2 hours ago
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A new off-road-ready SUV concept sets the tone for Hyundai's potential off-road SUV competitor to Toyota and Ford, as well as the new Tucson family SUV.
The first clues of Hyundai's mooted rival to the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest have appeared in the Crater concept, a futuristic off-road SUV revealed at the Los Angeles motor show.
The Crater is based on a "compact monocoque architecture" rather than a ladder-frame chassis, and wears proportions reminiscent of the Ioniq 5 electric hatch-styled SUV, albeit widened and lifted on off-road tyres.
It sets the show car up as a preview of the next-generation Hyundai Tucson family SUV, due in showrooms next year.
It also hints at the styling direction of a future body-on-frame large SUV under consideration at Hyundai, based on its new ladder-frame, 'mid-size' ute due by 2030 for Australian and American markets.
The Crater concept is smaller than a typical large off-road SUV, and wears the brand's latest Art of Steel design language, with sharp creases, flared wheel arches, and pixelated LED front and rear lights akin to the new Nexo hydrogen-powered SUV.
It rides on 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch off-road tyres, and is fitted with large skid plates, a roof rack, and cables stretching from the roof to the bonnet for "added protection from low-hanging branches".
One of the show car's red recovery hooks also serves as a bottle opener, Hyundai says, while the side-mirror cameras can "double as flashlights".
Open the doors – hinged at the rear for the second row – and the interior swaps large screens for a full-width head-up display that includes the feed from the rear-view camera mirrors, plus key driving data and media information.
Pixel LEDs are used to convey information on the steering wheel, where buttons for accessing Snow, Sand, Mud, Auto, and XRT drive modes are also visible.
Hyundai highlights features such as the metal dashboard with a cut pattern, fabric strap- and metal gear-inspired details, leather lounge-like seats with four-point harnesses, and ambient accent lighting.
There is also a removable Bluetooth centre speaker, and a 'Crater Man' character seen on pod-like displays in the centre of the dashboard.
Hyundai does not say what powers the Crater concept, but it lists hill-descent control, front and rear locking differentials, and off-road drive modes among its theoretical list of performance features.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
