Hyundai Wants To Rival Ford With a Larger, More Rugged Pickup Truck

Hyundai and pickup trucks probably sound like an oxymoron for many. The Korean company is mostly known for affordable and often uninspiring vehicles - something it has been trying to get away from for years. Granted, the company has shifted to more upscale models, especially with the Genesis luxury brand, but the stigma still lingers. Regardless, a report from Automotive News recently talked about Hyundai planning to outphase its only truck model - the Santa Cruz - after 2026, in favor of a larger, more capable model. 

Going up against a stern competition

The king of all cliches - pickup trucks and the US are two things that go together, like mustard on a hot dog. Ford and Chevy are two American companies that have been making pickup trucks for decades. Whether it’s light-duty, half-ton trucks or full-size rigs, the local companies have been providing rugged workhorses since the 1910s - long before Hyundai was even a company.

Santa Cruz’s work was cut out from the start. According to GCBC, in its best year, 2023, the model sold 36,675 times. During the same period, Ford sold 94,058 Mavericks. In 2025, the Korean truck’s sales number fell to 25,499. Meanwhile, the competitor from Ford was sold 155,051 times - its second-best year. 

The writing is on the wall, but I think Hyundai is making a risky move by shooting for a segment, even more dominated by the American trio (Ford, GM, and RAM), and by Japanese companies like Toyota and Nissan.

The Santa Cruz was a bold experiment that sadly didn’t work. It was more of a lifestyle pickup, based on a stretched Tucson chassis, than a rugged all-terrain workhorse. Hyundai recently confirmed that a larger, more traditional pickup truck is in the pipeline, but hasn’t given any details. 

The rumor machine is already in motion, and there are many speculations surrounding the upcoming model. It is expected to be a midsize pickup truck built around a body-on-frame construction. The only issue is that neither Hyundai nor Kia has such a platform. 

That said, Hyundai is one of the larger companies in the industry, and it has the resources to develop a new platform from scratch. There is always the possibility that the truck would feature a unibody chassis, but I think that would be a half-effort on behalf of the carmaker. Currently, the only unibody midsize truck is the Honda Ridgeline, but its sales numbers are nothing to boast about.

I suspect a twin-turbo V-6 will be the main source of power, with a possible hybrid option. It’s what almost everyone else seems to be doing, so it is safe to assume that Hyundai will join the truck bandwagon with a familiar concept. 

Santa Cruz’s guts will live on through Kia, and more performance models are on the way

Interestingly enough, Santa Cruz’s technological twin - Kia Tasman - will live on. Unlike its Hyundai counterpart, the compact truck was never offered in the States. We know the model has a scheduled mid-cycle refresh around 2028-2029, so it will be around for a little longer. 

In a recent interview with Car Magazine, Hyundai’s Manager of Global Marketing Strategy, Joon Woo Park, explained how the company plans to build affordable performance models through the N division, hinting at a competitor to Toyota’s Gazoo Racing. Part of Hyundai’s strategy is to expand its SUV and truck lineup in key markets, including North America. How this will translate into practice remains to be seen, but the larger Hyundai truck will definitely be an indication of the brand’s direction in the segment.

I, for once, am extremely curious to find out if people will buy a more traditional, body-on-frame truck, made by Hyundai. Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section below.

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota and Nissan are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz press