Hyundai ute shapes up

[Franco Cozzo]

Korea's answer to the Toyota HiLux may look like this – and it could pack a 200kW inline-six turbo-diesel

When Hyundai finally enters the commercial pick-up game in the next few years, its first dual-cab 4x4 ute could look like this.

New renders of the Hyundai 'Tarlac' ute show the rugged ladder-frame pick-up with a front-end design inspired by the Korean brand's big SUVs, such as the Palisade and Santa Fe.

With a bold grille and unique headlights and tail-lights, the design is something you might expect to see on the official Hyundai website.

The new Hyundai ute is expected to break cover in the next couple of years and will be offered with a range of turbo-diesel engines – four- and six-cylinder – along with a 3500kg towing capacity and one-tonne payload, matching class-leaders like the Ford Ranger.



There will also be a Kia ute based on the same platform.

The striking new renders include everything from top-shelf models to rival the Ford Ranger WildTrack and even workhorse utes. They were created by artist Enoch Gonzales, who is based in the Phillippines.

When Hyundai's second ute (after the US-built Santa Cruz soft-roader launches in 2021) finally emerges, it will attack league leaders such as the recently-leaked Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger with a powerful arsenal of weapons, including competitive pricing, warranty and servicing, not to mention the potential of a beefy six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

Borrowing the Genesis GV80 luxury SUV's 3.0-litre inline-six turbo-diesel would give the ute a unique selling point, as would its muscular performance.



With 204kW and 588Nm, the GV80's new straight-six diesel -- designed and developed in Korea -- would out-power today's two heaviest hitting diesel utes, the Volkswagen Amarok V6 (200kW/580Nm) and the ill-fated Mercedes-Benz X-Class V6 (190kW/550Nm).

Back in January during the launch of the Genesis GV80 in Korea, Hyundai’s R&D boss Albert Biermann said the all-new diesel six could be primed for commercial vehicles – which can only mean the new pick-up truck.

"This engine… we can have so many applications. We make also commercial vehicles and so on, so this engine will be out there for quite some time," he stated.

There's also the chance a high-performance Hyundai N ute could make the grade.

Expect to see Hyundai's 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine making its way into the new ute as well. It generates 147kW and 440Nm in the Santa Fe.



While the US-market Hyundai Santa Cruz ute is a car-based lifestyle ute pitched as a 'sometime' off-roader, surf-mobile and camping partner, the second ute will be a bona-fide one-tonne hay-hauler designed for serious towing, load-lugging and attacking off-road tracks via a heavy-duty 4x4 system.

And while the smaller and less capable Hyundai Santa Cruz will be built in the USA at the marque's Alabama factory as part of a $US410 million upgrade, it's not yet clear where Hyundai will build the ute and it may even need a new factory to do so.

Hyundai's as-yet-unnamed pick-up is being designed and developed specifically for Australia, one of the world's biggest ute markets, but the Santa Cruz lifestyle may also come here despite Hyundai Australia's luke-warm response when it was first unveiled at the 2015 Detroit motor show.

Australian appetites for a lifestyle ute are limited, but Hyundai Australia has stated it would "…always look at the suitability for the local market".

It remains to be seen if the Santa Cruz will be built in right-hand drive but even if it is, it would be a mere sideshow to the big Hyundai 'Tarlac' dual-cab one-tonne ute.

https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...pes-up-124026/

Seems promising to have a new competitor enter the market who may offer bigger engines with more performance.

[jaydee]

Could be a good competitor in the market.
The current stock of Hyundais are pretty good quality and great warranty periods.

[XRtowcar]

The concept photo looks like it was styled by ten designers who never got to talk to each other.

[Tassie f100]

Will be interesting how it is priced.If they can keep it around $50-60k optioned up it will really give the upper priced Rangers a real stir up.Realistically the Koreans can build better cars than Thailand.

[BENT_8]

204kw/588Nm 3.0l i6 under stressed diesel.

