Hyundai Australia's new boss has confirmed something his predecessors have done much to avoid – a new dual-cab ute to take on the likes of HiLux, Ranger and stablemate Tasman.
The new boss of Hyundai Australia has confirmed a dual-cab ute is due in the brand's local showrooms later this decade – but what form it takes is yet to be seen.
A Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger rival has long been a missing link in the car giant's line-up, but Hyundai Australia executives have ranged from conspicuously silent, to interested in an electrified version, in their public stance on such a vehicle.
Hyundai's new local CEO, Don Romano – who arrived in Australia earlier this year after leading the company's operations in his native Canada – has been far less cryptic on the matter.
“I’ll be here for three or four years. And I want the program locked and loaded before I go,” Romano told Australian media at the launch of the Hyundai Inster electric city car.
“I’m confident a ute will be on the schedule, but I’m not certain on the time.”
The timing will have more to do with how Hyundai approaches its dual-cab, and the answer is not as obvious as it might seem.
While there’s been plenty of speculation about a collaboration since Kia launched the Tasman, that might not be the way Hyundai decides to go, particularly as CO2 emissions targets for new vehicles loom later this year.
“The time will depend on the type of ute we develop. If we use a body-on-frame platform like the Tasman, that could be soon,” Romano said.
“Do we want a diesel? We have to look at the NVES [emissions standards] impact. We’re in better shape than some brands with NVES, but not in great shape there. If we bring in a diesel, that will change that dynamic.”
Hyundai head office has confirmed that a new electric-car platform it is developing will support a pick-up, but it is believed to be a larger vehicle than a Ranger, HiLux or Tasman.
And the market for electric utes in Australia remains small, amid concerns around driving range, payload and towing capabilities.
There’s even a chance – as unlikely as it might seem – that Hyundai could lean on a burgeoning partnership with General Motors in the US, which reports suggest could allow the South Korean brand to rebadge a Chevrolet pick-up for the US market.
“We would look at what is available from GM,” Romano said.
“My goal is to get something into planning and production and get the dealer side in place within three years. My goal is to keep looking forward, and we have a strategic alliance with GM, but not just on utes. We want to have a number of options, and GM is part of that.”
What is not on the table, at least in its current generation, is the Santa Cruz – a 'lifestyle' ute built on the light-duty underpinnings of the Tucson family SUV – due to where it is built, exclusively in left-hand drive.
“It’s built in America, for America, and anything like that would be problematic right now,” Romano said.
Romano says he has a clear plan of attack to strengthen the stocks of Hyundai in the fiercely competitive Australian new-car market, but ultimately his plan is to see an Australian take the reins of the company locally.
“Local people know the market better than anyone,” Romano told Drive. “And my goal is to see an Australian with a deep understanding of the market here running Hyundai Australia.”
Trent Nikolic has been road testing and writing about cars for almost 20 years. He’s been at CarAdvice/Drive since 2014 and has been a motoring editor at the NRMA, Overlander 4WD Magazine, Hot4s and Auto Salon Magazine.
