- A new pickup would let Hyundai take on Ford and Toyota.
- It will likely ride on a new body-on-frame platform.
- US dealers want a rugged SUV on the same bones.
Hyundai says it is serious about building a proper pickup, but you should not expect to see it before 2028. When it does show up, it will not simply refresh the lifestyle-focused Santa Cruz formula. Instead, Hyundai appears to be eyeing something bigger and tougher, aimed directly at the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.
Read: Hyundai Boss Says New Midsize Pickup Will Blow Your Mind
Last year, Hyundai chief executive Jose Muñoz confirmed a midsize pickup truck would arrive before 2030. The expectation is a body-on-frame model, which is pickup code for serious intent. Do not expect it to be a rebadged Kia Tasman, though, despite that truck already serving markets such as Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and the Middle East.
Speaking recently to local media, Hyundai Australia chief operating officer Gavin Donaldson said the truck is being developed jointly by Hyundai teams in the US and Australia. He described it as a “work in progress” that remains “a couple of years” away from launch.
US Production Plans
Donaldson suggested the pickup could be built in the United States and exported to other markets. That would be a logical move. Producing it in the U.S. would help Hyundai sidestep not only the Trump administration’s tariffs, but also the long-standing 25 percent ‘chicken’ tax on imported light trucks, a levy that has shaped the segment for decades.
Also: Kia’s Rugged SUV Plans Hit A Wall And The Tasman Is to Blame
Of course, actually convincing people to buy a new Hyundai truck will be a challenge in and of itself. As S&P Global Mobility analyst Stephanie Brinley told Auto News, “Hyundai will have to earn credibility in that space.”
“Pickup truck buyers tend to be more loyal and demanding about vehicles fitting their particular use case,” Brinley added. “It will be a tough climb, not only to convince buyers to consider Hyundai as a truck brand, but also because overall pickup truck sales are not forecast to see much overall volume growth in the next several years.” In short, this is not a segment that welcomes newcomers with open arms.
The seven midsize trucks on sale accounted for 639,251 deliveries in 2019, according to Auto News. Last year, that figure edged up to 660,412. Toyota’s Tacoma alone held 39 percent of the segment in 2019 and increased its share to 42 percent last year, which tells you just how firmly the hierarchy is set.
A Rugged SUV Too?
The Hyundai Crater SUV concept.
When Hyundai first previewed the body-on-frame midsize truck with a loose “before 2030” timeline, it also hinted that an SUV using the same platform could follow.
Dealerships in the US are said to be pushing for a production version of the Crater concept unveiled late last year. A rugged SUV based on the pickup could give Hyundai a credible rival to the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, while spreading development costs across two vehicles instead of one.
Expanding Across Hyundai Motor Group
And it likely would not stop with Hyundai. Kia could field its own versions of both models, leveraging the same underpinnings for different markets and price points.
Also: Genesis Off-Road Concept Eyes Defender With Sci-Fi Looks And Analog Interior
Meanwhile, Genesis has more than hinted at an upscale off-roader. It has already shown SUV concepts and even floated pickup sketches, suggesting this truck architecture could eventually support everything from a no-nonsense workhorse to a premium, design-led SUV.
