Hyundai is reportedly preparing to phase out the Santa Cruz compact pickup, shifting its focus toward a larger and more capable truck later this decade. The move would mark a strategic reset for Hyundai’s pickup ambitions after the Santa Cruz struggled to gain traction in the market.
According to a report from Automotive News, the Santa Cruz is expected to exit production despite earlier plans for another refresh as soon as next year.
Santa Cruz Likely Ending Production By 2027
The Hyundai Santa Cruz entered the market in 2021 and received a facelift for the 2025 model year. However, sources indicate that production will likely continue only through this year and wind down in the first quarter of 2027.
The decision is reportedly driven by weak demand and excess inventory. By the end of 2025, Hyundai was left with nearly five months of Santa Cruz inventory, prompting the company to scale back production in early 2026.
Hyundai has not officially confirmed the discontinuation. In a statement, a company spokesperson said that long-term product planning depends on multiple factors, including consumer demand and market trends, and declined to comment on future product speculation.
Sales Gap Versus Ford Maverick
One of the biggest challenges for the Santa Cruz has been competition from the Ford Maverick. In 2025, the Maverick outsold the Santa Cruz by more than six to one.
Ford delivered 155,051 Maverick pickups during the 2025 calendar year, while Hyundai sold just 25,499 units of the Santa Cruz. That massive gap highlighted the difficulty Hyundai faced competing in the compact pickup segment, especially against a well-priced and widely available rival.
Unibody Design Limited Its Appeal
The Santa Cruz is a unibody pickup derived from a stretched Tucson crossover platform. While this design gave it car-like ride comfort and urban usability, it also limited its appeal to traditional truck buyers.
Many customers in the pickup market prioritize towing capacity, off-road capability, and rugged construction, areas where body-on-frame trucks still dominate.
Hyundai Moving Up To A Mid-Size Truck
Rather than doubling down on the compact pickup segment, Hyundai appears ready to move up a class. The automaker has already confirmed plans for a future mid-size pickup built on a body-on-frame platform, expected to arrive toward the end of the decade.
This new truck would place Hyundai directly against established players such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, and Chevrolet Colorado, all of which benefit from long-standing reputations and loyal customer bases.
Possible Link To Kia Tasman
While details remain unconfirmed, Hyundai’s upcoming mid-size pickup is expected to share components with the Kia Tasman, a body-on-frame truck launched in late 2024. Platform sharing could help reduce development costs and speed up time to market.
Using Toyota’s strategy as a reference, the same platform could also support a body-on-frame SUV in the future, similar to the relationship between the Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner.
Prices In The Middle East
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has never been officially sold in most Middle East markets, remaining largely absent from the region due to limited demand for compact unibody pickups. Used or imported examples typically trade between AED 120,000 and AED 160,000 depending on condition and specification.
If Hyundai launches its upcoming mid-size body-on-frame truck in the Middle East, pricing is expected to start around AED 150,000 to AED 180,000, positioning it against rivals such as the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger.
What This Means For Hyundai
Dropping the Santa Cruz would signal Hyundai’s willingness to admit when a product does not resonate and pivot toward a segment with stronger long-term potential. A properly engineered mid-size truck could significantly strengthen Hyundai’s presence in markets where pickups are both lifestyle vehicles and workhorses.
Final Thoughts
The Hyundai Santa Cruz was an ambitious experiment, blending crossover comfort with pickup utility. However, weak sales and intense competition have likely sealed its fate.
With a larger, body-on-frame truck on the horizon, Hyundai appears ready to take a more serious shot at the pickup market, even if it means leaving the compact segment behind.
