Hyundai Santa Cruz pick-up unveiled

The all-new Hyundai Santa Cruz has finally been revealed, six years after the dual-cab ute was shown as a concept at the 2015 Detroit motor show.

Described more as a Sport Adventure Vehicle rather than a traditional pick-up truck, the new 2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz is believed to be heavily based on the latest Hyundai Tucson SUV.

This means that instead of a rugged ladder-frame chassis, the dual-cab ute rides on a more sophisticated car-based monocoque platform.

Hyundai is working separately on a heavier-duty ute, which will be a genuine rival to the likes of the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger – and will be developed for the Australian market.

Under the bonnet, the Santa Cruz comes with a naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that makes around 142kW and 244Nm of torque.

Combined with all-wheel drive and the car-maker's latest eight-speed automatic transmission, the Hyundai utility is said to be capable of towing up to 1588kg.

A more powerful turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder offers 205kW/420Nm and is said to be able to tow more, but only up to 2268kg – still some way off the 3500kg tougher pick-ups like the Ford Ranger can tug.

Adopting the latest Tucson's styling, the more lifestyle-orientated pick-up gets a shapely C-pillar for a sportier look while in the rear Hyundai has introduced a flexible load bed.

Measuring in at 1320mm long, the bed floor can be raised to reveal a hidden storage area.

Steps at the corner also make it easier to climb up.

Later on, a full tonneau cover will be offered by the Korean car-maker to boost security and provide protection from the elements.

Inside, the Santa Cruz gets an 8.0-inch infotainment system as standard, with the option of a larger 10-inch touch-screen.

In the rear seat, more practical touches include a rear bench that's base can be folded upwards to reveal useful storage cubbies beneath.

As standard, all models come with a full range of semi-autonomous driving aids that include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus blind spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert.

On sale in the third quarter of 2021, the genre-busting SUV-ute has already been ruled out for the Australian market on account of the US-made Santa Cruz not being developed for right-hand drive.