In Los Angeles, one of the boldest Hyundai concepts of recent years was presented – the Crater, a hardcore electric off-roader with a brutal exterior and a completely unconventional interior. The premiere took place as part of AutoMobility 2025, and the Koreans immediately stated: this is not just a show car, but an “adventure machine.”
The Hyundai Crater looks as if it was created for desert marathons and comics at the same time. Sharply defined surfaces, massive plastic cladding around the perimeter, square arch extensions, dark silver wheels, and 33-inch off-road tires – everything is geared towards maximum aggression. The pixel optics stretch across the entire width of the front and rear, and additional LED modules are even placed on the ends of the roof rack and on the housings of the side cameras that replace mirrors.
The detailing is also impressive: the Crater has additional air vents at the front and rear, contrasting tow hooks, a spoiler above the rear window, a diffuser in the bumper, unusual door handles, and red brake calipers. Elements of a heavy off-road suspension are already visible under the large wheels.
But the biggest surprise is the interior. There is no conventional dashboard in front of the driver and passenger; instead, there is a black cylinder with orange accents, suspended on straps with buckles. Stylistically, the entire interior references the character “Crater Man” – he can also be found on the external lighting. All screens are separate removable modules; beneath them is a panel with “dials” and physical buttons, which looks almost old-school.
The seats are four separate bucket seats with cylindrical headrests and four-point harnesses. The steering wheel is square with rounded corners, featuring retro buttons for changing modes and a bright center marker.
Hyundai is keeping the technical specifications in the dark for now but has confirmed: the Crater is fully electric. Most likely, it uses the internals of the Ioniq 5 XRT crossover: an 84 kWh battery and a dual-motor setup producing 325 hp and 605 Nm.
Will the Crater go into series production? Hyundai hints that it will not – the concept was created for design exploration. But individual elements could certainly make their way into the brand’s official XRT off-road packages.