Topic: The Hyundai Santa Cruz truck is headed for production ‘ASAP’

[rrocket]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

Which means, you probably don't need a truck then.

I'd say most people don't "need" a full size truck. At least where I live.

Co worker just bought his wife a truck. You think she's ever going to load out the bed of her truck? LOL

[bridgecity]

Should add that it has 5,000 pound towing capacity with the big engine.  That's good for a vehicle this size, would be interested to see how it performs towing.  Hyundai should make a trailer that matches the truck/car/alternatelifestylevehicle.

[dirtyjeffer]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

see, Ron gets it...99% of full size trucks on the road are empty in the bed...their just beefy cars.

[dirtyjeffer]

How is this not a truck, Hyundai is touting it as such.

no they aren't...you guys are.

Hyundai calls it a Sport Adventure Vehicle.

The first-of-its-kind Sport Adventure Vehicle.
The SANTA CRUZ debuts an exciting new era for adventure-seekers, outdoor enthusiasts, and do-it-yourselfers.   

It combines the flexibility of an open truck bed and the comfort of an SUV so you can easily load it up with gear and start planning your next adventure.[/i]

https://www.hyundaicanada.com/en/coming-soon/2022-santa-cruz

[dkaz]

A contractor I know has a Ram 2500 but has a Honda Ridgeline as a more manageable daily driver. I wonder if he'd go down to this?

[me_2]

For reference, here's a screen capture with a bicycle.

I have to lower rear seat in Volt to fit my bike in but I don't have to remove the front wheel with the hatch closed...

The 4' x 4' or so bed looks tiny but I guess they focused on weekenders not carrying too much stuff. To each their own.

[ktm525]

The bed is simply not big enough. Honda learned this from their first Ridgeline which has a 5' box (full 49" wide though so that is good). They stole some rear seat room and lengthened the box to 5'4" on the latest model. The first gen is just big enough to handle dirt bikes and handles mountain bikes easily.  The Subaru Baja failed and I think this Hyundai will too. If you want an urban truck the Honda product is superior. They finally addressed the weak jaw front end and pushed the tires out. The 2021 looks much much better. I still prefer the Gen 1 (more utility) but I am an old grumpy man lol.

[rrocket]

Oh no doubt I prefer the Ridgeline.

But I can see this selling.

[dirtyjeffer]

time will tell if it sells...i can see it doing well though...there's lots of people that like the idea of a truck, but don't want a truck...this kind of bridges the gap a bit...also, pricing hasn't been announced yet, but i would guess it will be cheaper than a truck...perhaps in the $28k range for a lower trim and maybe top out $43k fully optioned.

i remember when the Soul came out...most people thought it wouldn't sell...it's been one of Kia's biggest selling cars.

[bridgecity]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

see, Ron gets it...99% of full size trucks on the road are empty in the bed...their just beefy cars.

Sure, but when you want to haul something you can. Again, what would you haul in something with a 4’ bed that you can’t take in a CUV besides what I mention above?  And the CUV provides a secure area. Without a longer bed I’m having trouble seeing much of an advantage.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

It will sell as a lifestyle vehicle.  People will buy it because they think it's cool, and it will be (hopefully) affordable.

[dirtyjeffer]

It will sell as a lifestyle vehicle.  People will buy it because they think it's cool, and it will be (hopefully) affordable.

^^ this.

[dirtyjeffer]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

see, Ron gets it...99% of full size trucks on the road are empty in the bed...their just beefy cars.

Sure, but when you want to haul something you can. Again, what would you haul in something with a 4’ bed that you can’t take in a CUV besides what I mention above?  And the CUV provides a secure area. Without a longer bed I’m having trouble seeing much of an advantage.

it can haul stuff, and without the confinements of a hatch or trunk area, it leaves more possibilities...it's no less secure than the 10 million pick up trucks out there...next time you are driving around, have a look at how many trucks are driving around with an empty bed...most are...this will just be less empty space...lower price, better on fuel, easier to drive around town, likely be AWD instead of some trucks that use a manual 4x4 mode (where you have to be careful you don't drive in 4H or 4L on pavement)...as GBA said, it's a lifestyle vehicle...how many Wranglers are used as mall crawlers instead of heading out into the back woods...almost all of them...in fact, i'd say most Wranglers rarely see any off road duty.

