24 August 2017

Hyundai reported to green-light pickup

With Mercedes-Benz now ready for the pickup market with its X-Class, will we see Hyundai entering the small truck business? writes Brian Byrne.

Maybe, though maybe only in the US, where the company is now reported by Reuters to having given the 'yes' to development of a pickup for launch by 2020.

It's expected to follow the lines of the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept shown at Detroit in 2015, and will be based on the Santa Fe SUV.

The fact that the Concept had a 2.0 diesel engine suggests the Korean company may be looking to a European entry. That's not an engine that will be used in the US for where the production vehicle is aimed first.

Conversely, Mercedes-Benz has as yet no plans to sell its X-Class in the US.