Hyundai has high hopes for its first midsize pickup, and we may even see a new 4WD SUV

Hyundai looks to tap into a new market with its first midsize pickup. The pickup, potentially the IONIQ T7, may even share a body-on-frame platform with a rugged new 4WD SUV.

When is Hyundai launching its first midsize pickup?

During its CEO Investor Day event in New York last September, Hyundai presented “its most ambitious growth strategy” to date.

In an industry “facing unprecedented transformation,” Hyundai Motor Company CEO José Muñoz said the company “is uniquely positioned to win.” Those plans include its first midsize pickup. Muñoz confirmed Hyundai plans to launch the new pickup truck by the end of the decade.

Speaking with the media over the weekend, Hyundai Australia COO Gavin Donaldson offered a few updates on what to expect.

“Strategically, it’s still a work in progress. It’s leaning towards a couple of years from now… and it’s still [being developed] in collaboration with the US,” Donaldson said (via CarExpert). Hyundai’s answer to the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger is expected to launch around 2028.

According to Hyundai’s Australian CEO, the Korean automaker is taking its time because it wants “to get the right ute [pickup], not just any ute.”

For that reason, Hyundai’s midsize pickup won’t simply be a rebadged version of the Kia Tasman. When asked about its construction, Donaldson said, “I think a body-on-frame is what we’ve got to look for to be competitive.”

Will it be an EV? Hybrid? EREV?

The new body-on-frame pickup could serve as a replacement for the smaller unibody Santa Cruz. What type of powertrain it will use remains a mystery.

Hyundai previously confirmed that a dedicated electric pickup is in the works and has trademarked the names IONIQ T7 and IONIQ T10. Based on Hyundai’s naming system (IONIQ 3, IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, IONIQ 9), the midsize pickup would likely be the IONIQ T7, with the T10 being a full-size truck.

Like the Santa Fe, the pickup could also launch as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) with a smaller battery and a gas engine that acts as a generator.

Hyundai is partnering with General Motors to co-develop five new vehicles, including a compact SUV, car, and pickup, a midsize pickup, and an electric van.

Hyundai Australia CEO Don Romano explained in November that “We are in a relationship with General Motors, and we’re looking at that relationship. But it isn’t a done deal yet. We may go on our own. We did look at ‘do we share a platform?’ And I won’t rule it out as an option, but it would have to be different than what they came to market with because, again, it’s getting back to the differentiation.”

Pointing to Chinese brands ike MG and BYD with the Shark 6 PHEV pickup, Romano said, “I mean, it’s going to just get tougher and tougher, and I think we have to really think differently.”

While we will have to wait for more details closer to launch, the report suggests that Hyundai could launch a body-on-frame 4WD SUV on the same platform as a potential Ford Bronco rival.

The Crater Concept, unveiled at the LA Auto Show last November, is likely a preview of Hyundai’s upcoming electric off-road SUV.

Hyundai’s body-on-frame midsize pickup is expected to compete with the Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado. Globally, it will go up against the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.