Possible Hyundai Truck Prototype Spied, Doesn’t Appear To Be The Santa Cruz

There have been countless rumors about a Hyundai pickup truck ever since the company unveiled the critically acclaimed Santa Cruz concept at the North American International Auto Show in 2015. While the model isn’t expected to go into production until 2020, a possible Hyundai pickup has finally been spotted.

Posted by Almuraba.net, the pictures show a handful of heavily camouflaged prototypes in a parking lot. The images don’t reveal much, but we can see the model is a crew cab pickup with a long hood, sweptback headlights and a relatively rakish windscreen – for a truck at least.

Moving further back, the model has an upward sweeping belt line, a flat roof and a nearly vertical rear window. The bed appears to be pretty accommodating for the truck’s size and it also features an integrated liner.

As with most trucks, the rear end is relatively plain as the model has vertical taillights and a rear bumper which is nicely integrated into the body.

The truck doesn’t have much in common with the Santa Cruz as the concept was notable for its dynamic bodywork and stylish B-pillar. This prototype looks more like a work truck and this seems to suggest the model isn’t the long awaited Santa Cruz.

While nothing is official, previous reports have suggested Hyundai has been considering two trucks which would be aimed at different audiences. The production version of the Santa Cruz is slated to be a lifestyle model designed to battle the Honda Ridgeline. The second truck, on the other hand, is rumored to be a more traditional model that would compete with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in international markets.