An employee of the company shared this information in an online roundtable discussion about the new SUV.
According to reports, the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup is based on the recently-revealed 2022 Tucson small SUV. Following the Tucson’s debut, Lorenz Glaab, Head of Global Product Management at Hyundai Motor Group, stated that the upcoming Santa Cruz would be based on the same platform as the small SUV. We reached out Hyundai for clarification, and were told that Hyundai could not confirm this information at the moment. We will likely need to take Glaab’s reply with a grain. A journalist from Australia asked if the pickup had any similarities with the new Tucson.
We don’t know how much of the platform will be shared between the two, nor if it extends beyond the base 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four or turbocharged 1.6 liter hybrid four-cylinder. If true, we believe that the Santa Cruz will be smaller then previously thought. The rumors of the two being similar were first reported in July. However, as recently as May, we speculated that it could be based on either the Palisade, or Santa Fe, with a focus on the Chevrolet Colorado, and Honda Ridgeline. This suspicion is supported by the fact that the Santa Cruz will be manufactured at the same Alabama facility as Santa Fe. Glaab’s comments suggest that the Tucson could be constructed there, as well as moving from an Ulsan, South Korea, plant to a US facility.
We can also take cues from Tucson’s sharp edges and believe that the Santa Cruz will target the Ford Maverick more than the Ford Ranger. The Santa Cruz, like the Maverick will appeal to young families and couples who enjoy mountain biking and camping in the city. It should be able to offer car-to-home communication and a digital instrument cluster. These features can be found on any small pickup.