New COMPACT truck

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/hyundai-finally-confirms-the-santa-cruz-small-truck-yo-1798305248

Okay, so it kind of looks like a car and it's not very trucky, but here's the chance for all the "I want an original S-10 sized truck" people to whip out those check books.

Frankly, I think it's dang cool. I hope they actually make it look like that instead of dumbing it down.

Looks neat, but really much more Ranchero/El Camino/Brat than S-10/Ranger...

My El Camino is bigger than my first gen S10 was. So size is relative.

big cab. tiny bed. looks like a car.

This is not the droid you're looking for.

In reply to xflowgolf:

Hyundai's Ridgeline. fail.

It's almost identical specs and dimensions to a Subaru Baja (minus 2 doors)

THAT was a successful car.

Assuming similar engine availability as the Tucson, the Baja was more powerful (and had AWD).

The Baja has been very successful on the secondary market. It's one of those cars that has a lot more used demand than new (like the Honda Element).

I hope the Santa Cruz is a success. Once it's out, I might even consider one, if it can fill enough roles for me. I'd be interested in a heavily optioned FWD model as a daily driver.

The Baja and Ridgeline would have had more truck cred if hey'd offered single cab versions with a real bed.

An original S10 had a cargo bed that was 6 or 7.5 feet long.

I like it.

Needs to be like a Chevy avalanche and be ABLE to be an extended cab, but be a long bed any other time.

Trackmouse wrote: Needs to be like a Chevy avalanche and be ABLE to be an extended cab, but be a long bed any other time.

Unibody, so that probably won't happen. If it has at least 6' of bed length with the tailgate folded down, and the tailgate is fairly strong, it should be good for hauling dirt bikes and smaller atvs.

There's ways around hauling in short beds...

I saw one of these on the interstate Sunday. Had a roll bar with lights and some nice wheels and tires on it. Looked interesting.

I'm one of those guys that would love an original S10/early Japanese pickup sized truck, and that's definitely not what that is.

I don't dislike the way it looks, but I don't know what purpose it serves.

It's a cute ute for people with tall cargo LOL

ultraclyde wrote: It's a cute ute for people with tall cargo LOL

Basically. Most of the little pickups or "almost pickups" can carry fairly little weight. Certainly can't fill the bed with firewood or anything. They're pretty much a car with outside storage for dirty items and a somewhat improved ability to pick up an odd-shaped item from Craigslist here and there.

I don't need a Bigfoot. I like this a lot. A lot lot.

Kreb wrote: The Baja and Ridgeline would have had more truck cred if hey'd offered single cab versions with a real bed.

I agree.

But that was my point- the bed on this is similar to them. It's a single cab, but the bed is no longer than the Baja. The overall length is shorter.

It's not bad. I'd have mine jacked up with less rim and more tire, of course.

rslifkin wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: It's a cute ute for people with tall cargo LOL

Basically. Most of the little pickups or "almost pickups" can carry fairly little weight. Certainly can't fill the bed with firewood or anything. They're pretty much a car with outside storage for dirty items and a somewhat improved ability to pick up an odd-shaped item from Craigslist here and there.

I don't even call my Ridgeline a truck - it's a SUV with the back cut off. That said, most vehicles can cary more than you'd think. People tend to be over-conservative about this stuff (Look to the tow vehicle threads). I remember a contractor years ago who used a 1964 Ford Ranchero for a few years with sideboxes and rack. It had at least 500 lbs. back there as a static load - plus all the other crap he would throw in it.

If it can fit 2 dirt bikes in the back with the tailgate down and get 30mpg hwy I'm in.

I wonder how close the production version will be to the show version. I like it, but want to see how it comes out.

I like it. If it's got a remotely decent tow rating, it would be something I'd consider (well, if I were in the habit of buying new cars... which I'm not and is not likely to change in the near future...).

linky dinky