Hyundai Santa Cruz revealed
Set to enter production in April 2021, Hyundai has recently revealed their new Santa Cruz. Taking up the Sport-Adventure Vehicle class, it took the company six years of careful planning to reach a production-ready model. Unfortunately, this Ranger rival will only be produced and sold in the US market for now. We have high hopes that Hyundai sees the value in reaching Australia and South Africa.
The Hyundai Tucson’s face on the Santa Cruz bakkie.
The full-length grille that incorporates the headlights and unique daytime running lights draw a lot of inspiration from the current Tucson models. A very good choice for the front end on the Hyundai Santa Cruz. As for its size. It comes in a little smaller than the Ford Ranger, the bakkie that will likely be its biggest rival in the US.
At the back, there are new taillight shapes that have not been seen on any previous Hyundai models before. These sit on what Hyundai call the smart load bed. It comes with a lockable tonneau cover and plenty of hidden storage compartments. This all sits on top of large eighteen or twenty-inch alloy wheels.
The cabin takes a lot from the Tucson’s design too. This includes two ten-inch displays for infotainment and the instrument cluster. The infotainment system will be compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It will also receive wireless charging for mobile phones and a digital key accessible from an app. Finally, there is an eight-speaker Bose audio system.
The US will have the option of two engines.
The US market will get two engine options that are configured for all-wheel-drive and mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latter will have shift paddles on the steering wheel.
The first engine is a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol that boasts 141 kW and 244 Nm. This gives it a towing capacity of 1600 kg. The other option is a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that has an improved 205 kW and 420 Nm. This increases the towing capacity to 2300 kg.
With a large demand for bakkies in South Africa, it would not be surprising to see Hyundai send this model to our local shores. For now, we will just have to wait and see what Hyundai say.
Source: Hyundai
