Hyundai took the wraps off an off-road SUV concept called the Boulder at the 2026 New York auto show. The design targets the same rugged, upright audience that buys vehicles like the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.
The Boulder's styling blends angular bodywork with more refined surface treatments. Hyundai describes the underlying design language as "Art of Steel." The overall silhouette closely mirrors the four-door Ford Bronco, though the concept also borrows from higher-end off-roaders — notably the roof-mounted safari windows that echo those seen on the Land Rover Defender.
Rear-hinged coach doors on the second row are designed to make loading equipment easier, and a dual-hinged tailgate can swing open from either side. The rear window drops down as well.
No ground clearance figure has been disclosed for the concept, though the approach and departure angles are clearly aggressive. The Boulder rides on 37-inch mud-terrain tires suited for serious off-road use. The cabin emphasizes functional usability, including fold-out tray tables and a preference for physical buttons and knobs over touchscreen-dependent controls.
Hyundai describes the Boulder as a preview of an upcoming body-on-frame pickup truck, though we also anticipate that a mid-size SUV based on the same platform will follow. Hyundai has confirmed the body-on-frame architecture will be engineered and manufactured in the United States for the North American market.
Six pickup trucks ranked among the 25 top-selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2025. The full-size segment dominated, led by the Chevy Silverado, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500, while the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Maverick flew the flag for mid-size and compact pickups. The truck segment is obviously a critical one for automakers in the U.S. market, and it's a space where Hyundai currently has minimal presence.
Hyundai's previous truck foray, the compact Santa Cruz, launched around the same time as the Ford Maverick but never generated comparable enthusiasm at dealerships. The Boulder's larger dimensions and more serious off-road credentials give Hyundai a much stronger play for the heart of the mid-size pickup segment.
