Hyundai's first ute teased

Thursday, 1 April 2021

Hyundai's fourth-generation Tucson is here. (Hyundai promotional video)

Hyundai has released some new official teaser image for the Santa Cruz small ute ahead of a full reveal on April 15.

The images actually show a fair bit, considering most teasers are just close-ups of a headlight shrouded in darkness.

It looks like the small pick-up will have a design related to the latest Tucson, at least in regard to the front end and doors. There’s the same lighting motif, embedded into the blocky T-shaped grille while the doors have a similar pinched crease.

The Santa Cruz ute has been officially teased and given a proper reveal date.

Around back are sideways T-shaped taillights, with ‘Santa Cruz’ stamped on the tailgate.

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It looks like the Santa Cruz will be based on the fourth-gen Tucson, making it one of only a few unibody-based utes.

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Judging by the photos, the Santa Cruz will ditch the concept’s freestyle doors in favour of traditional doors. It will also offer a smaller-than-typical tray, which puts it in more or less the same size bracket as Ford’s all-but-confirmed Maverick small ute.

Hyundai is probably basing the Santa Cruz’s hardware on the Tucson too, making it one of only a few unibody-based “proper utes”, but just how deep the similarities run is yet to be seen.

The company isn’t talking about technical specifications just yet, but it did promise “powerful and efficient powertrain options' along with all-wheel drive.

As for a New Zealand launch, it’s too early to say. The Santa Cruz will be built in Alabama, meaning a right-hand drive version isn’t likely to be high on Hyundai's list. A different, heavier-duty ute is also rumoured to be coming, one which would probably suit the Kiwi lifestyle a bit more, with more towing and payload capacity.