Electric or Hybrid “not far off” on the Hyundai Santa Cruz

Update: ‘Design,’ ‘Specifications,’ ‘Release Date,’ and ‘Hyundai Santa Cruz sales’ updated and ‘Two powertrain routes for Hyundai Santa Cruz Hybrid’ sub-section added.

Hyundai Motor displayed the Santa Cruz concept at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, which announced the Korean carmaker’s intent to enter the pickup truck segment. Following a six-year wait, the production-spec Hyundai Santa Cruz was revealed in April 2021 for North America.

Gilbert Castillo, Hyundai North America’s vehicle strategy manager, has said that Hyundai took years to present the production model as the platform of the previous-gen Tucson led to many compromises on the truck top hat. Instead of delivering a subpar truck, Hyundai put the project on hold until the next-gen Tucson came along. With its new platform, internal targets could be met, which makes it more appealing to buyers.

Design

Hyundai says the Santa Cruz creates an all-new segment straddling SUVs and pickups owing to its SUV-inspired cabin design with an open-bed concept. The inspiration behind the design is the fourth-gen Tucson (the fourth-gen Tucson and the Santa Cruz are mechanically related if you haven’t guessed already!).

The sport pickup truck features split headlamps, horizontal bar inserts in the radiator grille, sleek mirrors, funky two-tone alloy wheels, sunroof, black shark-fin antenna and roof bars, horizontal tail lamps, and Hyundai branding in a dark chrome finish on the tailgate handle.

Started designing the Santa Cruz with the premise that this is not a traditional truck. Something new, it’s meant to thrive in dense urban environments and the open outdoors, small in size but big in adventure. It supports your work and play activities with open and closed storage. ‘Constructed by contrast’ became our guiding principle throughout the design process. Everything from its proportions to its lighting conveys that it’s not truck, it’s Santa Cruz.

Bradley Arnold, senior design manager of exteriors, Hyundai Design North America, on the Santa Cruz

Hyundai gave the Santa Cruz a facelift for the 2025 model year. The restyled truck has new designs for the front grille and lights for a more blocky and aggressive look. It’s also available in an extra-rugged ‘XRT’ trim, featuring an exclusive front grille, exposed front tow hooks, distinctive bumpers, and Wrench-inspired special 18-inch wheels.

Interior

Inside, the facelifted Santa Cruz has a newly designed dashboard, steering wheel, climate control system, and air vents. A new curved panel houses a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system together. It includes a fingerprint scanner as well, giving customers more security. The new cabin is visibly more modern and elegant compared to the previous model.

Specifications

The Hyundai Santa Cruz employs a 2.5L GDI engine and a 2.5L TGDI engine, both gas-powered units. The naturally aspirated engine develops 191 hp and 181 lb.-ft. of torque, while the turbocharged mill produces 281 hp and 311 lb.-ft. of torque. The EPA estimated fuel economy figures aren’t looking good, though, especially compared to the Ford Maverick hybrid’s 42 MPG city/33 MPG highway/37 MPG combined (EPA est.), which makes the business case for a hybrid variant stronger.

On the Hyundai Santa Cruz Hybrid & Santa Cruz EV

Hyundai’s American product planner says they’re tracking consumer demand

On November 17, 2022, CarBuzz spoke about Hyundai’s future electrified models with Olabisi Boyle, the vice president of product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America. One of the potential future programs discussed was the Santa Cruz Hybrid, which Boyle said will be part of the company’s planning if it sees customer demand.

The Santa Cruz delivers up to 23 MPG, well behind the Ford Maverick hybrid’s 37 MPG. It is quite possible that many prospective buyers would change their minds about buying the S. Korean pickup truck if it were equipped with a frugal hybrid system. It’s worth noting that the Maverick hybrid accounts for approximately half of all Maverick sales.

Two powertrain routes for Hyundai Santa Cruz Hybrid

Hyundai could offer the Santa Cruz alternatively as a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) or an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV).

Hybrid Electric Vehicle

According to a report ET News released on January 28, 2024, the company is developing an all-new hybrid system based on a 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. In a more recent article ET News published on June 2, 2024, ET News suggested that the high-voltage battery pack powering its electric motor will have an energy storage capacity of more than 1.49 kWh.

Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV)

An EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) is a semi-electrified vehicle concept that has been gaining traction in the auto industry recently, particularly in China, as EV demand cools. An EREV can be seen as a plug-in hybrid version of a series hybrid electric vehicle. Like a series hybrid, it features an internal combustion engine (ICE) and a fossil fuel tank, which serve as backup power sources. However, the ICE’s sole function is to act as a generator for the electric motor, meaning it does not directly drive the wheels.

The traction battery pack of an EREV is significantly larger than that of a typical series hybrid, but it is closer in size to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) than a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Similar to a PHEV, the battery can be charged externally and used for extended distances. EREVs typically offer a much longer electric driving range compared to PHEVs.

Electrification for Santa Cruz not far off, says Hyundai’s top official

Interestingly, even before the unveiling, Luc Donckerwolke, President and Chief Creative Officer, Hyundai Motor Group, told Autocar that the company would apply an electric powertrain to the Santa Cruz. He mentioned that while the company would need to wait for the right timing, electrification was definitely on the cards for the truck.

The speed of the introduction would depend on the acceptance of the gas-powered models and the demand for hybrid vehicles in this class. With Ford applying pressure with the launch of the highly competitive Maverick hybrid, we don’t see Hyundai waiting too long to bring out its gas-electric truck.

Hyundai’s American CEO drops a different type of hint

On June 16, 2021, José Muñoz hinted to foxnews.com that the combustion engine variant was just the beginning of the Santa Cruz’s story. Muńoz is the Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and the President and CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America.

So far we have announced the (Santa Cruz) ICE version, we’ll see what comes next.

José Muñoz, President & COO, Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and President and CEO, Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America

S.Korean report insinuates that the Santa Cruz Hybrid & EV are a done deal!

The Korea Economic Daily reported on September 21, 2021, that Hyundai plans to launch a Santa Cruz hybrid and a Santa Cruz EV. It claimed that Hyundai will launch the Santa Cruz Electric on the same platform as the gasoline pickup and not the E-GMP dedicated EV architecture. According to its sources, the company is yet to firm up the Hyundai Santa Cruz EV release date, but nearly three years have gone by since the report.

Platform supports advanced powertrains

According to a report from autoblog.com, Hyundai representatives have revealed that the platform of the Santa Cruz supports advanced powertrains. Potentially, a pure-electric powertrain or a fuel cell powertrain could be fitted on a vehicle on this base, suggests the report. The representatives did not confirm plans for a Santa Cruz Electric or a Santa Cruz FCEV, but it would not be a technical challenge if demand arises.

The Santa Cruz, hybrid, EV or ICE, isn’t a workhorse like the body-on-frame Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux. Akin to the Honda Ridgeline, it’s more of a recreational or light-work truck, fit to transport motorcycles, bicycles, camping gear, and light-duty work tools and equipment.

Release Date

Hyundai is tight-lipped about the launch timeline of the first electrified Santa Cruz. However, we don’t expect Hyundai to release the hybrid variant before the next generation.

Hyundai Santa Cruz sales

Hyundai kicked off production of the gas-powered Santa Cruz on June 22, 2021. The company manufactures the truck at the Montgomery (Alabama) plant in the United States. This is the first time it is making five vehicles at once at the American plant; Elantra, Tucson, Sonata, and Santa Fe are the other models built at this site. The South Korean automaker’s first open-bed vehicle for North America reached U.S. dealerships in the weeks that followed.

Hyundai started selling the Santa Cruz in the U.S. in July 2021. In 2023, the company delivered 36,675 units of the Santa Cruz in the U.S. Compared to the same period in 2022, the compact pickup truck’s sales in 2023 were 1% higher. In 2024, sales declined 10% year-over-year between January and July to 20,560 units, but with the facelift going on sale soon, the numbers should considerably improve in the coming months.

TopElectricSUV says

As America’s biggest truck brand, it’s no surprise that Ford has successfully convinced many customers to choose the Maverick over the Santa Cruz. Considering the Santa Cruz’s low fuel economy and the need to close the gap with competitors, it’s imperative that the powertrain strategy includes variety. In addition to lowering the Santa Cruz’s running costs, hybrid and pure-electric powertrains can add fresh appeal to the truck, and even give it the invaluable first-mover advantage in case of the latter.

Hyundai Santa Cruz FAQs

A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.