Not enough love was given to small pickups in recent years. In 2022 we got Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz which were the only real small pickups. This translates to them topping the selling charts. But in 2023 Chevrolet announced their 2023 Chevy Montana, however, this was not confirmed yet.
Kia is planning to enter the small pickup segment as well, something similar to Santa Cruz is probably in the works. A refreshment that the 2023 Canoo Pickup Truck brought is amazing, and it will hit the road as early as 2023. But the truck that spurred the most attention is the Chevy El Camino of course. Alas, we still haven’t received official confirmation of its productions but many remain hopeful.
In 2023 we can expect Ford to deliver on their announcement of another fully electric small pickup. Nissan might dabble in the small pickup category as well. We are not sure of the details that surround their plans but keep an ear out for some more announcements.
2023 Ford Maverick
This compact pickup truck from Ford is a refreshment in a field of full-size and midsize trucks. There were only 2 real small trucks and this one is great. Right off the production line, the little pickup is a hybrid. And recently there is news of a fully electric Maverick, which would be a second fully electrified truck by Ford.
The interior is stylish enough and it might get crowded inside. You can’t expect to haul anything too big in the cargo bed. But this is an excellent everyday truck. It has amazing fuel economy due to its hybrid system. Starting price is around $19000 which is amazing for a truck of this quality. On top of all that it has a turbocharged engine to give it some kick.
Read the full review about the 2022 Ford Maverick.
2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz
The only other small pickup is the Hyundai Santa Cruz. This versatile truck can be used for work and everyday agenda. It is very stylish with its sleek and curved body design. Making it very ergonomic and aerodynamic. The fuel consumption is small, so it will save you some money on gas.
Most of the inspiration for Santa Cruz’s design came from its cousin, Hyundai Tucson SUV. The interior is equipped with the latest technology and designed with luxury in mind. The cargo bed is only 4 feet long so nothing too big can fit there.
The price is around $23.000 for the basic trim. There are more expensive ones, SEL goes for $27.000 and Premium for $36.000, while the Limited edition will cost you $40.000.
Read the full review about the 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz.
2023 Chevy Montana
The all-new small pickup truck for 2023 is coming from Chevrolet. Chevy Montana is officially confirmed, and its production will start in the GM plant in Brasil. Sad news for all compact truck lovers is that this pickup will be offered on the South American market only.
New Montana will be offered in the Crew Cab variant only, and it will be a bit larger, and with better interior exploitation than the current generation. It will be powered by a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine with an impressive 164 hp, and 177 pound-feet of torque. In the future (maybe already in 2024), we are expecting this small pickup in the US market.
2023 Canoo Pickup Truck
This pickup is also another refreshment in the sea of classic-looking trucks. It resembles a van with the back part cut off and turned into a cargo bed. This is a fully electric compact truck and looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie. It can fit seven people.
The cargo bed is 6 feet, which is more than Maverick and Santa Cruz. It can even be extended to 8 feet. It has an option with one or two motors. A single motor unit can achieve 300 horsepower and it can go up to 600 horsepower with front and rear motors.
The battery is 80kWh and can get you 200 miles of range on a single charge.
2024 Kia compact truck
This is Kia’s entry ticket to a fully electric compact pickup game. The manufacturer has plans to start production of a fully electrified truck by the end of 2023. By 2027 they plan to have at least 14 vehicles run on batteries only.
Their plans are not unique. Many companies decided and vouched that they will switch to electricity as the only energy source for their vehicles. So far not many have delivered, we have but a handful of electric trucks.
Hopefully, Kia thinks about styling and design as well as technology. Perhaps giving the truck more range than its competitors would give them an advantage. But not much is announced at this point, except for the plan to make an electric truck.
Read the full review about the 2023 Kia small pickup truck.
Future Chevy El Camino
One rumor spurred more attention than any other. That is the possibility of Chevy bringing back a long gone but never forgotten name. It is the El Camino of course. The crossover between a car and a truck was quite popular in the 60s and 70s. There are still running El Caminos that cost a fortune on auctions.
Of course, if it was built today everything would be changed except the general look. Inside there would be new seats, infotainment systems, ambient lighting, and perhaps a digital dashboard. On the outside, fewer lines and more curves give it a more aerodynamic look and make it more aggressive. We might even get a popular SS version of the El Camino.
Read the full review about the future Chevy El Camino.
Ford Compact Electric Pickup Truck
Ford recently announced their plans to change the powertrain for its small hybrid Maverick. In 2024 they plan to make it fully electric. This would be a second fully electric truck made by Ford. The first one is the F-150 Lightning. Not much would change with the overall design.
Perhaps the manufacturer gives it some special features inside the cabin to make it distinctive from its hybrid cousin. But making it fully electric would give more space for cargo under the hood. It is only the question of how big of a battery pack and how many motors would they put on it. A range of 300 miles sounds about right on a single charge, but with a compact truck like Maverick, they might even get more with less power.
Nissan Compact Electric Pickup Truck
Nissan is the pioneer when it comes to making electric vehicles. First, they pitched the idea with their Leaf hatchback in 2010. After a few years, they are one of the biggest advocates for EVs.
They recently announced their newest release when it comes to electric vehicles. Surf Out is Nissan’s compact electric pickup truck. It is a single cab with sleek lines and a bit futuristic look. A two-seater might not sound like a pickup really but it is an old look that Nissan is trying to bring back.
Not much is known about the Surf Out except the idea and a few renderings.