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Hyundai’s ute plans are coming into focus, and the model appears set to launch a couple of.
It at present has simply the North American, Tucson-based (and subsequently car-like unibody) Santa Cruz dual-cab, leaving it with out a rival to bigger, extra conventional body-on-frame utes just like the top-selling Ford Ranger.
On the firm’s 2025 Investor Day, Hyundai Motor Firm CEO José Muñoz confirmed the model will launch a mid-size, body-on-frame pickup truck in North America by 2030, with the potential for an SUV spinoff.
Nevertheless, this pickup/ute seems to be separate from one other, equally sized mannequin being developed for Central and South America as a part of a strategic alliance with Common Motors.
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Hyundai hasn’t specified what powertrains both mannequin will use. Any ute developed in North America is unlikely to supply diesel energy, in distinction with Latin America the place diesel-powered utes are far more widespread.
Weak demand for electrical pickup vehicles within the US may additionally see Hyundai prioritise hybrid or plug-in hybrid energy there. The model is rolling out a brand new 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, beginning within the Palisade massive SUV.
GM is main growth of the Latin American pickup, with Hyundai main growth of a smaller ute (seemingly a unibody rival for the likes of the Fiat Strada) and a small SUV and passenger automobile for these markets. The primary of those merchandise will launch as early as 2028.
Within the presentation, Hyundai listed just one car for North America coming from this partnership: an electrical industrial van, which it’s main growth of regardless of GM already providing such automobiles underneath the Chevrolet BrightDrop nameplate.
However Hyundai will provide utes in markets aside from the Americas, because it sees potential for progress within the mild industrial car market globally.
“Now we have ambitions to strengthen our presence in pickup vehicles and light-weight industrial automobiles. This isn’t solely true for the US, however as you possibly can see pickups and LCVs are alternatives we’re enthusiastic about globally,” stated Mr Muñoz.
“We are actually deploying a brand new technique with a brand new construction of the group and specializing in markets that are similar to the European or American markets, like Australia the place we have now alternative to be primary for the group out there,” stated Mr Muñoz.
“How? Nicely, one easy one is the introduction of pickups that we don’t have in most markets. For those who examine ourselves to different large OEMs, one of many largest variations comes from the shortage of a pickup presence. So the pickup goes to have an effect on North America, in Central and South America, in Southeast Asia primarily.”
It’s unclear which ute can be provided in Australia – the GM co-developed car for Latin America, or the North American mannequin with which Hyundai seems to be going it alone.
Hyundai Australia has saved its powder dry. In Could it stated it might lock down plans for a brand new Ranger-sized ute by the tip of this yr, however in August native boss Don Romano was extra circumspect about future ute plans, citing uncertainty over commerce boundaries.
“Proper now we see a decline within the whole ute gross sales, and that might delay growth,” stated Mr Romano, who beforehand stated a diesel ute based mostly on the brand new Kia Tasman was much less preferable than an all-new mannequin with hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or battery-electric (EV) energy.
“I don’t suppose the world wants one other diesel ute… so we wish to take a look at totally different choices. And if that takes an additional yr, that’s definitely worth the time.
“I can’t inform you whether or not that’s a PHEV, an HEV or a BEV, however I believe these are choices that should be thought of.”
Regardless of the newest spherical of setbacks, Mr Romano says ‘there’s wiggle room’ within the timeline for Hyundai’s new ute to reach in Australia by 2029, as initially deliberate.
Additional clouding Hyundai’s ute plans are earlier stories the model would introduce devoted electrical utes, which may put on the Ioniq T7 and Ioniq T10 nameplates already trademarked domestically.
In its pursuit of recent, high-margin segments, Hyundai has additionally confirmed it plans to introduce a full-size SUV within the US.
“Within the US we have now alternative to develop. We’re at this time not competing within the massive SUV phase, we aren’t competing within the pickup phase. These are mechanical alternatives which are going to provide us a giant alternative,” stated Mr Muñoz.
Whereas the Santa Fe, Palisade and Ioniq 9 are labeled as massive SUVs in Australia, they’re thought of mid-size SUVs within the US the place there’s a phase of even bigger automobiles together with the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Ford Expedition.
Mr Munoz says every main area for the Hyundai model will take a distinct path, with a give attention to hybrids, mass-market electrical automobiles (EVs), and “bigger SUVs and vehicles” within the Asia-Pacific market.
It’s unclear whether or not meaning a full-size SUV may additionally make its approach to Australia.
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