Last year, the top best-selling vehicles in America included several pickup trucks. Ford’s F-Series took the lead, followed by the Chevy Silverado and Ram’s trucks in third place. Not to be forgotten, GMC’s Sierra placed seventh, and Toyota’s mid-sized Tacoma came in eleventh, despite transitioning to a new generation. However, the spotlight shines on Ford’s compact pickup truck, the Maverick, which surpassed its only competitor, Hyundai’s Santa Cruz, in sales of hybrid models, even outperforming Ford’s F-150 PowerBoost.
The Ford Maverick, America’s favorite mini truck, sold over 94,000 units last year, while Hyundai’s Santa Cruz sold almost 37,000. This outstanding performance even outshined the sales of larger mid-size pickup trucks like Honda’s Ridgeline, which also features a unibody construction and sold 52,000 units in 2023. The Ford Maverick’s appeal lies in its rugged design, affordable starting price, and the option of a hybrid powertrain.
However, the road ahead may prove more challenging for the compact pickup truck in 2024. Our spy photographers have caught a glimpse of the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck during testing alongside its 2024 sibling. It seems that the South Korean automaker aims to give the Santa Cruz a more rugged appearance, distinguishing it further from the Tucson crossover SUV. But what if Ford faced competition from one of the Detroit Three automakers?
Rumors suggest that Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, will not sit idly by and may introduce the Brazil-made Ram Rampage to North America to rival the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. However, digital car content creators speculate that General Motors (GM) could deliver the most decisive blow if Chevrolet revives the iconic El Camino name for a competing unibody compact pickup truck.
Dimas Ramadhan, a virtual automotive artist known for the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has created a CGI rendering of a potential El Camino revival. The design is based on the same four-door platform as the Maverick and Santa Cruz. While some fans may have reservations about a crew cab El Camino, considering the history of the original El Camino produced from 1959 to 1987, it’s understandable.
Additionally, one might question whether it is wise for Chevrolet to borrow the looks of their current range of crossover SUVs for a potential El Camino comeback. This approach did not fare well for the Hyundai Santa Cruz when competing against the Ford Maverick, which shares more stylistic similarities with the Ranger and F-150, despite being built on the same underlying platform as the Bronco Sport and Escape crossovers.
