Set to go directly against Honda’s Ridgeline, the road-going version of the Santa Cruz concept has been announced for 2020. Like its competitor, the workhorse will try to offer a car-like driving experience coupled with the extra practicality of a pickup truck.
It is not known how much the concept’s design will influence the looks of the production model. There’s also doubt in the matter of what will power the Santa Cruz, considering that the concept had a four-cylinder 2.0-liter diesel engine. While it was acceptable in the pre-Dieselgate era, only time will show whether the road-going Santa Cruz will feature a CRDi engine.
The truck is expected to be based on updated Tucson that will also come out in 2020 when Hyundai will show the large eight-seat SUV, which has been spied already and will probably go by the name of Palisade based on a recent trademark filing.
