Report: Hyundai considering entering the pickup truck market, currently studying the possibilities

AutomotiveNews reports that Hyundai is interested in the possibility of producing a pickup truck specifically for the United States market, according to the brand’s sales chief.

“We do not have a pickup truck. Other than that, we cover almost every segment,” Lee In-Cheol told AN, Hyundai’s sales chief. “We are studying that one very hard — what kind of pickup truck we should produce, if we have to. Is it a big-size pickup truck like in the United States or a small kind of pickup truck?”

Though In-Cheol emphasized that Hyundai currently has no plans on producing a pickup, however there is interest and demand as dealers around the United States and even abroad have been asking for one. In-Cheol didn’t have too much to spare in terms of comments, though he did say that it is currently being studied.

Hyundai’s attempt at entering the pickup truck market in North America would probably make it one of the most ambitious moves for the brand as this niche has its preferences with many of the offerings from Detroit’s Big Three, plus the few from Japan’s Nissan, Toyota, and Honda. In other words, it’s already a highly competitive market with the domestic brands’ being the most popular. So if Hyundai were to introduce a pickup truck, it would have to seriously separate itself from the rest of the pack.

“We are doing a good job in recent years without a pickup truck,” Edward Lee said to AN, Hyundai’s current R&D center executive. “A pickup truck is important, but it’s not a big priority for our company. But we have to consider how to respond. It is under study.”

– By: Chris Chin

Source; AutomotiveNews