Hyundai plans mid sized PU for the NA Market

[dtech]

Well the Santa Cruz hasn't sold well so time to move upstream , can't wait to see how hideous of a vehicle they come up with. I saw a Santa Cruz a few days back and kind of reminds me of design elements taken from the Pontiac Aztec, Dodge Rampage, Chevy Avalanche, Subaru Baja and Honda Ridgeline into a gnormous blender and voila, a pickup for the ages.

From the truth about cars:
"But the real headline-grabber is Hyundai’s confirmation that it will launch its first real mid-size pickup for North America before 2030. Positioned above the compact, unibody Santa Cruz. The proposed pickup would drop Hyundai into direct competition with the likes of the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado."

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[a6m5]

I remember seeing upcoming Kia in articles few months back....(Hyundai owns Kia)

My impression was that they tried too hard with the design, but certainly promising.

 

[Tom_C]

Doesn't Hyundai have a good hybrid design? May be interesting. Note to Hyundai: SCAB!

 

[dtech]

Doesn't Hyundai have a good hybrid design? May be interesting. Note to Hyundai: SCAB!

IIRC the article states the pickup may use the hybrid which is going into the Palisade - 329 ponies.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I remember seeing upcoming Kia in articles few months back....(Hyundai owns Kia)

My impression was that they tried too hard with the design, but certainly promising.

I wouldn’t drive it.

 

[dtech]

I wouldn’t drive it.

It looks like they rounded up a bunch of bored employees, got them really high and locked them in a room with an assortment of discarded parts and there you have it a Frankenstein of a truck.

 

[Tim H.]

I remember seeing upcoming Kia in articles few months back....(Hyundai owns Kia)

My impression was that they tried too hard with the design, but certainly promising.

My 2 year old grandson’s Lego version of a truck looks better than this

 

[Cmar]

I remember seeing upcoming Kia in articles few months back....(Hyundai owns Kia)

My impression was that they tried too hard with the design, but certainly promising.

These are on sale over here now, by all accounts they are pretty good on and off road, and have Kia's usual high build quality. I thought about buying one, but.... well I'm sure it will look better once you take it out of the shipping crate. I'll just wait until the price drops, which it most assuredly will, although my wife has threatened to leave me before she would be seen in it.

 

[LB'sTremor]

that Kia looks suspiciously like a toyota to me

LB

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I remember seeing upcoming Kia in articles few months back....(Hyundai owns Kia)

My impression was that they tried too hard with the design, but certainly promising.

That looks like a truck I would build out of modeling clay in kindergarten. A bunch of rounded lumps stuck together.

If they would do something with the front end and make the flares look less tacked-on, it would look a lot better. Still bad, but better.

Manufacturers want their trucks to give off a "tough" appearance and look ready for adventure, but looking randomly stuck together doesn't look tough.

The Grenadier does a good job of looking "tough" but also purposeful without looking like a discarded design exercise.

The utility racks down the sides of the Grenadier are a bit of design genius.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I’d drive it.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I’d drive it.

Yup.

The Grenadier looks tough while also looking good.

That Kia looks like something the Toxic Avenger would drive.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Yup.

The Grenadier looks tough while also looking good.

That Kia looks like something the Toxic Avenger would drive.

It seems to be designed by, and for, these folks…

 

[Cmar]

That looks like a truck I would build out of modeling clay in kindergarten. A bunch of rounded lumps stuck together.

If they would do something with the front end and make the flares look less tacked-on, it would look a lot better. Still bad, but better.

Manufacturers want their trucks to give off a "tough" appearance and look ready for adventure, but looking randomly stuck together doesn't look tough.

The Grenadier does a good job of looking "tough" but also purposeful without looking like a discarded design exercise.

The utility racks down the sides of the Grenadier are a bit of design genius.

Yep I must admit they look pretty good. And also a bit of a parts bin job that you would do if you could build a parts car and and get to choose good bits to do it, BMW engines, ZF gearbox, TRW all gear transfer case, Eaton diffs, and a traditional old Defender body and chassis style. Most owners over here are pretty happy with their cars, even more impressive considering it IS a parts bin car from a low volume, boutique maker.

 

[Cmar]

If they would do something with the front end and make the flares look less tacked-on, it would look a lot better. Still bad, but better.
I hear that already Kia here are offering a no cost option if you want the flares painted body coloured. Probably a no brainer unless you are buying a black one. In fact actually looks pretty good on the desert sand colour, saw one the other day done like that.

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