Imagine a tidy little pickup that sips gas, hauls mulch on Saturday, and fits into your apartment garage without eating a parking stripe. Now imagine it built by Hyundai and GM, priced for everyday drivers. That’s exactly what two of the world’s biggest automakers announced this week. They’re developing five all-new vehicles, including four passenger cars and one commercial van. But here’s the kicker…all of the passenger collabs are aimed squarely at global markets.

On August 6, Hyundai Motor Company and GM revealed a strategic collaboration that will result in four new passenger cars for Central and South America

A compact SUV, a small sedan, a compact pickup, and a mid-size pickup are in the works.

All have flexible powertrain options, including gas-powered and hybrid. A fifth vehicle, an all-electric commercial van, will be the only model built and sold in North America.

Hyundai will take the lead on the small car, compact SUV, and compact pickup, while GM will oversee the mid-size truck platform

According to the announcement in the Hyundai newsroom, each automaker will apply its own design language and branding, even as they share core engineering and manufacturing resources. 

The companies expect the joint lineup to sell more than 800,000 units annually once scaled.

The commercial van, which will be assembled in the U.S. and could enter production as early as 2028, is aimed squarely at delivery fleets. It’s a segment where electrification is already gaining traction thanks to major contracts with Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.

The decision to route all the passenger models away from the U.S. may sound strange, especially given the country’s renewed appetite for compact, efficient vehicles. But there’s a reason GM is leaning global with this strategy

In the U.S., GM hasn’t offered a true compact car since the Chevrolet Cruze disappeared in 2019. 

It hasn’t sold a compact pickup here since the days of the S-10. 

But buyers haven’t lost interest. If anything, demand for practical and affordable vehicles has intensified. The Ford Maverick remains a massive hit, with waitlists and resale markups that suggest unmet demand. Hyundai’s Santa Cruz plays in the same space, though its car-like styling and higher price tag put it in a different lane.

GM has nothing on the ground, stateside, in that compact truck segment. But that may be changing…

While not officially confirmed, GM is reportedly developing a compact pickup for the U.S. market that could draw heavily from the Chevrolet Montana, a unibody truck sold in South America. 

The Montana, redesigned in 2023, features front-wheel drive, efficient gas engines, and dimensions that would slot nicely under the midsize Colorado in GM’s lineup. A restyled, federalized version could land squarely in Maverick territory if GM decides to greenlight it.

Still, that rumored truck isn’t part of this Hyundai collaboration

The jointly developed compact pickup announced this week will likely be optimized for Latin American buyers. The region requires price sensitivity, repair simplicity, and lower emissions requirements that shape a very different truck market.

The story’s similar with sedans

Hyundai still sells the Elantra in the U.S., but most competitors have walked away. GM hasn’t tried to replace the Cruze, even though budget-conscious drivers haven’t disappeared. They’ve just shifted into crossovers or gone used.

In 2025, GM’s smallest sedan is the Malibu, a midsize option.

One place GM has found success lately: the Chevrolet Trax

After years of ho-hum crossovers, the redesigned 2024 Trax hit the sweet spot: stylish, spacious, and priced under $22,000 to start. It’s become a rare affordable new car that feels like more than just a compromise.

But it’s ICE-only, and GM’s hybrid offerings remain slim, especially as rivals like Toyota double down on gasoline-electric powertrains. 

The co-developed compact SUV with Hyundai might have offered a hybrid complement to the Trax, but that too is headed for markets further south.

Why keep these all-new 2028 models out of the U.S.?

Because GM and Hyundai are playing the long game on cost control, regulatory fit, and production scale.

Small vehicles are often unprofitable in the U.S. without major incentives or high sales volume. 

American emissions and safety regulations add further cost, and buyers expect more tech and refinement for less money. 

It’s a tough sell. But in Central and South America, those same vehicles can be built and sold more affordably, and with the right balance of simplicity and value.

The partnership also extends beyond the products

GM and Hyundai will explore joint sourcing of materials, shared transport and logistics, and even low-carbon steel production to improve supply chain resilience and sustainability across regions.

In the end, this deal makes strategic sense for both companies. Hyundai gets deeper into Latin America without having to carry every cost alone. GM gets to rebuild scale in the segments it has mostly abandoned in the U.S. without the regulatory headache. 

If demand builds, the bones of these vehicles could someday be adapted for American roads. But for now, the collaboration stops at the border. Unless you drive for FedEx.