Hyundai pickup is almost a given, but not coming before 2020

The South Korean automaker has already confirmed a pickup truck is going to happen, so now the only question remaining was the about the time frame of the introduction.

The model has already been confirmed to have received the green light, so the rumor mill is now focusing on when the model will actually be introduced. Unfortunately for Hyundai fans that were eagerly awaiting a first ever pickup truck, the reveal won’t be happening soon, as it’s allegedly slated after the turn of the decade. According to Scott Grant, chief operating officer of Hyundai Australia, the model won’t officially exist “anything this side of 2020.” He did comment there are numerous positive vibes for the model coming from the headquarters in South Korea. “We’ve got a planning horizon in place where they’re looking at the vehicle quite seriously, but there is yet to be a commitment to produce,” he added. “I can’t confirm what or when, but it’s a slightly different message. Not any time soon but it’s starting to feel like there’s some movement.”

The model has been previewed by the Santa Cruz concept, which received rave reviews from fans and critics, and previous rumors have been suggesting it would carry the Tucson SUV architecture and thus slot in the compact truck segment. It would use all-wheel drive and a five seat interior, with the powertrains of course directly taken from the Tucson, alongside some other components and most likely the general design of the interior. The pickup would be offered in North America as well – being the first Hyundai model packing a diesel engine – and other markets are also planned, such as Australia and countries in Europe.

Source