Peter Lyon
November 18, 2025
Today, Hyundai unveiled teaser sketches of the CRATER Concept extreme off-road show vehicle. CRATER Concept is set to make its global debut during a press conference at AutoMobility LA 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif. on Nov. 20 at 9:45 a.m. PT.
The CRATER Concept will be viewable throughout AutoMobility LA 2025 media days, as well as Los Angeles Auto Show public days from Friday, November 21 – Sunday, November 30. In addition, the vehicle’s global debut press conference will be livestreamed around the world. The broadcast can be viewed beginning at 9:45 a.m. PT. Tune in to see the reveal of Hyundai’s bold new off-road concept vehicle.
Crater Concept was conceived in California
CRATER Concept is a compact off-road SUV show vehicle that embodies capability and toughness. It is a design exploration that captures the spirit of adventure. Inspired by extreme environments, the CRATER Concept was conceived at Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI) in Irvine, Calif. and has been crafted to amplify the same spirit and robustness found in Hyundai’s XRT production vehicles, including the IONIQ 5 XRT, SANTA CRUZ XRT, and the new PALISADE XRT PRO.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Hyundai is launching this extreme machine later this month in the U.S., but the company is not happy with the ICE raid that took place recently. The fallout from that ICE raid at a Hyundai plant includes significant diplomatic strain with South Korea, delays in factory construction, severe trauma for the detained workers—who were shackled, and conflicting signals from the U.S. government regarding immigration enforcement versus encouraging foreign investment. South Korea has expressed shock and concern, with some leaders calling the treatment of the workers “bewildering” and questioning future investments in the U.S.. The U.S. government has since engaged in damage control, with some officials regretting the incident and stating that foreign workers will not be disadvantaged in the future, though a high-level U.S. official confirmed a broad enforcement agenda beyond just immigration violations.
What’s at stake—These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 850 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a published economic impact report.
