A covered electric SUV was recently spotted in South Korea, which may be our first look at Hyundai's upcoming XRT lineup. The vehicle appears to pull several new elements from the Crater Concept, such as the tall, upright stance and pixel lights. While it's still covered, the SUV seems to showcase the next evolution of Hyundai's Extreme Rugged Terrain (XRT) vehicles.
As expected, the interior is less dramatic than the concept, with a layout closer to that of Hyundai's current vehicles. The images also suggest that the infotainment system may be equipped with Hyundai's latest Pleos OS, which is easier to use and more smartphone-like. This could be our first clue about Hyundai bringing the Crater Concept to life.
Recently spotted in South Korea, the camouflaged electric SUV appears to show an early-stage Hyundai Crater EV prototype. The vehicle is expected to be a part of Hyundai's XRT lineup, which will become its own sub-brand under Hyundai. According to local reports, another possibility is that Hyundai is skipping a midlife Kona refresh and plans to launch a full facelift.
If that's the case, this could be our first look at the third-gen Kona EV. The update will reportedly include more than a simple refresh with amped hardware, software, and a new design. Hyundai has recently added several XRT models, including the IONIQ 5, Palisade, Santa Cruz, Tucson, and Santa Fe.
Is the Kona EV next in line, or is Hyundai releasing an entirely new XRT vehicle based on the Crater? We will find out soon.
The recent sighting of a covered electric SUV in South Korea that resembles the Crater Concept suggests that Hyundai may be bringing this futuristic-looking vehicle to life. With the Extreme Rugged Terrain (XRT) sub-brand becoming its own entity, it's likely that we'll see more capable and rugged vehicles from Hyundai in the future.
