First Hyundai ute: Best render yet
This is probably what the showroom-ready version of Hyundai’s first ute will look likeNo, this isn’t the hard-core one-tonne commercial ute that Hyundai is developing to take on Australia’s most popular workhorses in the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.
But it is probably our best look yet at the production version of the Hyundai Santa Cruz ‘lifestyle’ ute, which will be the Korean car-maker’s first dual-cab and remains a strong chance to be sold in Australia.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz dual-cab has been rendered and spied several times since it appeared in concept form at the 2015 Detroit motor show.
Since then Hyundai Australia has gone cold and then warm on the idea of a car-based dual-cab that could compliment its upcoming ladder-frame pick-up and create a new market segment Down Under.
The only problem is the Santa Cruz was designed primarily for North America, where it will soon enter production only in left-hand drive form.
That hasn’t stopped Hyundai Australia from lobbying its parent company for a right-hand drive version of the Santa Cruz, nor AtchaCars from producing this cool render based on the latest spy shots of pre-production models, which could rival the upcoming Ford Maverick car-based ute coming in 2021.
Many of Hyundai’s latest corporate design cues are visible on this computer-generated twin-cab, including a blocky grille and headlights similar to those on the next-generation Tucson.
Most recently, Hyundai Australia told us it remains hopeful of selling the Santa Cruz here.
“Santa Cruz is not being made in right-hand drive, but we remain interested in that vehicle, for sure,” said a spokesman at a recent Hyundai briefing.
“We’ve explored all options we can with all products for our market, and I think we do that as a discipline for anything we see on the product horizon.
“For Santa Cruz it was certainly a niche product but I think it would an interesting offering. There are some impressive powertrain options and it looks like it will be a capable here.
“But at this stage it is not available in right-hand drive and certainly not to the scale we would require.”
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
