Hyundai Group’s Missing Piece
At this point, you could say that the Hyundai Group – which includes Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia – builds just about everything: small hatchbacks, premium sedans, sports cars, electric crossovers, and big family SUVs. However, among all the vehicles across its brands, one type has been lacking for some time: the traditional pickup truck.
Kia’s newly introduced Tasman has already filled that gap in Australia, but met with lackluster sales. Meanwhile, Hyundai already offers the Santa Cruz in North America, although that model leans more towards a lifestyle than a workhorse.
However, two more pickups are on the way, meaning the Hyundai Group could have four distinct truck models in its lineup by the end of the decade. For a company that once avoided the pickup category entirely, that’s a major shift in strategy.
Hyundai
A True Hyundai Truck for Australia
The most recent confirmation comes from Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano, who told CarSales that the company is developing a Ranger- and Hilux-sized pickup set to debut around June 2027. Romano said the project has already been discussed at the executive level and will be built on Hyundai’s own technology, not as a rebadged Kia Tasman or part of its collaboration with GM.
“Our main goal is to develop our own Hyundai ute with our own technology,” Romano said, hinting that the upcoming truck will have a unique identity. He also described the model as “mind-blowing,” though no specifications were revealed. The timeline he gave aligns with Hyundai Motor Company’s earlier global announcement that a midsize pickup will launch before 2030.
Romano, who plans to step down in two years, also revealed that Hyundai Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Gavin Donaldson, will succeed him – likely in time for the new pickup’s arrival.
How The Two Upcoming Trucks Will Differ
Hyundai’s Australian truck will focus on traditional markets where the Hilux and Ranger dominate, likely using a diesel or hybrid setup and built with off-road durability in mind. Meanwhile, the North American truck, confirmed by Hyundai CEO José Muñoz during the brand’s CEO Investor Day a few months ago, will be a body-on-frame pickup designed in-house and possibly available with EREV or hybrid technology. And yes, the latter has been confirmed to be independent of the Hyundai-GM partnership, though the know-how will likely spill over.
Add those to Kia’s Tasman and Hyundai’s Santa Cruz, and the Hyundai Group will soon cover every major truck niche – from lifestyle crossovers to full-strength workhorses – under four different badges. Or so that’s what we think will happen. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open for further developments.
Kia