Not sure about the rear end look or the high end version front treatments, but the white one, which I assume is mid spec, looks the goods.

[Captain Stubing]

It reminds me of the current Triton styling.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

The concept photo looks like it was styled by ten designers who never got to talk to each other.

If you've ever driven a Hyundai that's the way they steer as well so that's not surprising

That's probably going to be a moot point though because Thailand specials aren't exactly the most accurate vehicles in the steering department anyway

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

If you've ever driven a Hyundai that's the way they steer as well so that's not surprising

That's probably going to be a moot point though because Thailand specials aren't exactly the most accurate vehicles in the steering department anyway

It scares me, because in about three years we are replacing the wife's CX5 AWD, with a new tow vehicle... she works for a Mazda/Hyundai/Peugot dealership... BT50 is siding with Isuzu for their next model... am I going to end up with a Hyundai as my retirement rig in seven years?

I've been told we are getting a caravan to do the lap of Oz...

The Hyundai's I've driven, I have not enjoyed.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Captain Stubing

It scares me, because in about three years we are replacing the wife's CX5 AWD, with a new tow vehicle... she works for a Mazda/Hyundai/Peugot dealership... BT50 is siding with Isuzu for their next model... am I going to end up with a Hyundai as my retirement rig in seven years?

I've been told we are getting a caravan to do the lap of Oz...

The Hyundai's I've driven, I have not enjoyed.

We've got a Hyundai IX35 at work and it's understeer city, it doesn't take much for it to push it's nose wide.

It understeers more than a WF Festiva - which is a 20+ year old car designed and built by Kia with a Mazda engine and a Ford badge slapped on it.

[Captain Stubing]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

We've got a Hyundai IX35 at work and it's understeer city, it doesn't take much for it to push it's nose wide.

It understeers more than a WF Festiva - which is a 20+ year old car designed and built by Kia with a Mazda engine and a Ford badge slapped on it.

I'm not buying that crap! I'd rather maintain my WJ Jeep!

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

We've got a Hyundai IX35 at work and it's understeer city, it doesn't take much for it to push it's nose wide.

It understeers more than a WF Festiva - which is a 20+ year old car designed and built by Kia with a Mazda engine and a Ford badge slapped on it.

What tyres are on that ix35? Bet that’s the problem.

You old blokes need to get over the Hyundai/Kia’s are crap mentality.

[Burnout]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

What tyres are on that ix35? Bet that’s the problem.

You old blokes need to get over the Hyundai/Kia’s are crap mentality.

Who are you calling old, you hipster.....

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Burnout

Who are you calling old, you hipster.....

Were you driving taxis in Melbourne?

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

What tyres are on that ix35? Bet that’s the problem.

You old blokes need to get over the Hyundai/Kia’s are crap mentality.

They aren't exactly well known for vehicle dynamics and steering precision.

The only one they have ever made that would be considered good in that regard would be the i30N.

[Polyal]

Why do people expect SUV's and Utes to handle like sport cars?

More competition is a good thing.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Why do people expect SUV's and Utes to handle like sport cars?

More competition is a good thing.

Probably because they've been driving Falcon/Commodore utes and the Territory.

Then they get behind the wheel of the Thailand specials or Korean special SUVs and wonder where it all went wrong.

The only SUV manufacturers who make a decent handling SUV are BMW and Mercedes and they're HSV Silverado spondoolies for the povvo spec models.

The Falcon ute drives like a car, the Thailand Specials drive like a Toyota Dyna without the benefits of the small truck features.

Maybe I'm just not too happy to settle for mediocrity.

[Poetic Justice]

From what I understand by the time the Hyundai ute is ready for production it won't be built in Korea anyhow - I believe they're opening an Indonesian plant.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

From what I understand by the time the Hyundai ute is ready for production it won't be built in Korea anyhow - I believe they're opening an Indonesian plant.

