WATCH: Hyundai Palisade evolves into ‘Santa Clara’ ute
Satisfying video render imagines what another SUV-based Hyundai ute could look likeThe 2023 Hyundai Palisade large SUV has been digitally converted into a monocoque ute in a new render video posted to the Theottle YouTube channel.
Dubbed the Hyundai Santa Clara, the rendered vehicle would serve as a bigger stablemate to the Hyundai Santa Cruz already available in North America, with the smaller Tucson-based pick-up serving heavily as the basis for the design.
Bigger in every dimension than the Santa Cruz, the rendered Santa Clara has a longer wheelbase than its SUV donor and a longer tub than its inspiration.
The extra tub length is found in the longer wheelbase but also a longer rear overhang (than the Santa Cruz) and narrower rear doors than the Palisade, which obviously sacrifices its eight-seater layout.
Everything from the B-pillar back on the Palisade has been altered to create the Santa Clara, with the body creases, trim, glasshouse and even the roofline being tweaked into a happy middle ground between that the SUV and the Santa Cruz.
While there are no changes made to the front, the same treatment applies at the rear of the vehicle, which retains the Palisade’s signature vertical tail-light motifs while incorporating the Santa Cruz’s horizontal features.
Concessions are obviously made between the models, however; the rear bumper design definitely aligns more closely with the Santa Cruz.
A similar concept based on the current Kia Sorento surfaced online last year, but the Palisade/Santa Clara’s extra size makes it a more plausible proposition – at least until Hyundai/Kia’s long-running one-tonne ladder-frame ute development program bears fruit.
Although neither pick-up has been officially confirmed, the first ute to be offered by Hyundai and Kia in Australia is expected to be available with petrol, diesel and eventually even pure-electric powertrains.
Both Korean pick-ups will also be offered in a range of body styles and drive layouts as part of their attempt to bloody the noses of the dominant Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger utes.
Given the Palisade is roughly the same size as a Ford Everest and Toyota Fortuner, we can’t imagine Hyundai (or Kia) will offer two similarly-sized utes – one monocoque and one ladder frame – in our off-road ute-obsessed market.
Related: First Kia ute will be available with pure electric power
Related: Kia and Hyundai ute program still alive
Related: Hyundai Santa Cruz pick-up unveiled
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