Hyundai Santa Cruz

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz has been caught by a keen-eyed YouTuber while testing in North America. The new dual-cab ute from Hyundai is based on the same 'M3' architecture underpinning the Tucson – as confirmed by CarAdvice in September 2020 – meaning there's a greater likelihood of the Santa Cruz being produced for right-hand-drive markets such as Australia.

This is the new Hyundai ute Australians want but can’t have as it’s a US-only model for now. After spotting camouflaged cars during European winter testing earlier this year, the bare shell of the new Hyundai Santa Cruz pick-up has been caught on camera and posted on Instagram.

A prototype of Hyundai Santa Cruz, the company's upcoming car-based ute, has been spied for the first time – but Australian availability has yet to be confirmed. This photo was posted online overnight by Korean website Autospy. It's unclear who took the picture, or where it was taken. Unlike the 2015 concept car (below), which featured large front doors and small reverse-hinged rear doors, the production Santa Cruz will have four standard-size apertures.

The on-again/off-again talk of a pick-up or ute from Hyundai Australia is definitely on again, but buyers will have to wait until after 2020 to get their hands on one. Hyundai Motor Company Australia chief operating officer Scott Grant told media that it's a constant talking point in the company's offices.

Hyundai Australia has reiterated that the forthcoming production-ready pickup, under development for the US, is not a high priority here. Instead, the Korean brand’s local arm is waiting for the now seemingly inevitable HiLux-rivalling commercial ute due around 2020.