Hyundai today released the first images of its new Crater concept, only fragments of which are known about for now. These first teaser images set the stage for the official presentation taking place on November 20 as part of the 2025 edition of the Los Angeles Auto Show, now called Automobility.
The sketches reveal an angular silhouette, close to the geometric approach Hyundai has been exploring for several years, notably with its Ioniq 5 and Santa Fe. The Crater seems to adopt more vertical proportions than the brand's recent concepts, a direction that could indicate the arrival of a different utility vehicle or a more versatile format. The pixel-patterned light units follow the same line as the Ioniq models, but Hyundai is avoiding confirming any direct link to a future electric powertrain.
Hyundai is mum for now regarding technical details. We also don’t know at this point whether the Crater is merely a design study, a vehicle to showcase new technologies or the precursor to a new production model. This discretion seems intentional: for several months, the brand has favoured fragmented communications in order to evolve the perception of its concepts without committing to concrete directions.
The interior
The sketches reveal nothing about the interior. Hyundai does say the Crater is meant as a “reflection on the onboard experience,” but your guess is s good as ours as to whether that reflection will include new interfaces, ergonomic solutions and/or innovative materials. The brand's recent concepts have focused on simplification, which could also apply here, but nothing confirms it for now.
One clear takeaway from these images is that Hyundai wants to evolve its design language. The full unveiling on November 20 will tell us more about other elements.
