Key highlights
- Hyundai debuts the Crater concept at AutoMobility LA 2025, previewing its future off-road “XRT” direction.
- The design leans heavily into adventure, with 33-inch all-terrain tires, hexagonal wheels, and strong underbody protection.
- Gets BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) digital interface, and terrain selectors including Snow, Sand, and Mud.
Hyundai has pulled the covers off its Crater concept, a compact but rugged off-road SUV that made its global debut at AutoMobility LA 2025. Rather than being just a futuristic design exercise, the Crater concept clearly signals where Hyundai’s adventurous XRT sub-brand is headed: fun, capable, and rooted in real-world exploration.
Built out of Hyundai’s America Technical Center (HATCI) in Irvine, California, the Crater concept is inspired by extreme landscapes and designed to embody both toughness and style. It uses Hyundai’s “Art of Steel” design language.
Exterior and off-road hardware
The Crater concept rides on 18-inch hexagonal wheels wrapped in 33-inch off-road tires, giving it serious ground clearance and rugged stance. Underneath, there’s a wide skid plate for protection, rock sliders, and a roof platform ready for lights or cargo.
For added trail readiness, Hyundai has built in front and rear locking differentials, a terrain mode controller (Snow, Sand, Mud, Auto, XRT), downhill brake control, and even trailer brake function. The concept’s front also features a pair of “limb risers” in the form of cables from the hood to the roof to protect against low tree branches when off-roading.
The Crater uses Hyundai’s signature parametric pixel lights on the façade and auxiliary roof lamps.
Interior: rugged, playful, and functional
Inside, the Crater concept is not a cookie-cutter SUV interior. It features a full roll cage, cylindrical “sleeping-bag” inspired seats, and a four-point seatbelt system which hints that it is clearly built for adventure.
Instead of a large central touchscreen, Hyundai goes with a full-width head-up display combined with a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model for infotainment. The crash pad is built like a folded sheet of metal, with ambient lighting shining through perforations.
There’s a dedicated “Off-Road Controller”, a tactile knob that lets the driver switch terrain modes quickly.Hyundai has also packed in safety and utility features like a compass, altimeter, and even a power socket for adventure gear.
Some recovery hooks double as a bottle opener, complete with a character called “Crater Man.”
Powertrain and platform
Hyundai has not confirmed a powertrain in its release. The concept’s front lacks a large grille, which has led many to speculate that it is an EV. That would align with Hyundai’s growing EV strategy and its use of electric platforms across its lineup. Still, no technical specs like range or motor output have been officially shared.
Our thoughts
The Crater feels like a love letter to weekend warriors and trailblazers who want something less tame than today’s soft-roading EVs. What remains to be seen is what shape and form it takes in the production version. Most important question, will it come to India?
Also read: Citroen Basalt Vision unveiled globally with sporty updates
