2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz Release Date

2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz – A while ago Hyundai showcased a very interesting concept with the Santa Cruz pickup truck. At the time it was nothing more than just a truck to showcase their idea. Hyundai’s CEO said that it was meant as a car replacement for someone who never owned a truck before. This type of design was used before by Honda with their Ridgeline but Honda never said such thing.

Despite looking quite similar to each other and using the same type of design, the two trucks were quite different. The Santa Cruz would provide better on-road performance, great features and a really comfortable interior. However, being nothing but a concept people forgot about it… until now. More recently Hyundai released a statement which confirmed the 2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz as a production model.

2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz Release Date and Price

So far not much has been said about it and the concept is the only real piece of information about the truck. The production model will likely follow its design quite closely but also expect some upgrades over the original concept. Hyundai’s CEO in the US said that the Santa Cruz will likely arrive in 2018 and when it will arrive, it will be the first of its kind. Over its unique design, the truck is also expected to have other unique features inside and out which will make it quite special.

At this point it seems it might get to use the same platform that can be found in the long-wheelbase Santa Fe. Like the crossover, the 2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz is expected to feature front wheel drive, a rather low ground clearance and great interior equipment. The price hasn’t been revealed but most seem to expect it at around $25,000. This would be considerably less than its closest rival, the Ridgeline.

Design

The concept truck for the Santa Cruz featured a really striking design which is unlikely to go unchanged in production. The concept features an extended cab which may actually go into production as a sports truck. A crew cab model with four full-size doors and more room inside is also a real possibility. The two might actually use the same platform with the difference being the extended cab version would get a different design for its cab and bed to be more striking to look at. The other version, on the other hand, would be the competitor for all the other regular trucks on the market. In the front we expect it to be quite close to its crossover sibling with the difference being the bumper. The back will be all new with a full-size bed and possibly a hatch to allow the bed to extend into the cabin.

2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz Interior

Here the 2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz is basically expected to offer all the things the Santa Fe has a few extras. Considering they want a unique truck, we expect a lower than usual driving position which would add to improving the driving experience. However, this would also imply some limitations but considering the market Hyundai is targeting, Santa Cruz should have no problem when it hits the market.

Under the hood

Things are expected to be quite interesting here. Most rumors suggest a diesel engine, but this is unlikely to be the only offering, especially on the US market. Instead, the truck may receive a 2-liter turbo four with around 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque as standard. This gas engine would actually be superior to those of its rivals. A 3.3 liter naturally aspirated V6 with close to 300 horsepower is also a real possibility. Both of them should be available with front or all-wheel drive and with either a six-speed manual or an automatic, likely a six speed.

Considering the intended purpose of the 2018 Hyundai Santa Cruz, it may also receive diesel as well as a hybrid. While the diesel provides usually less power but considerably more torque than a gas engine, it would also boost its fuel efficiency by quite a bit. The hybrid would have roughly the same performance as the diesel but with possibly better fuel consumption. Unfortunately so far not much has been confirmed but it would be great for Hyundai to release the first true hybrid truck on the US market.