Hyundai Motor America has recently revealed the CRATER concept car at the AutoMobility LA 2025 event. This event marks the beginning of the next phase of the company’s off-road car design. The latest compact SUV model reflects the advanced version of the company’s XRT car design philosophy. The car embodies the concept of adventure. It also helps the company move beyond the boundaries of car design innovations.
California-inspired design captures adventurous spirit perfectly
The CRATER model has been conceptualized at the Hyundai America Technical Center in Irvine, California. The model takes inspiration from harsh environments and rough geographical formations. The model has Hyundai’s “Art of Steel” exterior styling motif, which expresses the power and flexibility of steel through bold shapes and sharp lines inspired by the aesthetic characteristics of the material itself—sturdy, elegant, and eternal in its aesthetic impact.
The exterior design theme has been coined ‘The Impact of Adventure,” which leads the way in detailing from the sculpted lines of the bodyside to the dramatic impact of the skid plate. The compact architecture used in the CRATER’s framework provides the car’s approach and departure angles to allow the car to traverse through rougher off-road routes. The car’s shape directly relates to its sense of adventure, along with its functionality.
Key exterior design elements include:
- Hexagonal faceted wheels: 18-inch wheels inspired by asteroid impacts
- Wide skid plate: Functional protection with visual anchoring
- Roof platform: Mounting point for auxiliary lighting and storage
- Limb risers: Cable protection from low-hanging branches
Interior blends rugged functionality with advanced technology
The CRATER concept’s interior has been conceptualized keeping in mind the tech-savvy adventurer who has an interest in rugged designs. Technical shapes are combined with soft materials that can withstand harsh conditions, delivering a merger of styles that provide comfort and functionality no matter the circumstances. The interior of the car provides ruggedness along with warmth through its distinctive design philosophy, combined with its premium crash padding.
A functional roll cage outlines the cabin, adding structural tension and strength, while integrated grab handles ease ingress and egress. The structural components of the vehicle provide the buyer with a safety feature that confirms the car’s purpose of exploration through the CRATER. The seats are wrapped, which encompasses three-dimensional support to provide the needed safety in off-road travels through the four-point belts.
Off-road capabilities showcase serious terrain-tackling potential
The CRATER concept adopts the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model because the concept proposes flexible and customizable digital interaction that can be adjusted according to the situation as well as the preferences of each user. The full-width head-up display incorporates state-of-the-art multi-functions combined with the feeds of the rearview camera mirror. The additional off-road capabilities of the vehicle include downhill brake control, trailer brake control, compass functionality, and altimeter functionality as part of the adventure package of the car.
The CRATER concept allows a wide array of functions in coping with rough terrain and in pursuing new adventures through the aid of advanced control functions. The gear-type multi-function off-road controller allows easy control of the front and rear locking differentials, traction control, and brakes. The mode selector for the terrain has pre-set conditions available for settings in SAND, MUD, and the specialized mode of SNOW.
The Hyundai Crater concept car embodies the brand’s vision of the next generation of adventure cars through its unique fusion of toughness and innovative designs, and technological advancements. The innovative concept car captures the meaning of freedom and adventure while incorporating functionality. This approach also makes Hyundai the trend-setting brand in the adventure car division and challenges consumers to live the impact of adventure.
