Hyundai is showcasing its off-road ambitions with a powerful new SUV concept

LOS ANGELES – Hyundai Motor Co. is aiming to increase the off-road capabilities of its vehicles in the United States, based on the new “Crater” SUV concept unveiled Thursday.

The powerful compact vehicle combines Hyundai design characteristics with off-road capabilities reminiscent of American SUVs like the Jeep Wrangler. Ford bronco and GMC Hammer.

Crater began by asking: What does freedom look like? “This car represents our answer,” SangYup Lee, Hyundai’s global design chief, said in a statement. “It’s a vision shaped by our never-ending quest to explore – to inspire our customers to explore deeper and embrace the impact of adventure.”

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

Hyundai declined to discuss the possibility of producing a car like the Crater, describing it as a “design exploration.” Automakers routinely use concept vehicles to gauge customer interest, showcase future technologies, and indicate the direction of a vehicle or brand.

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

The company said that the Crater concept was designed at Hyundai’s American technical center in Irvine, California.

Automakers have beefed up their offerings of off-road or off-road-inspired vehicles as a way to attract new buyers and increase profits. It is relatively easy for companies to make these models by adding more capable parts and features to existing vehicles.

“The Crater concept explores the next evolution of Hyundai’s powerful XRT design with greater durability and capability to reflect the desires of American customers,” Hyundai said in the statement.

Hyundai has been aggressively growing its lineup and sales in the United States in recent years. The automaker is on pace to push through the third quarter of 2025 for a fifth straight year of record retail sales.

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