Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup based on Hyundai Tucson unveiled

The Santa Cruz is a pickup derivative of the new Hyundai Tucson that takes a more urban-friendly and not as utilitarian as conventional trucks approach.

Hyundai describes the Santa Cruz as a Sport Activity Vehicle, an amalgamation of SUV, truck and crossover body styles. Marketing jargon aside, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is essentially a 2022 Hyundai Tucson with an open bed that’s more at home in the urban environment than being engaged in out-and-out utilitarian tasks. Visually, the Santa Cruz shares its front end with the new Tucson but with a slightly more rugged treatment for the bumper also resulting in a restyled headlamp cluster. Like the Tucson, the LED DRLs and the grille merge together in an unconventional yet attractive way, to our eyes at least, making for a design that definitely stands out. B-pillar onwards is when the design changes drastically, obviously, with its neatly integrated open bed. The rear features LED tail lamps and bold Santa Cruz lettering. The Santa Cruz has a longer wheelbase than the Tucson, 249mm longer at 3,005mm. Overall, it’s 4,971mm long, 1,905mm wide and 1,694mm tall.