► New Hyundai Crater concept
► Mad Max-like design details aplenty
► Is this a new Tucson, or Land Cruiser fighter?
Hyundai has gone full Mad Max with its new Crater concept revealed at the 2025 LA Auto Show.
The brand’s new concept car is all about focusing on ‘designing even more versatility and emotion into future XRT models,’ including the Ioniq 5 XRT that bolts on a chunky bodykit onto the family-friendly EV.
Hyundai’s latest ‘Art of Steel’ design language is applied to the Crater concept – as it was with the latest generation of hydrogen fuel cell Nexo and the Concept Three that previews a new Ioniq 3.
The concept has tonnes of proper off-road ready details, like additional foglights, a roof rack and chunky off-road tyres wrapped around heavy-duty wheels. Inside, the cockpit is relatively pared back but has loads of details for surviving and navigating the wilderness like a first aid kit and fire extinguisher, as well as a compass and altimeter included.
But could this be a veiled look at the next Hyundai Tucson? Spy images (pictured above) show the new Tucson with a similar side window line, near-horizontal bonnet and similar-looking wheelarches. Tucson is a global car and the current generation includes an XRT variant sold in North America – something the Crater concept is designed to preview.
Either way, the latest concept shows Hyundai’s design direction continue to develop.