Hyundai Confirms It's Building A Rival For Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma
Hyundai is officially heading into truck country. The automaker confirmed it will introduce a mid-size pickup truck for the U.S. market in the next few years, targeting heavy hitters like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and Ford Ranger.
Key Points
- Hyundai confirmed it will launch a U.S.-market mid-size pickup truck before 2030, built on a body-on-frame platform.
- A hybrid powertrain is likely, with the 329-hp system from the new Palisade Hybrid under consideration.
- An SUV variant could follow, aimed at rivals like the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, and Ford Bronco.
Speaking at Hyundai’s CEO Investor Day last week, company boss José Muñoz revealed that the yet-unnamed pickup will ride on a body-on-frame platform—a significant departure from the compact unibody Santa Cruz that Hyundai already sells in North America.
Muñoz also hinted that an SUV variant on the same architecture could follow—using the same successful template used by the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Wrangler, and Ford Bronco—building a tough, off-road oriented SUV based on the bones of a mid-size pickup.
While technical details remain under wraps, Muñoz suggests the pickup could feature the newly introduced 329-horsepower hybrid powertrain used in the Palisade Hybrid. That system pairs a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four with an electric motor. Toyota has already shown that downsized, hybrid powertrains have a place in the pickup playground.
Unlike Hyundai’s joint-venture pickup with GM for South America, the U.S.-bound truck will be an in-house project, engineered specifically for North America. Reports suggest it could share some of its DNA with the Kia Tasman pickup currently sold overseas, though this is speculative as Hyundai has confirmed nothing of the sort.
Hyundai’s current U.S. truck offering, the compact Santa Cruz, has carved out a small niche but trails the Ford Maverick in sales. By moving into the mid-size segment—one of the hottest in America—Hyundai hopes to capture a bigger slice of the truck-buying public.
Production timing and exact specs haven’t been announced, but expect the pickup to arrive closer to the latter half of the decade.
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An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
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Dang but that thing is ugly.
There is certainly an opening in the market for another competitor. I look forward to a badge-engineered Kia version. It was disappointing that Mazda, Mitsubishi and Isuzu abandoned the North American market.