NAIAS 2015: Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept Unveiled

by Cameron Aubernon

Published: January 12th, 2015

naias 2015 hyundai santa cruz crossover truck concept unveiled

Hyundai is aiming hard for the Millennial market with their trucklet, the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept.

Power for this proposed four-door five-passenger “urban adventure” concept comes from a 2-liter turbodiesel producing 190 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque, and a fuel efficiency figure north of 30 mpg. The Santa Cruz’s HTRAC AWD system puts the power to the ground, though the transmission used to direct said power wasn’t mentioned.

Other features include: expandable bed; integrated tonneau cover; Brembo brake calipers; LED fog lamps; lens-free honeycomb headlamp projectors; tie-down cleats on the roof, wheel arches and bed rails; and a footprint comparable to a small crossover.

Hyundai states that the concept isn’t aimed at traditional truck buyers, instead choosing to pursue crossover and sedan buyers looking for a vehicle that’s truck-like, but better suited to city life. No word on whether or not the automaker will make the Santa Cruz a reality, however.

#Detroit2015 #Hyundai #Naias2015 #SantaCruzCrossoverTruckConcept

Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

More by Cameron Aubernon

Comments

Join the conversation

5 of 141 comments

Qbranch on Jan 13, 2015

@psarhjinian A question for everyone: why didn’t you buy a Baja, Sport-Trac or suchlike when they were new? Why didn’t most people? >>> I'm going to say because it didn't fit everyone's need and Subaru decided it wasn't cost effective to keep building it when the market was clearly headed toward SUVs (i.e. more profitable). That’s the issue this “car” faces: the market, in North America, for small pickup trucks is so small as to be unprofitable for all save Toyota. Of that “small truck” market, even fewer buyers are going to be a truck equipped with a unibody frame and a transaxle. And of those that would, they’d just as well get a CUV instead. >>> That's not necessarily true, small cars can be profitable (look at the Mini, VW Beetle, Fiesta, Fit, etc. it just needs to be mainstream and stylish enough to appeal to a wide audience. This is definitely a niche market vehicle (to start out) but if Hyundai can be innovative and keep it fresh it can be successful. There is a growing demand for these by aging baby boomers who are downsizing their homes and lifestyles. That is one reason I question Hyundai's target millennial audience. Honda tried this with the Ridgeline and it didn’t work. Subaru tried it with the Baja and it didn’t work. Heck, Ford and GM tried it with the Ranchero and El Camino and even then it barely worked, despite their huge marketshares. About the only thing that works are new Tacomas and used Rangers. >>> The Ridgeline was largely unsuccessfully for several reasons, most pickup owners are very brand loyal (ask Toyota). Also the Ridgeline while unique was too quirky to appeal to a mainstream audience. Lastly, it doesn't offer a high value proposition compared with the competition. And, frankly, F150s on steep discount. >>> Exactly, thanks to decades old Chicken Tax and extremely high profits Ford they can afford to discount in order to maintain market share while still maintaining healthy per unit profits. Pickups for decades have enjoyed disproportionate profitability thanks to lower manufacturing and development costs, reduced emissions and crash worthiness standards (compared with cars) that even the least equipt model can still be very profitable, imagine what they rake in on +$60K versions... Stop trying to make car-based trucks happen. It won’t happen. >>> You're deluding yourself if you believe that, CUVs have recently overtaken mid-size cars in sales. Small pickups like this are a natural extension of this. These are not competing with full size trucks for obvious reasons, they are a "lifestyle" vehicle for ppl who don't want or need anything more. If they are designed right and built well and have a large dealer body to support them there is no reason they can't be successful. Regarding your other statements about the AMC Eagle "... it was a four-wheel-drive car with a lift kit." Perhaps the concept was ahead of it's time and not really ready for prime time but it was never designed to compete with body on frame SUVs of the time. The closest example of it does exist today and very successfully... the Subaru Outback. Just look at last years sales numbers. Lastly, your comment on the El Camino: "Heck, Ford and GM tried it with the Ranchero and El Camino and even then it barely worked, despite their huge marketshares." >>> The El Camino was built off and on between 1959–1960 and 1964–1987. That said, for most of it's time it was highly successful but never meant to compete with traditional pickups. Like this Hyundai Santa Cruz it was a lifestyle vehicle designed to offer something few others did. I've known several ppl who owned these and loved them and none ever regretted or thought it was a pickup truck replacement. The Santa Cruz can work if Hyundai wants it to and even if it only available for a 6-10 years that is not necessarily a sign of failure. Look at the Ford GT, Acura TSX, Subaru Baja and Ford Sport-Trac these were all cars that were successful for their time and when times, styles and tastes changed ppl migrated to something else. If companies stop taking chances and just keep producing the same or similar models you would be complaining about that. Just like ppl do with their jobs and careers, very few ppl stick around for more than 7-10 years anymore... the same is mostly true for cars.