I guess South Korean and Thai labour is too expensive these days

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Probably because they've been driving Falcon/Commodore utes and the Territory.

Then they get behind the wheel of the Thailand specials or Korean special SUVs and wonder where it all went wrong.

The only SUV manufacturers who make a decent handling SUV are BMW and Mercedes and they're HSV Silverado spondoolies for the povvo spec models.

The Falcon ute drives like a car, the Thailand Specials drive like a Toyota Dyna without the benefits of the small truck features.

Maybe I'm just not too happy to settle for mediocrity.

?? So your comparing a Falcon/Commodore ute to a Ranger/Hilux style car, there is the first problem.

And there are options, but people are too cheap to take them. Then default to the Koreans and complain that they are not BMW's.

Thank Christ this isnt a Chinese ute review, there would be URL's everywhere.

[Tassie f100]

If you consider finish,reliability and resale value, the Korean is probably ahead of the Gerry built

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

They aren't exactly well known for vehicle dynamics and steering precision.

The only one they have ever made that would be considered good in that regard would be the i30N.

That doesn’t make them bad cars. Further, compared to what else is available in the relevant segments, Hyundai/Kia are competitors and in some instances are better.

The biggest problem is people set in their ways, getting in a Hyundai or Kia they expect so much more than what is on offer. They then get into a Mazda or ford and think,” yep this is how it should be” even though the Hyundai or Kia is just as good.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Polyal

?? So your comparing a Falcon/Commodore ute to a Ranger/Hilux style car, there is the first problem.

And there are options, but people are too cheap to take them. Then default to the Koreans and complain that they are not BMW's.

Thank Christ this isnt a Chinese ute review, there would be URL's everywhere.

Why not the comparison? Falcon Ute had a 1 tonne payload capacity, correct?

That puts it on even footing with all of the 4x2 cab chassis Thailand specials?

The reason the Thailand specials steer and handle like **** is because they're cheaply designed rubbish sold at huge profit margins, it has nothing to do with the type of vehicle.

It steers like **** because the manufacturers want them to steer like ****.

They've even still got drum brakes on the rear axle.

You realise the Territory was benchmarked on the BMW X5 right? It was also around the same price as it's Korean counterparts.

The URLs you didn't even read

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

We've got a Hyundai IX35 at work and it's understeer city, it doesn't take much for it to push it's nose wide.

It understeers more than a WF Festiva - which is a 20+ year old car designed and built by Kia with a Mazda engine and a Ford badge slapped on it.

To be fair IX35 shouldn't be used to benchmark the Korean cars, it would have to be the ugliest of the lot - Kias included.
a Guy at my work has one he replaced the crap noisy tyres it had with a set of continentals, it still rides like crap.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Why not the comparison? Falcon Ute had a 1 tonne payload capacity, correct?

That puts it on even footing with all of the 4x2 cab chassis Thailand specials?

The reason the Thailand specials steer and handle like **** is because they're cheaply designed rubbish sold at huge profit margins, it has nothing to do with the type of vehicle.

It steers like **** because the manufacturers want them to steer like ****.

They've even still got drum brakes on the rear axle.

You realise the Territory was benchmarked on the BMW X5 right? It was also around the same price as it's Korean counterparts.

The URLs you didn't even read

Come on now....you can pick one criteria out of any class and start comparing if that was the case.

Everyone knew we would loose some qualities when the locals left, but we have also gained in some areas aswell.

Its a completely different chassis type so while it may share its 4x2 configuration the non falcon/commy utes need to be designed off a common platform. So no its still not really a straight comparison.

Manufacturers want them to steer like poo? I dont think so, they meet minimum requirements and then a competitive market works it out from there.

What test shows drums on the rear is insufficient?

Your comparison reads like Jeremy Clarkson on crack, they are basic commercial vehicles designed to to basic things. But you will notice the distinct lack of other manufactures making pickups that handle "Well".

