Summary
Hyundai is reportedly preparing to discontinue the Santa Cruz compact pickup and pivot to a larger, body-on-frame mid-size truck expected late in the decade. According to Automotive News, relayed by Car and Driver, Santa Cruz production will continue through 2026 and likely end in early 2027 amid weak sales and elevated inventory. Hyundai declined to confirm future product plans, citing its policy against commenting on speculation.
Key details
- Sales gap: Ford sold 155,051 Mavericks in 2025 versus 25,499 Santa Cruz units, per Automotive News data reported by Car and Driver.
- Inventory and production: Roughly five months of Santa Cruz inventory at year-end prompted a production pullback in Q1 2026, Automotive News reported.
- Product cadence: Santa Cruz launched in 2021 on a unibody, Tucson-based platform; it was refreshed for 2025. A further refresh expected as soon as next year is reportedly canceled.
- Strategic shift: Hyundai’s next pickup is expected to be a body-on-frame mid-size model, aligning with rivals like Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, and Chevrolet Colorado.
- Positioning challenge: Those competitors have “years of goodwill and loyal fan bases,” Car and Driver noted, underscoring the difficulty of entry.
- Construction context: Body-on-frame designs generally favor towing and hauling capability, while Santa Cruz’s unibody layout emphasized everyday usability.
- Official stance: Hyundai stated it does not comment on future product speculation and that planning follows consumer demand and market trends.
- Unconfirmed possibilities: Car and Driver suggested the larger Hyundai pickup may share components with Kia’s Tasman and that the platform could also spawn a body-on-frame SUV; Hyundai has not confirmed these details.
Timeline
- 2021: Santa Cruz launch (unibody, compact pickup).
- 2025: Facelifted Santa Cruz on sale; additional refresh reportedly scrapped.
- Q1 2026: Production pullback due to inventory, per Automotive News.
- Through 2026: Santa Cruz remains on sale.
- Early 2027: Santa Cruz production likely ends, per Automotive News.
- Late decade: Larger, body-on-frame Hyundai mid-size pickup expected, per Car and Driver’s reporting.
What to watch
- Hyundai’s formal confirmation of the mid-size truck’s specs, platform, and timing.
- Any evidence of platform sharing with Kia’s Tasman (unconfirmed) and potential SUV spin-off (unconfirmed).
- Dealer inventory levels, incentives, and availability of Santa Cruz as production winds down.
