The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N Would Be a Phenomenal Upgrade
What if the Hyundai Santa Cruz got slightly cooler? Making this new compact truck even better may seem complicated because it’s already epic. However, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N would turn this off-roader into a racer, and we hope it happens.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N could happen
The folks at CarBuzz provided an idea that we can’t stop thinking about. What if the Hyundai Santa Cruz was next up for the N-Line treatment? That would turn this little truck into an exciting racer.
But what is the Hyundai N-Line treatment? It’s when Hyundai takes a model like the Tucson and transforms it into a more muscular and sporty model. These models gain distinctive exterior details such as a more aggressive grille, LED headlights, and aggressive bumpers. The interiors get more premium leather materials and a design that’s built around racing for a sporty feel. Sometimes the tech is slightly enhanced too.
However, the most important upgrades include more power and enhanced performance. Along with more horsepower and torque, N-Line models gain enhanced suspicion, air intake, and adaptive damping technology for more speed, control, and flexibility. While the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N is just a wild idea right now, we hope Hyundai makes this dream come true.
What to expect with the Santa Cruz N
RELATED: Don’t Plan to Take the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz Off-Roading Just Yet
Derek Joyce, the Hyundai Senior Manager of Product and Advanced Powertrain, declined to comment on the potential 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N model. But Hyundai did recently say that the N-Line portfolio would expand to 18 models by 2022.
We have the Hyundai Tucson N, Kona N, Sonata N, Elta N, i10 N, and i30 N so far. That’s only six options, so 12 more could become available? This opens the door for the Hyundai Santa Fe N, Palisade N, and more.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a Sport-Adventure Vehicle, making it the perfect option for muscular and sporty upgrades. The Santa Cruz has a 2.5-liter base engine with 190 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. You can upgrade to the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine for over 275 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque.
It’s possible that the Santa Cruz N wouldn’t require more power, but we will have to see how fast the 2.5-liter engine can go first. It provides the Santa Cruz with a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs and is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
What is the Santa Cruz like?
If you don’t want to wait for the possible 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz N to arrive, the regular 2022 model is still an excellent option to consider. Pricing hasn’t been revealed, but it’s expected to begin at about $25,000 to $30,000. It’s expected to go on sale in June, so more info should be released any minute now.
It offers a fully digital gauge cluster, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a wireless phone charger. An 8.0-inch infotainment display comes standard, but you can upgrade to the 10.0-inch unit.
The truck bed is about four feet long, and the interior dimensions haven’t been released. However, the Santa Cruz is smaller than the Honda Ridgeline, even though it can tow the same amount.
We can’t wait for this truck to finally arrive this summer. If the Hyundai Santa Cruz N doesn’t happen, it could still get a more aggressive appearance package for off-roading.
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