Should Hyundai build a truck?

[Tom]

Hyundai has grown a lot in the last 15 years to include a wide variety of cars and SUVs in it's lineup.  I'm wondering if they could pull off building a light-duty truck.  Here in the US, it would compete with the Ranger and to some extent the Colorado though undercut it in price.  It would be basic, maybe using a currently used 4-cylinder tuned for low-revving torque.  Power nothing.  I'm thinking along the lines of the Toyota Pickup of the late 70's and into the early 90s- something cheap but good offroad.  If Hyundai can build a good frame and a real 4X4 drivetrain I think this could work.  Of course, this idea would likely be more popular overseas, where a diesel could be offered too and this type of product is more common.  Just an idea.  Comments welcome.

[Raghavan]

They already have the Kia Sorento body on frame chassis... i'm sure they could use that to compete with the Tacoma, etc, at a cheaper price...

[Catman]

They already have the Kia Sorento body on frame chassis... i'm sure they could use that to compete with the Tacoma, etc, at a cheaper price...

A small pick up that doesn't suck would be good.    

[TurboDan]

Plus, if Hyundai would be brave enough to bring a small diesel engine to the U.S., they'd have all the more advantage with the current high fuel prices.

[Raghavan]

They already have the Kia Sorento body on frame chassis... i'm sure they could use that to compete with the Tacoma, etc, at a cheaper price...

A small pick up that doesn't suck would be good.  

are you saying that the sorento sucks, or that every other small pickup out there sucks? :blink:    

[ifcar]

Hyundai has grown a lot in the last 15 years to include a wide variety of cars and SUVs in it's lineup.  I'm wondering if they could pull off building a light-duty truck.  Here in the US, it would compete with the Ranger and to some extent the Colorado though undercut it in price.  It would be basic, maybe using a currently used 4-cylinder tuned for low-revving torque.  Power nothing.  I'm thinking along the lines of the Toyota Pickup of the late 70's and into the early 90s- something cheap but good offroad.  If Hyundai can build a good frame and a real 4X4 drivetrain I think this could work.  Of course, this idea would likely be more popular overseas, where a diesel could be offered too and this type of product is more common.  Just an idea.  Comments welcome.

That wouldn't go with the image of Hyundai today. They currently make cars generally similar to the class leaders for a lower price, with interior quality and standard features being a focal point. This truck would go against all of that.

[Tom]

Hyundai has grown a lot in the last 15 years to include a wide variety of cars and SUVs in it's lineup.  I'm wondering if they could pull off building a light-duty truck.  Here in the US, it would compete with the Ranger and to some extent the Colorado though undercut it in price.  It would be basic, maybe using a currently used 4-cylinder tuned for low-revving torque.  Power nothing.  I'm thinking along the lines of the Toyota Pickup of the late 70's and into the early 90s- something cheap but good offroad.  If Hyundai can build a good frame and a real 4X4 drivetrain I think this could work.  Of course, this idea would likely be more popular overseas, where a diesel could be offered too and this type of product is more common.  Just an idea.  Comments welcome.

That wouldn't go with the image of Hyundai today. They currently make cars generally similar to the class leaders for a lower price, with interior quality and standard features being a focal point. This truck would go against all of that.

Do you think it could work in other countries where their image is not the same as it is here?

[ifcar]

They wouldn't make too much profit off of it, but it could work elsewhere.

[Catman]

They already have the Kia Sorento body on frame chassis... i'm sure they could use that to compete with the Tacoma, etc, at a cheaper price...

A small pick up that doesn't suck would be good.  

are you saying that the sorento sucks, or that every other small pickup out there sucks? :blink:  

The Sorento rides crappy but is otherwise a nice vehicle.  

[giant_mtb]

Should Hyundai build a truck?  No.  It just wouldn't look right at all.

[Tom]

Should Hyundai build a truck?  No.  It just wouldn't look right at all.

I don't think that's sound reasoning.  Did it look right when Toyota launced Lexus?  Probably not at the time, but look how fast Lexus has grown in 10 years.

[TBR]

I think a pick-up is clearly the next step for Hyundai/Kia, they can't compete with Toyota and Nissan if they don't have a full line-up.

[ifcar]

I think a pick-up is clearly the next step for Hyundai/Kia, they can't compete with Toyota and Nissan if they don't have a full line-up.

They definitely ought to build a pickup, but they shouldn't go for the inexpensive basic vehicle that Tom was describing.

[TBR]

I agree.

[giant_mtb]

If they make a good solid truck it will improve their image.

[Secret Chimp]

It might be better to start out with an Avalanche-like thing based on the Sorento... it'd be kind of strange for Hyundai to suddenly go "by the way, here's a pickup!" with positively no history or reputation for such vehicles in its past.

[ifcar]

That shouldn't be necessary, if they build a good pickup the first time, and sell it for a good price with a long warranty, it would do very well. Think Titan sales plus the benefit of a low-price reputation.