- The new model will likely be larger and more hardcore than the Santa Cruz compact.
- Hyundai has yet to decide on the type of underpinnings the new truck will have.
- It will likely be positioned as a rival to the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, and Toyota Hilux.
After years of waiting, Kia finally has a legitimate pickup truck in its range, but Hyundai has so far failed to follow in its footsteps. However, the new boss of Hyundai Australia has confirmed the brand will indeed get such a model, but didn’t specify when. Even so, if everything goes according to plan, it should land sometime before the end of the decade.
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Perhaps the most logical move would have been for Hyundai to launch its own version of the Tasman, collaborating with Kia to bring a pair of pickup trucks to the market as the two brands have done with several EVs. However, Hyundai Australia chief executive Don Romano says the carmaker has yet to decide what form it wants its pickup to take.
Read: Does Hyundai Need Its Own Version Of The Kia Tasman?
While recently speaking with local media, he said that “the time will depend on the type of ute we develop.” If Hyundai decides to use a body-on-frame platform like the Tasman, it could launch a pickup “soon.” There’s also the matter of what kind of powertrain the new vehicle could have.
For example, one of Hyundai’s new EV platforms will be able to support a pickup truck, but any such vehicle would likely be larger than the Tasman, and other rivals like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Additionally, there’s not a great deal of demand for electric trucks, particularly in Australia.
It’s possible that Hyundai could lean on its partnership with General Motors to build a pickup.
The two automotive giants joined forces in Q3 2024 to evaluate ways to co-develop a slew of new vehicles together. There has been no confirmation about what new vehicles could be brought to life through this collaboration, but in theory, Hyundai might be able to use an existing Chevy pickup as the base for its own model.
“We would look at what is available from GM,” Romano told Drive. “My goal is to get something into planning and production and get the dealer side in place within three years. My goal is to keep looking forward, and we have a strategic alliance with GM, but not just on utes. We want to have a number of options, and GM is part of that.”
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