Applying Tuscon styling to a pickup body.
Spy shots have confirmed the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck is coming but with the recent reveal of the all-new Hyundai Tucson, we now have a great idea of what it'll ultimately look like. The front-end of the new compact crossover adopts the carmaker's new design language with sharp edges and crease lines along the sides while the angled wheel wells are also another nice touch.
All in all, Hyundai went above and beyond here, and the compact crossover segment may never be the same. Put it this way: the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V suddenly look rather bland.
But there was another thought we had, shared by rendering artist KDesign AG on Behance: the Tucson's styling will look fantastic when applied to a truck.
And that's exactly what's been done here. Save for a few relatively minor modifications likely needed for production, the styling works well with a truck bed, too.
Although we first saw the Santa Cruz concept way back in 2014, Hyundai has already confirmed the upcoming production version, due to arrive next year, won't look like the now-aging concept. The brand's design language has simply moved on. Hyundai can also afford to take design chances with the Santa Cruz because it won't be the traditional body-on-frame truck, like the Ford Ranger.
Instead, it'll ride on a modified version of the Tucson's platform, and all-wheel drive is guaranteed. It may even be standard. A somewhat radical-looking truck could be very appealing to non-traditional truck customers. Some may never have even considered buying a truck before, and the Santa Cruz, styled right, could change that. The Tucson's edgy new look is the ideal starting point.
Of course, the Santa Cruz design has been locked down for some time now, though it's still being kept under wraps. Here's hoping Hyundai went the extra mile again on this one.
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Join The Discussion