Hyundai’s future dual-cab ute might get a six-cylinder diesel engine

Hyundai might feature a new six-cylinder diesel engine in its first-ever utility vehicle. The vehicle is being called Santa Cruz and is set for production in 2021. The technical advancement in the ute adapts its platform from the Genesis GV80 SUV. 

Hyundai Motor's head of research and development mentioned, "The all-new diesel powertrain could well find itself used in a future dual-cab ute from Hyundai." He further added, "With this engine, we can have so many applications. As you know, we make commercial vehicles and so on, so this engine will be out there for quite some time. You don't need to worry about that engine."   

The newly developed straight-six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which is used in the GV80 produces a maximum power of 275 hp along with peak torque of up to 588 Nm. Additionally, the upcoming vehicle might feature an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

 As per an official Hyundai press release, the ute will be designed, keeping in mind, "traditional attributes of a compact utility vehicle, but need the day-to-day versatility of an open bed". 

Previously, Hyundai's dual-cab, Santa Cruz, was showcased as a concept in 2015. The concept car was based on the Tucson SUV. The vehicle is suspected of carrying a braked-towing capacity of 3500 kg and a payload of around 1000 kg. 

Lastly, apart from the fact that the ute is headed for production in 2021 and might be powered by the newly developed six-cylinder engine, no details have been revealed by the automaker about the latest happenings around the car.  

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