Santa Cruz wasn’t as successful as the Ford Maverick, but it’s still a popular pickup truck. It has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, a usable interior, and comes with Hyundai’s comprehensive warranty. But two things may be able to make it a better pickup truck. Especially if the brand can hold a relatively affordable price point.
Is Hyundai Santa Cruz a real truck?
Now, Santa Cruz isn’t quite as full-size as the Ford F-150, but it is a truck. It offers the versatility of a catch bed and has decent towing capacity. It might not look like it, but he can still do truck stuff.
And its price is about $25,000. This is very cheap when compared to other new trucks on the market. So, how can Hyundai improve on its subcompact sedan?
There must be a PHEV Santa Cruz
The popular choice for the Ford Maverick appears to be the hybrid powertrain. By getting the hybrid, people can get good fuel economy out of their pickup truck. As it stands, there is no hybrid option. You can get it with either the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter or turbo with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.
An plug-in hybrid would give consumers the option to get both the gas engine and the benefits of some electric range. The Hyundai Tucson, which this pickup truck shares its platform with, also has a PHEV option. And the brand seems to be missing out on the lack of this kind of powertrain offered for the Santa Cruz.
Heck, even the conventional hybrid system is likely to boost the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s popularity. The people who get this vehicle are often not your typical truck buyer. They may be more receptive to this type of engine.
Give us a Hyundai Santa Cruz Inn
Now, it might seem logical to outfit it with some off-road capabilities. But the brand has a fairly successful performance department. If this compact little car gets a performance boost, it could be a legitimate enthusiast’s choice.
Hyundai hasn’t been shy about giving its SUVs the “N” treatment. Therefore, it is not intended for hot hatches like the Veloster. If it gives Santa Cruz a horsepower boost, a tuned suspension, and some sporty bodywork, it’s hard not to see this pickup truck become a bigger hit.
Of course, I wouldn’t complain if an off-road-oriented Santa Cruz hit the market. But it would be hard to see this truck competing with something like the Maverick Tremor. It will be a unique show. Plus, it’s something Hyundai already knows how to do.
Can you buy a Hyundai minivan?
Unlike the Ford Maverick, you can actually buy a new Santa Cruz. You may have to look hard for one, but it’s not like the Korean automaker has to close its order books.
