,500 lb (680 kg) and tow up to 5,000 lb (2,268 kg). As for pricing, after destination charges, it ranges from $25,175 for the base SE with FWD and the naturally aspirated engine all the way up to $41,500 for the range-topping Limited with AWD and the turbocharged engine.

[embedded content]

The general consensus across all the reviews seems to be that the Santa Cruz is the perfect truck for non-truck people. It’s for people who like their SUV, but also want an open bed. One thing that was pointed out in almost every review was that thanks to its unibody platform, not only does it drive like a car, but a well-sorted one at that.

Finally, another thing touched on in quite a few of the reviews is that this truck will have to watch out for the Ford Maverick, which offers similar capabilities at a comparable (and in some cases lower) price point.

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz Rendering

Today we want to share with you this rendering images of the long awaited Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup, made by our colleagues at CarExpert. These renderings (front & rear) are based on the latest spy pictures taken in the U.S, with less camouflage than ever, so what do you think?

What we know so far?

The Santa Cruz pickup codename is NX4 (the same as Tucson) with the addition of the letters OB, so “NX4 OB”. It has a smaller body than the traditional pickup truck. It is a four-door model with a five-seater structure, and features excellent ride comfort and space utilization compared to a frame body-based pickup truck. Hyundai’s plan is to open up a new market called an urban pickup truck.

As an urban pickup truck, it will be released as a compact, leisurely pickup truck for drivers who mainly carry mountain bikes, kayaks, and camping equipment rather than for gravel, concrete block transportation, and boat towing. 

With a unibody construction and numerous unknown specifications, we don’t know how much the 2021 Santa Cruz will be able to tow or how much payload it will be able to carry in its cargo bed. Still, we expect it will be able to pull more than the Santa Fe and closely align with the Ridgeline, which maxes out at 5000 pounds.

Also Hyundai Motor and its affiliates are in the process of updating the lines and supply lines of the Alabama plant, as the company has decided to produce Hyundai’s next generation Tucson (codenamed NX4) earlier 2020, while pick-up derivative launch for late 2020.

Information indicates that the Pickup will have a 2.5-liter engine, with a hybrid option and will be a four-door ‘lifestyle’ pickup with a monocoque chassis. Its target market will be millennials, which Hyundai describes as ‘a new generation of buyers’ in its press release.

As for what the pickup will look like, that remains to be seen, and despite Hyundai used the photos of the concept Santa Cruz for its production announcement, the final production version would be far from the concept and will share family look with the 4th generation Tucson.

What do you expect about this pick-up?