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This Obscure Pickup Is Coming to an End and We Barely Got to Know It

So long Hyundai Santa Cruz, we hardly knew thee.

Front close-up of a black vehicle with illuminated LED headlights at sunset in a natural setting.Hyundai
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By Chris Chin

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It looks like the end of the road is finally approaching for Hyundai’s compact pseudo-pickup truck, the Santa Cruz. AutomotiveNews learned of its eventual demise after reportedly speaking with an anonymous source close to the matter.

According to the report, key suppliers supposedly received a memo about the model’s impending end. But it isn’t the complete end for Hyundai’s attempt at capturing the pickup market. Rather, what comes after it is the real party piece.

The Santa Cruz will get a more capable midsize successor

Red four-door pickup truck driving on a dirt road in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.
Although short-lived, the Hyundai Santa Cruz was a concept that was too underappreciated.
Hyundai

Over the past couple of years, rumors began circulating about a new midsize pickup truck from the South Korean automaker. Only, it turned out that those rumors were true.

During Hyundai’s last annual investors conference in September, CEO José Muñoz confirmed the prospect, but stopped short divulging specific details. In his presentation, Muñoz confirmed the prospect after acknowledging the company is missing out on a big opportunity.

Red Hyundai pickup truck driving on a dirt road in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.
Introduced in 2021, the Santa Cruz rebooted a long-lost segment previously occupied by the Subaru Baja.
Hyundai

But because a new midsize pickup would be redundant if it sold next to the Santa Cruz, Hyundai decided to retire the latter to make way for the new model.

Originally, the Santa Cruz was meant to continue production up through the second quarter of 2027. However, the company decided to pull the plug sooner due to sluggish sales and an inventory surplus.

The affordable and smaller pickup market is booming

A presentation slide shows a white Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck from 2021 on the left, with text highlighting its established brand presence and sales experience. On the right, two covered vehicles represent a body-on-frame midsize truck expected before 2030, with text about building out the pickup truck portfolio, broadening the customer base, and potential for a body-on-frame SUV variant. A man in a suit stands on the left side of the stage, and silhouettes of seated audience members are visible in the foreground.
Hyundai’s CEO José Muñoz confirmed the new pickup at the company’s last investor conference in September 2024.
Hyundai USA

With the lucrative and budding midsize pickup truck market, the company officially announced its commitment to building its own competitor. The new truck would pick fights against the likes of the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma and so-on.

Hyundai originally tried to sway buyers towards the Santa Cruz, mainly targeting those who wanted the utility of an open bed. But without the clunky experience of a conventional truck.

A gray Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck driving off-road on a dusty, rugged terrain with hills in the background during sunset or early morning. The truck is moving away from the camera, kicking up dust behind it.
The Santa Cruz just received a mid-cycle update.
Hyundai USA

So, the company took the Tucson, hacked its rear end off, elongated the frame, added a bed, and created the Santa Cruz in 2021. Hyundai ended up rebooting the compact car-based pickup once occupied by the Subaru Baja.

At launch sales were strong. But once Ford introduced the Maverick as its direct competitor, sales for the Santa Cruz tanked. The main reason: the Maverick was considerably cheaper.

Hyundai’s next pickup will be more conventional

Two modern Hyundai pickup trucks are parked on a flat paved surface in a desert landscape during sunset. The truck on the left is red, and the one on the right is silver-gray. Both vehicles have a bold front grille design with horizontal LED headlights and black wheel arches. Mountains and sparse desert vegetation are visible in the background.
Hyundai introduced a more rugged XRT variant to try and get more adventurous types interested.
Hyundai USA

Not many specifics are known about the Santa Cruz’s successor. Only that it will utilize a more conventional body-on-frame construction.

Hyundai doesn’t currently produce such a platform at the moment, except for some of its commercial vehicles. Its sister company, Kia, however, just recently launched the Tasman in Asian and Pacific markets.

Red Kia pickup truck with black grille and accents driving on a curved mountain road.
Rumors suggest the new Hyundai pickup could utilize the same body-on-frame platform as the Kia Tasman.
Kia

Speculation suggests Hyundai will utilize the Tasman’s platform to build its new midsizer. Expected arrival date: sometime in mid-2029.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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