Remember the Hyundai Santa Cruz concept that took many people by surprise at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit? The name was a bit confusing, as it mixed the popular Santa Fe crossover with the late Veracruz full-size utility.
Well, the idea of it could become a reality, as the positive reactions from visitors at the show and the general public seem to have convinced Hyundai executives to discuss the possibility of a production Santa Cruz in November, Car and Driver reports.
Hyundai Motor America president and CEO Dave Zuchowski did not confirm whether the production truck would feature the same 190-horsepower, 2.0L turbo-diesel engine as the concept. We'll have to wait and see if it sees the end of an assembly line one day.
The latter introduced a bold and unique truck design with oversized wheels, an hexagonal grille with cascading lines framing the sides, as well as an expandable bed that can be easily reconfigured for longer cargo using a unique drawer-like sliding function. Moreover, the wheel arches, roof, and bed rails had convenient tie-down cleats for securing cargo of all shapes and sizes. As for the cabin, rear-hinged rear doors were integrated to allow easy access to the rear seats.
Will a production model be approved in November? Will it be built? Nothing is certain as of yet, however we'd love to see it on our roads in the future.