2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz | Pickup Review | Driving.ca

The spectre of a unibody pickup cuts deep into the psyche of most truck fans. After all, if there's any segment of customer whose base is resistant to even a shred of change, it's pickup owners. Witness the weeping and gnashing of teeth at even the most minor changes, like when Ram moved to an electronic dial for its gear selector. Coil springs? The lack of a body-on-frame design? Make no wonder Uncle Walt is reaching for the smelling salts.

But here's the reality: a significant chunk of truck-shoppers are no longer what some might consider to be so-called "traditional" pickup buyers. Instead, they're family units looking for something just a little bit different than the SUVs and crossovers that clog the school pickup lane and their condo's underground parking lot. If there just so happens to be a versatile open bed in the aft section instead of an enclosed cargo area, that's simply a bonus for some.