The Hyundai Santa Cruz concept which debuted in 2015. (Image/Hyundai)
Hyundai announced it will move forward with development of a small pickup truck for the U.S. market. The speculation is that the truck will be based off of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz concept vehicle, which debuted for the 2015 auto show circuit.
The move falls in line with Hyundai’s plans to launch several new and refreshed SUVs by the close of the decade. Given the popularity of crossovers and compact SUVs in the United States, Hyundai is hoping the additions will supplement its line of traditional passenger cars.
More importantly, a new Hyundai hauler could heat up the once-dormant small truck category. Honda has sparked the segment with a newly redesigned Ridgeline, and Ford hopes its Ranger will find success with its reintroduction in 2019. Toss in the venerable Toyota Tacoma, GM’s Colorado/Canyon twins, and the highly anticipated Jeep Scrambler, and truck buyers will have many small- and mid-size options to choose from in the coming years.
Read more about the proposed Hyundai pickup truck, along with details on the automaker’s refreshed lineup, in this Reuters article.
Out of all the manufacturers, it is Hyundai to bring back the El Camino/Ranchero “Ute” concept. For shame, Detroit. For shame.
With the right power/drive train would own one in a minute, if it did not change a whole lot from the picture…would park it right next to my 70 El Camino.
A potential TACOMA DIESEL, It is called a HILUX outside of the STATES, just saw another in Ireland. Hyundai builds a jitney type vehicle for use outside the U.S., why not here. Is the RANGER going to have a compression ignition power plant??
[…] Then, Nissan’s got the unibodies to contend with too, like the Honda Ridgeline and upcoming Ford Maverick (not to mention Hyundai’s long-awaited Santa Cruz). […]