FANS of the adult’s Tonka Toy, the beef-cake pick-up, will be dusting off their Timberlands in readiness for the latest builder’s brute – Hyundai’s Santa Cruz crossover truck concept.
The Korean manufacturer chose the North America International Auto Show to unveil the muscle bound truck along with its first ever plug-in hybrid, the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV).
The Santa Cruz is aimed at “urban adventurers”, with a design that claims to convey lifestyle, with a wide, sure-footed stance and an aggressive side-profile rake. Its side profile is dominated by oversized wheels, Michelin tyres with a special tread design, centre-locking hubs and yellow Brembo brake calipers.
For ease of access to the rear seats, Santa Cruz features convenient, rear-hinged rear doors
For ease of access to the rear seats, Santa Cruz features convenient, rear-hinged rear doors, which integrate seamlessly with the front door design. The wheel arches, roof, and bed rails offer convenient tie-down cleats for securing cargo of all shapes and sizes. From the rear, the concept presents highly-contoured bed forms, and for extra utility, the expandable bed can be easily reconfigured for longer cargo, using a unique drawer-like sliding function.
Efficiency comes via a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine delivering 190hp and 300 ft-lbs of torque, while claiming a fuel economy in the high 30 mpg range and it uses Hyundai’s HTRAC® All-wheel drive system.
For the more eco-cuddly the Sonata PHEV is expected to travel up to 22 miles on electric power and can recharge in as little as two and a half hours with a Level 2 charger. It will be built at the Asan, South Korea plant and will go on sale in selected markets later this year.
