Hyundai Santa Cruz ute takes shape

The bare bones of the new Hyundai Santa Cruz body shell were photographed two weeks ago in the USA, providing our first look at the production version of the all-new dual-cab 'lifestyle' ute.

Armed with that knowledge, Kolesa.ru has now put together this computer-generated design, which appears to blend the front-end designs of the current Hyundai Santa Fe and new Hyundai Tucson.

The new US-built dual-cab ute is understood to be powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – in conventional and hybrid guises.

The Santa Cruz is a lifestyle-oriented pick-up and will focus on car-like refinement and luxury rather than towing, hay-hauling and off-roading like most one-tonne Aussie utes such as the Toyota HiLux.

It's understood the new US-centric Hyundai Santa Cruz pick-up will be produced only in left-hand drive, but late last year Hyundai Australia marketing director Bill Thomas told carsales it wasn't completely ruled out for our market.

"We always look at the suitability for the local market and this product is no different. We study every international product that is launched," he said.

However, when questioned this week about the new Santa Cruz and a second pick-up to come from Hyundai – a proper one-tonne light commercial vehicle to rival the Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara that will also wear Kia badges – Hyundai Australia was tight-lipped.

Last month CGI images of a one-tonne Hyundai ute inspired by the Mitsubishi Triton stirred up plenty of interest. But it seems Hyundai and its sister brand Kia have decreed a code of silence over anything ute-related, since we were then referred to the following statement from Hyundai's global PR arm.

"Hyundai Motor is closely monitoring the market to adjust product plans according to market demand. However, nothing has been decided yet as to when or where the company will produce pickup models."

Hyundai has, however, previously stated that the lusty new 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces 204kW/588Nm in the upcoming Genesis GV80 luxury SUV could be used in commercial vehicles.

So it's odds-on that Hyundai's second and more capable ute will take the fight up to popular models like the Volkswagen Amarok V6 with a high-output diesel six when it emerges in coming years.