The ladder-frame concept vehicle heralds the arrival of a rugged SUV and Hyundai's first true pickup truck.
Hyundai has revealed the Boulder Concept at the New York Auto Show, a rugged, ladder-frame SUV that takes its design and purpose to the next level with the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler. The exterior follows a new design philosophy called “Art of Steel,” with muscular lines and massive 94-centimeter off-road tires. The concept features an adjustable tailgate, innovative roof racks and optional safari windows on the roof for maximum off-road capability.
Inside the vehicle, the engineers focused primarily on functionality, which is why durable materials with a touch of prestige dominate, which are supposed to withstand demanding conditions. The digitalization has been carried out thoughtfully; instead of one large central screen, four smaller displays have been installed and the classic physical switches and rotary knobs have been consciously retained, which makes it easier to control functions when driving off-road. Beneath the robust exterior and interior lies a completely new architecture with a ladder chassis, which will serve as the basis for a series-production medium-sized pickup truck. This will arrive on the market by 2030, and a series-production SUV version is expected to follow.
The upcoming SUV line is strategically key to conquering the demanding American market, so the production vehicles will be entirely designed, developed and manufactured in the United States using local steel. CEO José Muñoz emphasizes that they intend to fight with all their might in the extremely competitive mid-size pickup truck class, where they want to improve on the less successful story of the unibody Santa Cruz model with a better approach. The newcomer represents an important step in Hyundai's extensive model offensive, as the Korean automotive giant plans to launch as many as 36 new or redesigned Hyundai models and 22 vehicles under the prestigious Genesis brand by the end of the decade.
