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Hyundai Confirms The Santa Cruz Pickup Will Be Built In Montgomery, Alabama

By
Zach Butler
-
Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept

The Santa Cruz was first introduced at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.

Ever since it first debuted in 2015, we’ve been wondering when — or even if — Hyundai was actually going to build the Santa Cruz crossover. Despite repeated assurances it is still coming, we didn’t have much information to go on, until now. Hyundai announced Wednesday it would build the Santa Cruz at its U.S. assembly plant in Montgomery, Alabama. The plant currently builds the Santa Fe crossover as well as the Sonata and Elantra sedans.

Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept

Hyundai doesn’t bill the Santa Cruz as a truck, but rather a “compact utility vehicle”. In fact, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama president and CEO Byungjin Jin refers to it as a crossover. He said of the recent announcement, “Bringing the Santa Cruz to HMMA demonstrates that Hyundai Motor Company is confident our more than 3,000 team members are ready to build a quality crossover for the U.S. market.” We never were in doubt that it would be a unibody design like the Honda Ridgeline, but Hyundai is going one step further by saying its crossover creates a new segment “that successfully combines capability and utility to meet the unspoken needs of a new generation of buyers, especially millennials.”

To that end, it’s likely the production Santa Cruz will take on styling and powertrains akin to the Santa Fe crossover. That would mean a slightly different front end design, as well as a small-displacement turbocharged engine. Perhaps Hyundai will fit a V6 option, but no powertrain information is currently available. There was a small turbodiesel in the concept, but seeing as the company dropped it for the production Santa Fe, it’s unlikely we’ll see a diesel Santa Cruz here.

Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept

Expanding the Alabama plant

To accommodate Santa Cruz production, Hyundai will undergo a $410 million expansion project. The company claims it will — directly and indirectly — create 1,200 new jobs, either tied to the plant or through suppliers. Hyundai says it will directly hire 200 people to work the additional space in stamping, welding and parts processing areas. Throughout the Montgomery region, local suppliers may create around 1,000 jobs to support building the Santa Cruz.

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama was opened in 2005. In its 14-1/2 years in operation, it has produced 4.5 million vehicles for the U.S. and global markets. With other manufacturers in the region from Honda and Toyota to Mercedes-Benz, Alabama is the fifth largest car and truck-producing state in the U.S.

While we’re waiting for production model photos to come down, check out TFLtruck’s original coverage from way back in 2015:

2020 Nissan Titan and Titan XD Hold the Line on Towing Specs: Between 9,370 – 11,000 Lbs (News)

By
Andre Smirnov
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2020 nissan titan xd towing payload specs gooseneck
2020 Nissan Titan XD (photo: TFLtruck)

Nissan release the latest specifications for the updated 2020 Titan and Titan XD pickup truck. The new payload and towing ratings are nearly the same as before. Take a look.

2020 Nissan Titan

Nissan has thoroughly updated the 2020 Titan lineup with fresh styling, updated interiors, new technology, safety, and more. The engine remains mostly the same, although the latest 5.6-liter V8 is rated at up to 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque on premium octane. The 9-speed automatic transmission is all new. It replaces the old 7-speed, and this is the first application of the 9-speed in the Nissan lineup.

The frame, chassis, and suspension remain mostly the same, as do the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). As the result the maximum towing and payload specs remain nearly the same as for the outgoing truck. Here is how it breaks down.

2020 Titan2019 Titan(change)
Max. Towing9,370 lbs9,240 lbs+130 lbs
Max. Payload1,680 lbs1,620 lbs+ 60 lbs

The regular Titan comes in King Cab (extended cab) or crew cab configuration. It can be had with 2WD or 4×4. The maximum payload and towing numbers you see here are for a properly equipped King Cab 2WD truck.

Nissan says that the rating of up to 9,370 lbs is very competitive against other base half-ton trucks in the segment. Most other base half-ton trucks come with smaller gas V6 or less powerful V8 engines. However, if you want more capability – you still need to look Ford, GM, or Ram 1500 trucks that can be configured to tow well over 10,000 lbs.

Should you tow over 10,000 lbs with a half-ton truck? This is a whole different discussion. Nissan says that many half-ton customers do not tow much over 7,000 lbs, and most tow about 5,000 lbs.

2020 Nissan Titan XD

Nissan is positioning the Titan XD as the ultimate towing package. In fact, it’s much more than a towing package. The entire XD truck is much bigger than a standard Titan. The XD is three inches taller and over 14 inches longer. It has a much bigger and heavier frame, bigger brakes, bigger axles, and wheel hub bolts.

The Titan XD will now come in just one configuration. It will be a crew cab with a 6.5-foot bed and 4×4. See the new 2020 Titan XD numbers below.

2020 Titan XD2019 Titan XD(change)
Max. Towing11,000 lbs10,950 lbs+50 lbs
Max. Payload2,450 lbs2,400 lbs+50 lbs

We will have a complete 2020 Nissan Titan review on Friday November 15th. In the meantime, here is fully accessorized Titan from the 2019 SEMA show.

Tesla Pickup Truck vs Rivian vs EV Ford F-150 and Others – How Do They Stack Up? (Video)

By
Andre Smirnov
-
2021 rivian r1t tesla cybertruck ford f150 chevy hummer

Tesla recently announced that their upcoming electric pickup truck (aka. Cybertruck) will make its official debut in California on Nov 21st. Here is how it will stack up against other major players in the electric truck game.

