Hyundai presents its off-road ambitions with a robust new concept SUV

LOS ANGELES — Hyundai Motor aims to increase the rugged off-road capabilities of its vehicles in the United States, based on a new “Crater” concept SUV unveiled Thursday.

The compact, rugged vehicle blends Hyundai design features with off-road capabilities reminiscent of American SUVs such as the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and GMC Hummer.

“Crater began with a question: “What does freedom look like?” “This vehicle is our answer,” said SangYup Lee, Hyundai’s head of global design, in a statement. “It is a vision shaped by our relentless drive to explore, to inspire our customers to explore deeper and embrace the impact of adventure.”

Hyundai said the concept vehicle, which made its global debut Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is intended to demonstrate the automaker’s “commitment to designing for even more versatility and emotion” with future Xtreme Rugged Terrain vehicles.

Hyundai declined to discuss the production potential of a vehicle like the Crater, calling it a “design exploration.” Automakers regularly use concept vehicles to gauge customer interest, showcase future technologies and signal the direction of a vehicle or brand.

Hyundai currently offers XRT versions of its Ioniq 5 EV, Tucson compact crossover, Santa Cruz compact pickup, and Palisade crossover SUV.

The Crater concept was designed at Hyundai’s U.S. Technical Center in Irvine, California, the company said.

Automakers have expanded their offerings of off-road capable or inspired vehicles to attract new buyers and increase profits. It’s relatively easy for companies to make these models by adding higher-performance parts and features to current vehicles.

“Crater Concept explores the next evolution of Hyundai’s rugged XRT design with even more ruggedness and capability to reflect the desires of American customers,” Hyundai said in the release.

Hyundai has aggressively increased its vehicle lineup and sales in the United States in recent years. The automaker is on track to cruise through the third quarter of 2025 for its fifth consecutive year of record retail sales.

From 2019 to 2024, sales of the Hyundai brand increased by 21.5% to more than 836,800 units last year. Including its Genesis luxury brand and Kia, which operates separately in the United States, Hyundai’s domestic sales increased 29% during that period to more than 1.7 million vehicles.