As Hyundai’s Santa Cruz pickup truck edges closer to production, it has been revealed that a Kia-badged variant might launch soon after.
During discussions with Motoring at the launch of the latest-generation Kia Sportage, a source from within Kia confirmed the Korean firm’s intent to offer its own pickup.
“You can guarantee that if Hyundai builds the Santa Cruz, we will have our own [version]. We have observed how popular the utility is for many different buyers, and a Kia model would also be very popular, I think,” the source said.
Introduced at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, the Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept was launched to appeal to sedan and crossover owners looking for improved utility but without the compromises of normal trucks. Consequently, Hyundai or Kia don’t intend on rival the Toyota Hilux with the pickup and instead hope to go up against Honda’s Ridgeline.
If a Kia version of the Santa Cruz were to launch, it’d likely retain all the mechanical components of the Hyundai. That would mean a 2.0-liter turbo diesel powertrain would come standard with 190 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, combined with the firm’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system.
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