The upcoming Rivian R1T truck is the one we must compare it against first, as Rivian appears to be on track to start production late in 2020 as a 2021 model. The R1T is a truck that is sized to be a little bigger than a traditional midsize truck (such as a Toyota Tacoma) and a little smaller than a traditional half-ton (such as a Ford F-150).

Rivian says that their truck will be capable of 3.0 sec 0-60 MPH acceleration, have advanced AWD capability due to its four electric motors, have a range of up to 400 miles, and be able to tow up to 11,000 lbs (although likely not at the same time).

The new Tesla Cybertruck will have to contend with all of this and much more. The other contenders include the upcoming Bollinger B2 truck, and several other potential makers (Atlis, Lordstown, Ford, and General Motors).

Both Ford and GM recently disclosed their intent to produce and sell all-electric trucks and/or full-size SUVs. Ford is invested into Rivian, and the two companies will be working together in order to produce all-electric trucks and/or crossovers / cars. Ford has already shown a battery-electric F-150 prototype truck.

GM disclosed a plan to produce a premium all-electric large SUV (possibly a Cadillac Escalade), although this is not official). The company also hinted at electric trucks (possible a rebirth of the Hummer brand). Once again, this is unofficial.

Naturally, FCA/Ram, Toyota, and Nissan may not be far behind. These guys have not announced battery-electric trucks yet, but they may be working on other electrified solutions (hydrogen fuel-cell and gas/electric plug-in).

Join the conversation below as look forward to the debut of the Tesla pickup truck next week.

No More HEMI? Will Future Ram Trucks Use a New Gas Turbo Inline-6 Engine with eBooster Instead of a V8?

By
Andre Smirnov
-
2021 ram 1500 turbo gas i6 engine

What would you say if future Ram trucks no longer use a HEMI V8 engine, but a turbocharged straight-6 with eBooster electric assist that may be able to produce up to 525 horsepower? A recent patent filing and a report from 5thGenRams.com point in this direction. (At this point, this is just speculation and not an official report from FCA or Ram.)

The FCA patent for a turbocharged gas engine is not that new, but the latest information we have is that it’s an inline six-cylinder gasoline powered engine that has the latest (EGR) Exhaust Gas Recirculation system for improved emissions. It may also include the latest eBooster system that can assist a traditional exhaust-powered turbocharger to eliminate lag and increase power.

FCA is currently using the eBooster technology on their smaller four-cylinder engines in Alfa Romeos and other vehicles.

Here is the FCA patent diagram that shows a six-cylinder inline engine, also known as GME-T6. The diagram shows two turbines, ERG air path, intercooler, spark, and fuel.

(source: FCA patent)

The concept behind this new engine is very similar to what Mercedes-Benz is using in many of their luxury vehicles as well. Mercedes is using an electrically-powered turbine wheel in addition to a traditional exhaust turbocharger turbine to help eliminate any power lag. The Mercedes system is also a mild electric hybrid with an electric motors that is sandwiched between their 3.0-liter straight-six engine and the transmission. This electric system also eliminates the serpentine belt. All engine accessories are powered electrically. This makes the overall engine shorter and able to fit under the hood of more vehicles.

It’s not clear whether FCA is also considering to combine this turbo-6 with an electric motor.

The 5thGenRams.com report linked above states that this turbo I6 will be capable of up to 525 horsepower. This is surely enough power to propel a big truck like the Ram 1500 or a big SUV like the upcoming Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

2020 Toyota Tacoma Scores An IIHS Top Safety Pick Rating Thanks To Updated Headlights

By
Zach Butler
-

The best-selling midsize truck is also one of the safest.

Safety isn’t just a trend in cars — new midsize and full-size trucks are getting safer each year as well. Take the Toyota Tacoma: It’s the best-selling midsize truck in the U.S., and it also performed relatively well in recent crash testing. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) held the Tacoma and most if its rivals back from its Top Safety Pick rating due to poor headlight illumination in their newest testing regimen. Now, the 2020 Toyota Tacoma managed to grab a Top Safety Pick nod thanks to its updated LED headlight design.

[Infographics: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Better headlight ratings

The Tacoma’s new LED headlight and running light assemblies are available on the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road as an optional package, while they come as standard equipment on the TRD Pro and Limited trims. In IIHS testing, the lights scored a “Good” rating, offering adequate lighting on straightaways and on curves.

The halogen lamps on SR and SR5 models as well as TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims without the LED lighting package, scored a “Marginal” rating, or one step above the worst possible. Here, both low beams and high beams failed to hit optimal targets, meaning they offer too little illumination in most conditions. However, the 2020 Tacoma does have high-beam assist which helps compensate for some of the shortfall.

2020 Toyota Tacoma crash tests

Crash testing

The 2020 Toyota Tacoma still performed well in crash testing, as this model year is just a light refresh. The passenger-side small frontal overlap test is the only area where it scored less than a “Good” rating. It managed an “Acceptable” rating instead, which puts the Tacoma on par with the new Ford Ranger and the Honda Ridgeline, but ahead of the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and the aging Nissan Frontier.

On crash prevention technology, the Tacoma also scored well. Toyota Safety Sense P comes standard across the range. That system includes pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and radar cruise control. Specifically, the emergency braking helps keep the Tacoma ahead of its older competition like the Chevy Colorado and Nissan Frontier.

Check out the video below to see how some other trucks performed:

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