Hyundai announces the start of production of new Santa Cruz CUV!
Today, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) announced the Santa Cruz compact utility vehicle will join the Santa Fe SUV and the Sonata and Elantra sedans at Hyundai's US automotive assembly plant in Montgomery, starting in 2021. As you might know, Santa Cruz was first introduced as a concept vehicle back in 2015 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The plant will require additional $410 million expansion in order to support the addition of the vehicle. This includes additional space in the stamping, welding and parts processing areas of the manufacturing complex. Furthermore, direct employment will increase by 200 jobs and local suppliers and logistics companies who support HMMA are projected to employ more than 1,000 people in Montgomery and the River Region.
The vehicle itself, Santa Cruz is created especially for these who want traditional attributes that a compact utility vehicle should feature, but also need the day-to-day versatility of an open bed. It's the crossover that creates an entire new segment that successfully blends capability and utility that altogether meet the unspoken needs of a new generation of buyers.
SEE ALSO: 2020 Hyundai Sonata receives a prestigious award!
HMMA, which started vehicle production back in 2005, is the River Region's largest private manufacturer with 2,900 full-time and 500 part-time employees. For the last 14 and one-half years, the plant has managed to produce 4.5 million vehicles for the North American market.
Source: Hyundai
