2015 Detroit motor show: Hyundai has revealed a stylish concept pick-up that has space for five passengers and an extendable cargo area.
The concept is designed to attract ‘a new generation of buyers’ Hyundai calls ‘urban adventurers’ with its trendy aesthetic, compact size, practicality and off-roading tendencies.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo diesel that delivers 190hp and 300lb/ft (407Nm) of torque, all of which is delivered to four wheels via the HTRAC all-wheel drive system. Fuel economy is said to be 30mpg.
Cleats in the pick-up area make it possible to carry carry just about any object in the back safely, while you can slide out the loading bed to increase the cargo area like a drawer. This allows the Santa Cruz to retain its compact size until you, say, need to put a few mountain bikes in the back.
Other noteworthy features include LED fog lamps, oversized wheels encased in Michelin tires with a ‘special’ tread design and Brembo brake calipers for bringing the Santa Cruz to a halt.
Hyundai also unveiled the 2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid, which will go on sale in ‘select markets’ later this year. The Sonata PHEV, as it is also known, has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol that is 32 per cent more powerful than the one in the Sonata Hybrid and a 50kW electric motor for a combined output of 202hp.
With the electric motor juiced up by the 9.8kWh lithium ion battery, fuel economy is a claimed 93mpg. Switch to charge sustaining mode and the total drops to 40mpg combined. Recharging the lithium ion battery can be done in five hours from a 120v outlet.
Hyundai is yet to say whether either of Hyundai’s creations will make it to the UK is unclear or if the Santa Cruz will even make it out of the concept stage.
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