Recently, at its first CEO Investor Day held outside of Korea, Hyundai Motor Corporation announced a broad mid-to long-term growth strategy, which was quite expansive. The Ford rival made a flurry of announcements during that event, including the fact that it plans to roll out models with extended range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains starting in 2027, which combine large battery packs with gas range extenders to provide around 600 miles of total range. Meanwhile, we also learned a little bit more as it pertains to Hyundai’s future Ford Ranger rival, too.
Hyundai announced that it plans to launch its first mid-size pickup in North America before 2030, a segment that has become increasingly popular in the U.S. over the past few years. Hyundai began selling the Santa Cruz (pictured here) – a compact pickup – back in 2021, and added that it has “gained valuable experience and brand presence, positioning it strongly to broaden its reach in the heart of the U.S. market.” Now, in addition to that Ford Maverick rival, it will soon be doing battle with the Ford Ranger directly, too.
Of course, Hyundai won’t be the only automaker launching a new mid-size pickup in North America in the coming years. Along with the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, Jeep Gladiator, GMC Canyon, and Nissan Frontier, Ram is also working on its own new mid-size pickup that will be built at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois starting in 2027, a facility that was previously shuttered. Recent reports indicate that Honda may soon sell a rebadged Nissan Frontier in the U.S., too.
As for the Ford Ranger, it’s coming off a comprehensive redesign that debuted for the 2024 model year, and as Ford Authority recently reported, that model is currently scheduled to receive its next mid-cycle refresh in 2027, followed by a redesign in 2029 – and it’s expected to get a hybrid powertrain option at some point, too.
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