Possible Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup test mule spied in S. Korea
A mysterious Hyundai Tucson has shown up in South Korea, courtesy SHM Studio. Codenamed ‘Hyundai GX’, it’s possibly an early prototype of the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup.
The next-gen Hyundai Tucson will have a three-row version, and so, most would consider this test mule as that car. However, the vehicle description sticker on the fender reads ‘GX’, whereas the next-gen Hyundai Tucson goes by the codename ‘NX4’.
The Tucson’s platform will underpin Hyundai’s first pickup truck, which was previewed by the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept at NAIAS 2015. The prototype’s body is longer than the production C-SUV, as evident from the extended portion behind the C-pillar and the massive rear wheel arch. Also notice that it is sitting higher from the ground at the rear, another pickup-like trait.
Luc Donckerwolke, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center, told Autocar last month that the production version of the Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept is ready. “From my side it is finished, the process to put it into production is now underway,” he said. One possibility is that the lifestyle pickup will break cover sometime in 2020 and go on sale shortly after.
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The Hyundai Santa Cruz, or whatever it arrives as, will target “urban adventurers” rather than customers looking for a tough workhorse. There’s no word on a right-hand drive version, which would make it a potential product for Africa and Oceania. Ford also plans to introduce such a light pickup, by 2022. The Blue Oval's model will share the C2 platform with the Focus and Kuga.
[Source 1: blog.naver.com]
[Source 2: autocar.co.uk]