Hyundai is working on his first body-on-frame ute with the help of General Motorsand the new model should have known fundamentals.
GM Authority According to reports, the new Hyundai ute, which has so far only been confirmed for Latin America where it will launch in 2028, will be based on an updated version of GM’s 31XX-2 platform.
This debuted in 2022 among the current US-built Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon and is a heavily revised version of the ladder frame architecture used on the current Latin American Chevrolet S10 as well as the now-defunct Holden Colorado.
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GM is leading the development of the platform in Brazil, which will not only form the basis for the new Hyundai ute, but also as a replacement for the current Chevrolet S10. It is designed to accommodate both internal combustion and hybrid powertrains.
In addition to a hybrid, it’s likely the new Hyundai and GM utes will also feature diesel power. Currently, the Colorado/Canyon duo is only offered in the US market with a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine.
GM Authority The platform will also reportedly support single-cab body styles, as well as a rear axle that allows for greater cargo capacity. What is noteworthy, however, is that the current Colorado/Canyon already has the spring/leaf-sprung rear axle that is common in this segment and at the same time offers a braked towing capacity of 3,490 kg.
The new ute will be one of the first of five models co-developed by Hyundai and GM as part of a partnership between Korean and American automakers established in September 2024. Hyundai’s ute is also expected to be more different from its GM cousin and not be a pure rebadge.
Whether we’ll see Hyundai’s new GM-based ute in Australia remains a mystery, as the brand remains cautious about its first ute for this market.
We know it won’t be the current Tucson-based, US-built Santa Cruz unibody crew cab vehicle that’s thought to be on the chopping block.
Hyundai has confirmed that it is working on a body-on-frame vehicle for the US market, which will be launched there by 2030.
It is unclear how this will differ from the Latin American market coming in 2028.
Hyundai Australia has hinted that it is working with its North American counterpart, so it seems more likely that the US ute of the two will come to Australia.
“Strategically it’s still a work in progress. It’s designed for the next few years… and it’s still being developed in collaboration with the US,” Hyundai Australia chief operating officer Gavin Donaldson told Australian media in February.
“We’re not moving away from a ute, we still want a ute. We’re in good consultation (with Hyundai Motor Company). I think ultimately it’s (now) about the powertrain we want to bring into the country.”
Hyundai has hinted that it plans to offer a body-on ute, like sister brand Kia does with its Tasman – although the Hyundai ute won’t be a mere rebadge.
The Korean automaker appears to have a collection of electric cars in the works, with trademark filings for the Ioniq T7 and Ioniq T10 nameplates suggesting there are one or two electric cars in the mix too.
The Ford Ranger led the Australian new car market in 2025, followed by the Toyota HiLux in third and the Isuzu D-Max in fourth.
Overall, this segment – including both 4×2 and 4×4 vehicles from brands as diverse as BYD and Volkswagen – accounted for 19 percent of the total market.
Even more brands are entering the segment, with Chery launching its first ute in Australia later this year – complete with a diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain.
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