Hyundai's Tucson SUV has, across its past two generations, dominated the top of the Irish sales charts, becoming a long-standing best-seller. The next generation of Tucson might, however, ditch the curvy styling of the current model for something far more aggressive - meet the Hyundai Crater.
So, is this the new Tucson?
Maybe, and then again maybe not. The Crater is a concept car that Hyundai is displaying at the Los Angeles motor show, and it's been designed to show off the off-roading expertise of Hyundai's US-market rugged sub-brand, XRT.
In fact, the Crater has been designed in Hyundai's US studio in California, so it's very much aimed at American tastes, and is meant to show Hyundai's thinking when it comes to a serious off-road focused model that - again, maybe, maybe not - is designed to compete with US-market cars such as the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler.
So, it's not the new Tucson?
Not directly, no, but look behind the motor-show add-ons and there is very likely some of the new Tucson lurking in there, or at the very least some influences which the new Tucson can pick up on.
"Crater began with a question: 'What does freedom look like?' This vehicle stands as our answer,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design. "It is a vision shaped by our unending drive to explore - to inspire our customers to explore deeper and embrace the impact of adventure.”
This is a proper 4x4, isn't it?
Yes, quite apart from the boxy shape - which very much picks up where the current Santa Fe leaves off - Hyundai is really leaning into the off-road aesthetic: "from the chiselled bodysides to the bold skid plates,” as the design team puts it.
The big 18-inch wheels and balloon-profile 33-inch tyres are meant to mimic the shape of a meteor hitting the ground - hence the Crater name - while up top there's a fully functional roof rack with built-in light bars. There are even cables stretching from the windscreen top to the front wheelarch, which are meant to brush foliage out of the way.
The whole look is based around Hyundai's new 'Art Of Steel' look, which is more significant than just a mere name - Hyundai is the only car maker that also makes its own steel (Hyundai Group started out as a steel-maker and ship-builder), so there's added resonance.
What about the details?
There are some really clever things going on here, which suggests that Hyundai might have been taking a leaf from Skoda's book. One of the recovery hooks can double up as a bottle opener for wilderness refreshment, while the door-mounted mirror cameras can be removed and used to capture the scenery around you, or to double-duty as a handy torch.
Inside, the striking multi-section seats get cylindrical cushions with a four-point safety belt. There's even a fully-functional interior roll-cage, and a clever full-width head-up display. The digital displays on the dashboard are small and rugged, and backed up by dramatic physical roller switches for major functions. The cabin is accessed by massive clamshell doors which meet in the middle, while the Dune Gold Matte colour is meant to mimic the way the setting sun hits the walls of California's canyons.
Will it go into production?
The Crater is a pure show car in its current form - those massive clamshell doors and that dramatic interior could realistically not be productionised as they stand - but it's quite likely that Hyundai is planning a rugged, off-road-focused US-only model to sit alongside the Pallisade and the Santa Cruz in its American lineup, and it's definitely likely that this Crater concept will heavily influence the look and style of the new Tucson.