Hyundai has revealed the Santa Cruz Concept, a crossover utility truck aimed younger buyers.
As the first Hyundai vehicle to sport a tailgate extension, the Santa Cruz Concept has been designed to suit the “morphing lifestyles” of Millennials who might otherwise purchase sedans.
The concept model has been built to offer greater utility without the compromises commonly associated with open-bed vehicles, according to Hyundai.
“The Santa Cruz Concept is a testament [to] Hyundai’s constant commitment to developing and enhancing our range of models,” commented Tom Lee, vice president and head of Hyundai Africa and Middle East’s headquarters.
“We aim to provide our customers globally a car that fits their market needs,” he added.
The Santa Cruz Concept was designed after the manufacturer’s in-house researchers found that Millennials, or members of Generation Y, are largely unwilling to accept the trade-offs that come with conventional open-bed utility vehicles – a trend that has contributed to a 5% reduction in market share of pickup trucks over the past decade.
As such, payload and ground clearance were not priorities during the design process, Hyundai instead choosing to focus on utility; a decision that could serve to limit its usefulness as a site truck.
The Santa Cruz Concept has been given a makeover to make it more appealing to younger drivers. The vehicle features an upright, hexagonal grille framed by cascading lines, lens-free headlight protectors, and LED fog lamps. The truck also boasts third-party accessories, including oversized Michelin tyres with specially designed treads, and yellow Brembo brake callipers.
In addition, the model boasts compact dimensions tailored for urban driving. However, Hyundai has integrated an extendable bed so that the vehicle’s size can be increased to that of a mid-sized pickup truck.
The Santa Cruz Concept is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel powertrain, which provides 190 hp and 406 Nm of torque. The engine is capable of delivering fuel economy of 9.4 litres per 100km.
The concept vehicle was unveiled at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
