Hyundai’s New Pickup Truck to Arrive by 2021, Likely to Be Built in US

Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept

Hyundai first teased its Santa Cruz Concept back in 2015, and with five years of planning under its belt (and impatient waiting by dealers and your author alike), the brand is preparing to release its first pickup truck to the North American market.

“It’ll be a very versatile vehicle,” said Micheal O’Brien, VP of Product at Hyundai US speaking with Automotive News. Hyundai is hoping this will help it create a “whole new class of buyers” according to O’Brien.

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While the exact timing is still unknown, it seems certain based on comments made by the company that it will arrive by 2021. The first Detroit Auto Show ever held in June will happen in 2020, a logical place for the debut of a new pickup, though that is just a guess for now.

O’Brien also “strongly suggested” to Automotive News that the truck will be built in the United States to avoid tariffs and political controversy.

The Santa Cruz should be a fairly direct Honda Ridgeline competitor as it will be a unibody five-seat truck based on a crossover, in this case the Santa Fe, with a small bed in the rear.

The concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 2015 had a sliding bed extension system to accommodate longer items, but there’s no telling if this will be an option on the production truck. A small 2.0-liter turbodiesel provided power for the concept.

What do you think about Hyundai’s upcoming pickup? Does it interest you? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Automotive News