Is a Hyundai ute to rival the Kia Tasman coming? Hyundai and General Motors rumoured to be working on a deal for Hyundai to sell GM-based utes: report

According to multiple reports, Hyundai and General Motors are in the final stages of a deal that could see the two car brands exchange the basis for their models, including electric vans and American utes.

Stemming from plans reportedly initially laid "during the first Trump administration", Hyundai is looking to increase its footprint in the US, and a partnership with GM is set to be a large part of the plan.

The Korea Times and Reuters both report that more announcements are set to be made soon, but two key aspects of Hyundai’s plans for the US are the shared models deal with GM, and a huge investment into manufacturing electric cars in the US.

The Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), a giant plant for EV and hybrid production in Savannah, Georgia has been partially operational since late 2024, but is reportedly set to be officially opened next week according to The Korea Times.

"(HMGMA) is ramping up production of the Ioniq 5 EV, which is already on sale, and it is preparing to produce the Ioniq 9 EV at the end of Q1. Preparation to add hybrid production is already underway," Jose Munoz, the CEO of Hyundai Motor Company said at a shareholder meeting late last week.

Munoz also stressed the increase in production for the US had been planned since Donald Trump’s first administration, and the goal was that a stronger US presence "will help mitigate the impact of any potential policy change”.

The Korea Times also reports Hyundai was seeking to invite Trump to the HMGMA opening ceremony, according to other outlets in the nation.

According to Reuters, Hyundai will also “share two electric commercial van models” with GM, while there is potential for GM to “provide Hyundai with pickup trucks to sell under its own brand in North America”.

Initially, Hyundai would import electric vans to the US from South Korea, but the plan is apparently to manufacture them in the US “by 2028”, Reuters reports.

While Hyundai has reportedly shown interest in selling full-sized utes similar to the Chevrolet Silverado, GM is only offering to share its ‘mid-sized’ models for the US such as the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.

It's not clear how Hyundai-branded, GM-based utes would affect its existing Santa Cruz ute.

The deal is also being reported in Korean media, with The Korea Times quoting Kim Gui-yeon, an Automotive Sector Analyst at Daeshin Securities, who said "given their high share of sales in the U.S., the cooperation between the two automakers will inevitably be focused on the U.S. market.”

While Australia’s affinity for utes is clear, the chances of Hyundai sending US-built utes with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car to Australia seem pretty slim, especially given the brand’s clear focus for the GM tie-up being a play for the US market.

Hyundai already has a strong presence in the Australian market, though it has slipped further down the ladder in 2024 while its sibling brand Kia held strong.

Hyundai sold 71,664 new cars in 2024, compared to 75,183 the year before. Meanwhile, Kia’s sales increased from 76,120 to 81,787 over the same time.

Kia is potentially set to rise further, with - you guessed it - the Tasman ute going on sale in Australia in the near future.

If Hyundai does push to sell a similar model in Australia, it would be more cost effective to draw upon the basis of its other brand’s work to do so, rather than importing US-built utes. Hyundai, however, hasn’t hinted at that being on the cards for now.