And while I CBF looking up historical figures, the Territory back in the day would have been more expensive that the Korean equivalent, and when it wasnt it was because Ford were desperate to move as much as they could and clear the stock. So if your really keen do a price comparison from the first 5 years of the Territory's existence.

How do I know? I test drove and was around when they were developing them, I dont think you want to go down the "dont you realise" path.

So anyway, the GT86 as a hatch and so does the AMG GT, curse that 86 for being such a gutless wonder.

You are right on one thing, I didnt click on the URL's.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Why do people expect SUV's and Utes to handle like sport cars?

More competition is a good thing.

You can't win.. when they put coils in the rear of the Ranger Raptor people complained about its towing capacity.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Polyal

You are right on one thing, I didnt click on the URL's.

Doesn't take a genius to realise when it was 6 minutes between my post and your reply and yet you still put your 2 cents in without any information, aside from vested interest.

Don't worry you'll also be used in the CCP labour camp then off to the slaughterhouse to get your organs harvested, regardless of your sympathy for the CCP.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Doesn't take a genius to realise when it was 6 minutes between my post and your reply and yet you still put your 2 cents in without any information, aside from vested interest.

Don't worry you'll also be used in the CCP labour camp then off to the slaughterhouse to get your organs harvested, regardless of your sympathy for the CCP.

People usually switch off when others rant.

So we are not still talking about utes? For a bloke that pedals parts from China your view point is interesting.

[Poetic Justice]

The problem with Hyundai's reputation is that constantly people say things like "Oh yeah those old Sonata's are crap, ix35's crap etc."

They don't seem to say an awful amount about the current crop of vehicles - this is because as time goes by they get better and better as a brand. I was with a Toyota dealer from 06-14 and have been involved with Hyundai dealerships since 2017 and the product is excellent and getting better. The current gen Santa Fe is a prime example of this... and things are continuing. Check out the new Kia Sorento for proof!

And even with the ix35 - dating back to this vehicle it was smashing numbers out at its peak.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Polyal

People usually switch off when others rant.

So we are not still talking about utes? For a bloke that pedals parts from China your view point is interesting.

That's because you have no counter points, but that's fine, we manufacture our core product range in house in Melbourne and we have less than 50 products out of thousands that are sourced from China across 8 categories.

Falcon cab chassis Ute is considered an LCV by VicRoads, has a similar payload to the 4x2 Thailand specials.

The reason Thailand specials are made as body on frame and with rear drums is that it's cheap, when did drum brakes disappear from passenger cars? Sometime in the 1960s that discs became optional. Even modern prime movers and their trailers have disc brakes on them these days.

What sort of car enthusiasts are happy to pay through the roof for a cheaply designed product that's slow and turns and handles like absolute crap?

If it wasn't for the federal government giving large tax incentives on Thailand specials they'd never be as popular as they became.

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Why not the comparison? Falcon Ute had a 1 tonne payload capacity, correct?

That puts it on even footing with all of the 4x2 cab chassis Thailand specials?

The reason the Thailand specials steer and handle like **** is because they're cheaply designed rubbish sold at huge profit margins, it has nothing to do with the type of vehicle.

It steers like **** because the manufacturers want them to steer like ****.

They've even still got drum brakes on the rear axle.

You realise the Territory was benchmarked on the BMW X5 right? It was also around the same price as it's Korean counterparts.

The URLs you didn't even read

Franco you complain that the Thai specials Steer and handle like **** because of they are cheaply made etc.. However a Toyota Hilux Workmate starts at about $22k excl on roads. A Falcon ute back in their final years started from about $29k excl on roads. Many going for these types of cars are not gonna care how they steer or handle or that is has drums on the rear. They just want reliable motoring that gets the job done, and they go straight to the hilux because its so much cheaper. I agree the falcon is the superior vehicle, but you pay for that privilege. So we can't complain that the thai specials are cheaply made etc etc, because they are cheap.