- 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 has finally rolled out a legitimate pickup truck with the Tasman, leaving Hyundai still on the sidelines. However, the newly appointed head of Hyundai Australia has confirmed that the brand will indeed be launching a pickup of its own, While there’s no official timeline just yet, if everything goes as planned, we can expect to see it hit the market sometime before the decade is out.
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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.
Could GM Play a Role?
It’s possible that Hyundai could lean on its partnership with General Motors to build a pickup. The two companies began collaborating in the third quarter of 2024 to explore ways of co-developing new vehicles. While specifics on the partnership’s output remain scarce, there’s potential for Hyundai to borrow an existing Chevy truck platform for its own.
“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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