The rugged Hyundai Crater concept has been revealed at the Los Angeles motor show, showing how the Korean brand’s new design language works on a rugged off-roader.
Hyundai Motor America calls it a compact SUV, indicating this is around the size of a Tucson; like Hyundai’s mid-size mainstay, it also features monocoque construction.
The Crater concept could therefore preview design elements that will appear on the next Tucson, though some of the rugged design cues could also feature on Hyundai’s upcoming Ford Ranger-rivalling body-on-frame ute due in the US by 2030.
Hyundai is also weighing an SUV version of this ute. The brand hasn’t offered a body-on-frame off-road SUV since the Terracan was axed in 2007.
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The Crater is described as an “extreme off-road show vehicle”, combining Hyundai’s new-age pixel design theme with the brand’s off-road capable XRT factory-fit parts and accessories.
In the US, Hyundai offers XRT versions of the Ioniq 5, Palisade and Santa Cruz ute; in Australia, XRT accessories are offered on the Santa Fe large SUV.
The Crater concept’s wild exterior “reflects the landscape that it’s inspired by” – with its green-gold matte paint evoking the Southern California terrain.
The chunky looks are bolstered by 18-inch wheels with 33-inch all-terrain tyres inside chunky ‘sheer fender’ shaped wheel arches – with a tow-recovery hook doubling as a bottle opener and side mirrors as flashlights.
Front and rear skid plates are integrated neatly, while there’s also auxiliary lighting and a roof platform for mounting storage or more accessories.
The cabin sees the rugged theme combined with tech, with a ‘Crater Man’ character visible throughout the cabin across soft-touch materials and bold shapes and colours.
An orange cylindrical dash contrasts with ‘black ember’ leather interior and brushed metal accents, with wraparound leather seats include racing-inspired four-point harness seatbelts and ‘cylindrical cushions’.
Hyundai said the interior is designed to take a serious beating and will patina over time, adding to the vehicle’s rugged looks.
There are no traditional instrument cluster and infotainment screens, with a handful of small square displays instead like Hyundai’s Insteroid concept from earlier this year.
Other funky details include a removable Bluetooth speaker, seatbelt-strap supports, and a ‘squircle’ steering wheel showing drive modes – Snow, Sand, Mud, Auto and XRT.
There’s also a downhill brake controller, trailer brake controller, compass and altimeter, while the Crater also has a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit and integrated roll cage as an exposed structural element.
No powertrains were suggested by Hyundai for the Crater, which remains a design concept.
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