The world of pickup trucks will soon get bigger, as something completely new is on the way, in the form of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. According to the latest reports, the new model will hit the market already in the next year. The testing model is on the road and while it still wears camouflage, it clearly shows some of the styling bits. More importantly, we already know most of the details when it comes to mechanics and overall design characteristics.
The most interesting thing about the new pickup truck is the platform. Unlike most pickups, it will ride on a unibody architecture, which will certainly limit capabilities, but which will bring numerous benefits in terms of driving characteristics. Furthermore, we expect that Hyundai is about to offer a hybrid powertrain option, which is something we still can’t find in any other pickup on the market. All in all, this should be one pretty interesting novelty in the world of pickup trucks.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Design
As we’ve just mentioned, one of the key design characteristics of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz will be the platform. This will be a unibody pickup, which is an approach that can currently be found only in Honda Ridgeline. Therefore, we know what to expect from this one, at least in terms of driving experience. Unibody pickup truck acts pretty much as crossovers. So, there is no doubt that handling and comfort will be one of the key benefits. This model will be lighter compared to similarly-sized rivals.
Speaking of the size, we expect that the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz truck will be slightly smaller compared to the future key rival, Ridgeline. Of course, this refers to the crew cab layout, though we could easily see a single cab version in the offer as well.
Styling
Of course, the styling of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck certainly draws a lot of attention. It’s been five years since the concept version. So, it’s not hard to conclude that the production version will come with a lot of differences in terms of aesthetics. The test mule has been spotted on the road. Even though it still wears a lot of camouflage, it’s clear that the front end will be pretty similar to the new Tucson. This includes the same grille with a futuristic triangle pattern and super sharp and narrow headlights. Moreover, it looks like the new truck will come with the same taillights as the popular compact crossover.
The rest of the vehicle will come in a typical truck manner, though we can’t go too much into details, because of the camouflage. Still, you can get a picture thanks to these interesting rendering photos.
Interior
At this point, interior design is a complete mystery. Still, we presume that the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz interior will have a lot of things in common with other models from this manufacturer. Given the unibody architecture, we expect to see a very car-like layout, with attractive dashboard design and fine materials. Furthermore, we count on a full load of standard and available features, whether it’s about tech goodies or advanced safety systems. Of course, this includes the latest infotainment system too, with loads of connectivity features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
As we already mentioned, the new model will certainly come in a crew cab layout, with two rows of seats. However, single and extended cab styles could be offered as well. More details should come soon.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Engines
Although the company is still quiet about this aspect of the vehicle, we expect to see at least two engine options in the offer. Base models will probably come with a familiar 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder unit, which puts out around 190 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. We also expect to see a new hybrid setup in the offer. It is based on a 1.6-liter turbo-four, with a max output of 230 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque.
Other powertrain options are also possible, including a diesel version. This one could be offered in parts of the world like Europe.
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Release Date and Price
When it comes to the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz release date, the new model is about to hit the market sometime in the next year. Some estimations about the price suggest around 25.000 dollars for the base model. Honda Ridgeline is about to be a key rival, but we should consider the upcoming Ford Maverick as well.
