Hyundai is looking the 2022 Santa Cruz a “Sport Journey Car.” It has many traits of a compact SUV or crossover, however the mattress of a pickup truck. That kind of auto fashion has come and gone a number of occasions all through the American auto trade. Most notably, the Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet El Camino beginning within the Nineteen Fifties and Sixties, and, extra lately, the Subaru Baja from the 2000s.

The Santa Cruz is anticipated to lure automotive or crossover consumers greater than those that have owned a bigger, extra conventional pickup, based on trade analysts. They are saying particularly consumers from outdoor-oriented manufacturers equivalent to Jeep and Subaru.

“I believe it may do very well,” mentioned Brian Moody, government editor at Autotrader. “It feels just like the analysis from automakers is indicating that individuals are wanting increasingly sorts of automobiles that may take you off-road.”

Hyundai mentioned pricing for the Santa Cruz might be introduced nearer to its arrival in vendor showrooms in the summertime. Moody mentioned pricing of the automobile goes to be necessary as a result of it must cheaper than the beginning value of a midsize pickup equivalent to a Toyota Tacoma, which begins at about $27,000.

The Santa Cruz shares design components, together with the entrance grille and headlights, of the lately redesigned Hyundai Tucson SUV. It is also produced on the identical automobile platform, or base, of the SUV.

The within of the automobile consists of an eight- or 10-inch heart infotainment contact display in addition to an optionally available 10-inch digital driver cluster display as an alternative of conventional bodily gauges. It additionally affords a set of security and comfort options which have turn into commonplace for brand new automobiles.

“Santa Cruz, with its daring styling, breaks open all new phase territory, each for Hyundai and the trade as an entire,” Jose Munoz, Hyundai Motor North America CEO, mentioned in a press release.

Smaller automobiles with pickup beds have not sometimes fared too properly within the U.S., the place giant full-size pickups have been the bestselling automobiles for many years. Most lately, the Subaru Baja was solely offered for about 4 years earlier than being discontinued. Even bigger fashions equivalent to a model of the Ford Explorer SUV referred to as the “Sport Trac” solely lasted a decade.

“It is positively a little bit of a chance and since this phase has been tried over time and I do not suppose anybody actually achieved a lot success,” Jessica Caldwell, government director of insights at Edmunds.com, mentioned. “However I do suppose that it is positively most likely one of the best time to strive contemplating how scorching vehicles are actually.”

Caldwell mentioned such automobiles are “fairly sensible and helpful” but in addition “quirky” and a distinct segment phase within the U.S. auto trade.

The Santa Cruz might be assembled by means of a course of the auto trade calls “unibody” development. The method, which is how vehicles are produced, is the place the body/physique of the automobile are one. That compares to “body-on-frame” development for many pickups and a few vans and SUVs, which mixes the physique and body of the automobiles towards the tip of manufacturing.

Essentially the most notable unibody pickup at the moment available on the market is the Honda Ridgeline. Such development sometimes permits for a smoother journey, nevertheless much less functionality than vehicles such because the Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado which are physique on body. The Jeep Gladiator, a Wrangler SUV-based midsize pickup, is also physique on body.

The Santa Cruz will come commonplace with a 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder engine with an estimated 190 horsepower and 180 foot-pounds of torque. A extra highly effective 2.5-liter direct-injected turbocharged engine with an estimated 275 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque additionally is out there. Each are paired to an eight-speed computerized transmission.

The Santa Cruz might be produced at Hyundai’s plant in Montgomery, Alabama, alongside a number of different Hyundai fashions, together with its bestselling Tucson SUV.