by: Mike Ginsca,
The Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup concept was first shown in 2015 but now Hyundai says that they are committed to building the small pickup truck.
With an investment of $410 Million USD at their Montgomery, Alabama plant, The Santa Cruz will be built along side the Elantra, Sonata, and Santa Fe. The latter of those models is expected to be the underpinnings of the new Hyundai Santa Cruz with a unibody construction rather than a more traditional body-on-frame construction as found in many pickup trucks such as the Chevrolet Colorado.
The Santa Cruz is expected to be a closer competitor to the Honda Ridgeline which it shares it’s underpinnings with the Honda Pilot SUV. If the success of the Ridgeline is anything to go by, consumers will probably prefer the unibody construction as it provides better on-road driving manners and better comfort.
No word on what engine will power the Hyundai Santa Cruz but it will most likely not be the 2.0L turbo-diesel that was equipped on the 2015 concept. This is thanks in part to the emissions scandal of 2015. Production is set to start in 2021.
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