Why it’s China v South Korea for the future of utes: Forget the 2026 BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha and MG U9, Hyundai and Kia are the ute brands to pay attention to as the dual-cab market gets shaken up

The ute market is on the verge of being turned upside down. The established leaders, the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, are under threat like never before and it’s not just the new Chinese brands they should be worried about.

While the BYD Shark 6 has made an immediate impact alongside the GWM Cannon Alpha, MG U9, JAC Hunter and other Chinese utes which are either here or on the way, it’s not these newer brands which pose the biggest potential challenge to Ford, Toyota and the other 'legacy' ute brands like Mazda, Mitsubishi and Isuzu.

Kia’s recently launched Tasman may not have won universal praise for its looks or powertrain, but the brand is clearly serious about its ute aspirations and is willing to spend whatever it takes to get it right.

Then there’s Hyundai looming in the background, patiently waiting to get the right model to hit the bullseye of the moving target that is the current ute market. The brand has arguably been very slow to react. It could have (and arguably should have) launched a ute five years ago.

But by waiting, Hyundai is now in the prime position to see which way the winds are blowing. Ford, Toyota, Isuzu and Mitsubishi are in the dominant position now with their diesel-powered models, but the BYD demonstrates there is a growing market for a hybrid alternative.

Ford has hedged its bets with the Ranger plug-in hybrid, but there’s no guarantee the market will wholeheartedly shift that way. So Hyundai can sit back and watch which way the trends are going in the next 12-18 months and then make a call on the right powertrain for its new ute to hit showrooms before the end of the decade.

Hyundai can also afford to focus its time and effort on the powertrain, as it has partnered with General Motors to build the platform. What GM doesn’t know about building utes/pickups isn’t worth knowing, so once again Hyundai has positioned itself in the best-case scenario.

The Korean giant can leave the elements of the project it doesn’t specialise in - such as body-on-frame chassis - to GM and instead worry about getting the styling right to suit the modern ute buyer and nail the powertrains.

While no-one within the company is confirming any details, all indications point to some form of hybrid - either a conventional set-up or a plug-in. Hyundai has experience with both technologies so should be able to get it right. The brand's CEO in Australia Don Romano has made it clear that his priority during his expected three year tenure is to get the ute at least on the launch pad for Australia. And he makes it clear that it will be “different” from what is already available.

“It can’t be another diesel ute,” he said in a recent interview. “I don’t think Australia needs another diesel ute. I think if you look at the utes overall, you’re gonna see a decline in the volume this year. And I don’t think the world needs another diesel ute. So I think considering what we do and what we do very well, I think we have to look at options. And I can’t tell you whether it’s a PHEV (plug-in hybrid), a HEV (hybrid) or a BEV (all-electric), but I think those are options that have to be considered. And I think those are the areas that will give us an opportunity for expansion.”

Having said all this, Hyundai will be under no illusion that toppling the established order in the ute segment will be easy. The Ranger and HiLux remain locked not only at the top of the segment, but amongst the top three selling vehicles in the entire country.

But as the recent success of the BYD Shark 6 has shown, even if it has cooled slightly in the latest round of sales figures, is Australians will shift if the product is right. And Hyundai is perfectly positioned to get the product right.