Hyundai's pickup truck debuted in 2018.

The Santa Cruz pickup won't be unveiled until the Los Angeles Auto Show (November) or Detroit Auto Show (January 2017), but Hyundai has already included the pickup in its 2018 product lineup.

"We've made the decision but haven't announced it yet," said Dave Zuchowski, president and CEO of Hyundai America. He also spoke about the South Korean automaker building a stylish pickup truck that may share its platform with the Tucson crossover. The pickup truck is based on a passenger car – similar to the Honda Ridgeline or the discontinued Subaru Baja.Appearing as a design preview in early August, Hyundai is now closer to the final design.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz concept showcases the direction the South Korean automaker is taking for its new product line. Photo: The Detroit Bureau.

The Santa Cruz pickup can be powered by either a petrol or diesel engine. Hyundai is developing a four-cylinder diesel engine for its Genesis luxury brand in Europe in the coming years, and both the new Santa Cruz and Santa Fe are candidates for a diesel engine in the US.

Internal studies hypothesize that Hyundai could sell around 50,000 Santa Cruz pickup trucks annually, while external studies suggest the number could reach 70,000. The CEO stated that sales in this segment "mean a lot to us."

The concept of a car-based pickup truck has been pursued by various automakers with varying degrees of success. Honda introduced the second generation Ridgeline after a two-year hiatus. Meanwhile, the Baja model was only produced from 2002 to 2006.

Other manufacturers, including Fiat Chrysler, have also mentioned a similar model, but none have yet reached the market. Body-on-frame compact pickup trucks often experience a resurgence, such as GM returning to the segment with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, Ford preparing to relaunch the Ranger, and Jeep bringing back the Wrangler pickup.

The president of Hyundai America saw the potential of a stylish pickup truck if it were produced and priced reasonably. The Santa Cruz concept, which appeared at the 2015 North American Auto Show, is a crossover with a potential price tag of $25,000.

Hyundai has yet to decide where to manufacture the Santa Cruz. Possible locations include the Montgomery plant (Alabama, USA), which has the capacity to accommodate a fourth model, or Kia's new plant in Mexico, or possibly even manufacturing it in South Korea, which would allow it to avoid the 25% tariff on light-duty pickup trucks imported into the US starting in 2021.

According to VNE