[dirtyjeffer]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

see, Ron gets it...99% of full size trucks on the road are empty in the bed...their just beefy cars.

What do you expect?  The beds to ALWAYS be filled?

the majority of people who buy trucks buy them simply because they've replaced the traditional family sedan...it's not because they NEED a truck...trucks rarely get used as trucks, just like Wranglers rarely get used as off road goliaths...they're just big cars now.

[bridgecity]

This vehicle would work just as well for me as a full sized truck.

Since I'd have nothing of great size in either.

Which seems like the case for a great many truck owners.

see, Ron gets it...99% of full size trucks on the road are empty in the bed...their just beefy cars.

Sure, but when you want to haul something you can. Again, what would you haul in something with a 4’ bed that you can’t take in a CUV besides what I mention above?  And the CUV provides a secure area. Without a longer bed I’m having trouble seeing much of an advantage.

it can haul stuff, and without the confinements of a hatch or trunk area, it leaves more possibilities...it's no less secure than the 10 million pick up trucks out there...next time you are driving around, have a look at how many trucks are driving around with an empty bed...most are...this will just be less empty space...lower price, better on fuel, easier to drive around town, likely be AWD instead of some trucks that use a manual 4x4 mode (where you have to be careful you don't drive in 4H or 4L on pavement)...as GBA said, it's a lifestyle vehicle...how many Wranglers are used as mall crawlers instead of heading out into the back woods...almost all of them...in fact, i'd say most Wranglers rarely see any off road duty.

In all that ramble, you didn’t answer my question at all.

 

[ktm525]

I don't think it will sell in large numbers. The Ridgeline has been a perennial poor seller below Honda's expectations?. Even though it is superior to the Tacoma in most day to day activities the people have spoken that that want a butch looking off roader that looks the part even if it is not doing it. Tacoma sales blow the Ridgeline out of the water, not even the same postal code.

[Hannibalsmith]

I don't think it will sell in large numbers. The Ridgeline has been a perennial poor seller below Honda's expectations?. Even though it is superior to the Tacoma in most day to day activities the people have spoken that that want a butch looking off roader that looks the part even if it is not doing it. Tacoma sales blow the Ridgeline out of the water, not even the same postal code.

Honda markets the Ridgeline as a truck which leads to inevitable comparisons to trucks, like the Tacoma. I think this Santa Cruz will be marketed more like a sedan / CUV with a convenient mini-bed.

Personally, I can see this as quite useful. You live in the city / burbs (millions do). Say you have two cars in the family. Two sedans. If one has a bed that extends the usefulness of the fleet:
- Hauling dirt back and forth
- garbage
- large items like appliances
- bikes
- plats / trees
- furniture - smallish stuff but still

[JohnnyMac]

From all these comments all I am really hearing is the bed needs to be a bit bigger, maybe matching what the Ridgeline has.  Well I agree a bigger bed would open up more possibilities I think this is more of a marketing and styling exercise.  People who want a truck will buy a truck, but there is probably some people who will like the idea of having a small bed, the looks of a truck, but the price of a compact CUV and fuel economy of a compact CUV.

I don't think it'll be a huge seller but I think there will be some on the road.  I kind of look at it as a Veloster, which is compact car, with less doors, less interior space, and less cargo capacity, but has the styling and "lifestyle" that buyers seek. 

We car enthusiasts look at vehicles a lot differently than the average consumer so sometimes it's harder to peg what will sell in the market. 

Does anyone know what kind of bed size, payload, tow rating, the upcoming Ford Maverick is supposed to have?  That's going to be the only competition for this size of CUV/Truck thingy.  I see the Ridgeline as being more of a competitor to the Ranger, Tacoma, Frontier, Canyon.

[z973]

I don't think it's going to be that cheap to buy  remember here in Canada we will only get the turbo and AWD I estimate it will start at 34999 to upper 40000

[JohnnyMac]

I don't think it's going to be that cheap to buy  remember here in Canada we will only get the turbo and AWD I estimate it will start at 34999 to upper 40000

So no base engine models?  I actually think the base engine is better suited for this type of vehicle.  I agree that it'll likely be at least as expensive as the comparable Tucson.