Aimed at the North American market, it faced tough competition from the Maverick, yet news has emerged that a new version of the Santa Cruz is slated for a summer release.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a pickup truck that Hyundai launched in 2021, targeting the North American market. However, contrary to expectations, its sales were not satisfactory. This was due to the stiff competition in the US and the stronghold of traditional pickup trucks, including the ‘Maverick’ released by Ford in the same class.
Compared to the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Ford Maverick caught up quickly in sales thanks to its lower price and hybrid powertrain. The Maverick sold over 90,000 units in the U.S. last year, demonstrating its popularity. In contrast, the Santa Cruz only sold about 30,000 units.
Looking at the Santa Cruz undergoing testing,
significant changes to its front appearance can be noticed
Hyundai’s U.S. branch is currently focusing on the final testing of the 2025 model Santa Cruz. A YouTuber captured a facelift model driving in the U.S., and several changes can be noticed from the photos.
While the existing Santa Cruz used parametric jewel daytime running lights, which made it not much different from the Tucson, the new Santa Cruz has a design reminiscent of the Palisade. The size of the main headlamp located at the bottom is similar, but the daytime running lights have become much smaller. On the other hand, the taillights have not changed much.
The focus is on interior changes
while the powertrain is expected to be maintained
The vehicle being tested interestingly had camouflage even inside. This suggests that the focus of the changes is on the interior. The recently facelifted Tucson had major changes applied, such as a 12.3-inch dual screen for the dashboard and infotainment system, a new design steering wheel, and a column-type gear lever, and the Santa Cruz seems to be following suit.
The Santa Cruz’s powertrain is expected to remain unchanged from the current model. Currently, the Santa Cruz offers a choice between a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated SmartStream and a 2.5-liter turbocharged SmartStream. However, given the technical proximity between Hyundai’s Tucson and Santa Cruz and the fact that Ford’s Maverick sold more hybrids than EcoBoost, it cannot be ruled out that a switch to hybrid could be considered.
Although it is scheduled to be unveiled this summer
the domestic launch is still undecided
The new Santa Cruz is scheduled to be unveiled this summer, but the price has not been disclosed yet. With Tucson raising its base price by about $1,340 upon releasing its facelift, the Santa Cruz, if it undergoes a similar level of change, is expected to exceed its current sales price of $29,760.
Meanwhile, the facelifted Santa Cruz has also been spotted several times as a test car in Korea. This has led netizens to speculate about its domestic release, but Hyundai has not made any official statement yet. Therefore, it is unlikely that the new Santa Cruz will be released domestically.
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