Hyundai has revealed the Boulder concept at the 2026 New York International Auto Show. The concept previews Hyundai’s first body-on-frame architecture, which will underpin a pickup truck in the US market by 2030.
- The concept previews Hyundai’s first body-on-frame pickup.
- Crater concept features a real-time software-driven off-road guidance system.
Hyundai Boulder concept: Exterior details
Gets an upright stance with a Liquid Titanium paint job
The exterior of the Hyundai Boulder adopts the brand’s ‘Art of Steel’ design language with the typical boxy silhouette seen on rugged off-road SUVs. The front-end gets a ridged muscular bonnet and two rows of pill-shaped openings studded with DRLs in Morse code denoting the ‘H’ letter. It also features vertically stacked LED headlights and DRLs on both sides. Lower down, an off-road-spec bumper can be seen with tow hooks and an overall rugged design.
Noticeable details from the side include wide front and rear fenders, sharp window lines, functional side steps and suicide doors. The Boulder concept sports 18-inch alloys with all-terrain tyres and has a high ground clearance. The roof features a rack and LED lighting elements.
At the rear, the SUV concept gets a double-hinged tailgate, enabling access from both sides, along with a full-size spare wheel mounted on it. The rear windscreen can roll down through electrical operation to fit longer items. Hyundai says that the concept is designed as a ‘blank canvas’ onto which accessories can be added to enhance functionality and aesthetics. The exterior of the Boulder is finished in Liquid Titanium paint.
Hyundai Boulder concept: Interior details
Features a software-driven off-road guidance system
The rugged theme of the Boulder extends to its cabin, with a beige-and-black theme. The two-tone three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel gets rotary knobs for accessing off-road modes, and there’s also a head-up display spanning the length of the windshield. The centre console features four screens that relay off-road-related information, navigation, and media, along with off-road hardware controls.
There’s also a software-driven real-time off-road guidance system that acts as a ‘spotter’ for confident off-roading. Hyundai says it has used robust materials for key touchpoints like grab bars and other high-wear areas, and there are fold-out tray tables on board as well.
Hyundai body-on-frame production version debut details
New body-on-frame architecture to spawn a pickup truck by 2030
While the Boulder concept isn’t expected to spawn a production version, its body-on-frame platform previews a pickup truck that will make it to production by 2030. Hyundai says that the production models will be designed, developed and built for the US market, where demand for body-on-frame off-roader SUVs is favoured. While there’s no confirmation for an entry in the Indian car market, the brand has confirmed a ‘muscular’ monocoque SUV with ‘off-road capabilities’ for India by 2030.