Like Reply
- See 1 previous
- Lie2me on Jan 13, 2015
  
  Wow, who are you?
  
  Like
- Sigivald on Jan 13, 2015
  
  Note he said "small trucks", not "small cars". Small cars are not remotely the same market as small *trucks*. (Remember, also, most failures are just bad ideas, not ahead of their time. Happens. A lot.)
  
  Like
Honda_lawn_art on Jan 13, 2015

"Yes, this is my truck. No, I will not help you move."

Like Reply
- Vulpine on Jan 13, 2015
  
  Agree whole heartedly. I need a truck mostly for charity work but also for my hobbies (one of which is going to need a fair supply of lumber later this year). Most of the time the loads I carry will fit well in the bed of this thing with room to spare--but not always. The bed extender that actually adds feet of length to the bed would be a huge advantage for carrying those large eight-foot event tables for the charity yard sale and other fund-raising activities. That's all my big F-150 ever did, which is why its mileage while in my possession remained so low. One ratchet strap across the top at the front of the bed and another around the end to keep them from sliding out and I'd be set.
  
  Like

Recent Comments

Kwik_Shift_Pro4X When I learned of the Kei trucks, particularly the Subaru Sambar, it was compelling, but too risky and costly in the end. My local Subaru dealer wouldn't support it.
MrIcky Having worked several catastrophes for insurance, the following "The bottom line is that if the insurance agency can find ways not to cover the car, they probably won’t." just isn't the way it works. The insurance company will have some drop off areas where cars will be brought. The adjuster will check for water height and draw a line at the high water point with a posca marker. If that line is generally over the electronics- bam, it's totaled, if you have comprehensive they look up your car on KBB and/or NADA by mileage and write a check. Most comprehensive vehicle policies look almost exactly the same-at least for "standard" carriers. If the water line isn't over the electronics, then it generally goes to a shop to get tested. You aren't going to get gamed for a car in a cat loss scenario because there just isn't time to f'with it. After a Houston flooding event I worked 16 hour days for 2 weeks under a big tent like you'd set up for a wedding and went over nearly 100 cars/day taking pictures and sorting them into total or check with mechanic "piles". Most people who had totaled vehicles had a check within 20 minutes of me looking at their car. Buildings on the other hand have all sorts of different terms (commercial or consumer) with regard to how the wind or water entered your building and whether coverage applies.
Theflyersfan Well, Milton just went from a tropical storm to 175mph in less than a day so this guy means business. Even if it weakens a little bit, it'll expand and pretty much all of Florida south of Jacksonville is going to feel something. Everyone who saw that disaster in the NC/VA/TN mountains before Helene's landfall is either from the future or a liar (and that includes the insurance companies) because heavy rain started well before the storm arrived and then the crazy thing just sat in that general area. My part of Kentucky - it didn't stop raining for almost five days. And now this nuclear bomb of a hurricane. I understand Florida has a high percentage of homeowners without insurance because they can no longer afford it. My parents have a home near Naples and they carry extra flood and wind coverage and that costs well over five digits per year. Home renovations about 8-9 years ago gave them the chance to make hurricane-proof changes like lashing the roof and hurricane windows. It survived the direct hit from Irma and the heavy punch from Ian so they worked. After this storm, I don't know how Florida will totally recover. Much like California and the earthquakes and firestorms, there might have to be a "Come to Jesus" talk with the perils of living in Florida. I'm already making plans to head down there post-storm if the roads or airport is open in the days following landfall to help cleanup and rebuild any part of the home that might need it. In the short term, if it hasn't happened already, gas prices are probably going to rocket upwards as the oil rigs in the Gulf shut down and prepare. And if this storm directly hits Tampa/St Pete, it's going to be game over in those cities for a while. And imagine if the storm at this power was aiming towards New Orleans or Miami.
Jalop1991 "...leaving Doherty and his passenger to be pulled from the wreck by passersby." Or not. I would get a HUGE laugh out of seeing a video of passersby with their phones whipped out, recording it and doing nothing else.
Jalop1991 Hey, as soon as the water drains Stellantis will have lots of empty dealer lots to stash their cars on.