Hyundai Crater Concept brings extreme off-road attitude to Montreal

Hyundai continues to show the Crater concept, a design study that has grabbed attention with its extreme off-road attitude. After its premiere at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, the show car will head to Canada—to the Montreal International Auto Show running January 16–25, 2026. The media preview is scheduled for January 15.

The Hyundai Crater Concept is a large, high-riding SUV shaped for rugged terrain, with a deliberately aggressive look. The company emphasizes that it is a real, physical show car rather than a digital rendering. Hyundai, however, is not confirming a production plan and is withholding technical specifications. Even so, the proportions and stance suggest serious trail intent, which keeps interest high despite the lack of numbers.

Officially, Crater serves as a preview of how the XRT off-road design language could evolve on Hyundai’s crossovers and SUVs. Several cues from the concept may find their way into future models. Some international outlets speculate that Crater could foreshadow a bona fide off-roader positioned against the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota Land Cruiser, but Hyundai is not commenting on that. Given the way the concept is framed, the brand appears to be keeping its options open.

Showing the concept in Montreal will help the company gauge the response of the public and the media. For now, Crater remains a design experiment, yet studies like this often shape the look of top-tier off-roaders for 2026 and beyond.