Hyundai has just released a teaser for a mysterious debut, and we believe it's a body-on-frame off-road vehicle.

      Hyundai

      The latest automotive news and reviews, no nonsense

      Our free daily newsletter delivers the important stories directly to your inbox every weekday.

      Hyundai is poised to make a splash on Wednesday at the 2026 New York auto show, but the automaker is keeping details under wraps and is not dropping any hints. Could Hyundai be preparing to unveil something akin to a significant challenge to the Raptor and TRX?

      On Monday, Hyundai shared a teaser video that features a brief clip of a large rock hovering above a person on what seems to be a mountainous landscape in the clouds. What does this signify? It could indicate that the body-on-frame Hyundai might make its debut. Alternatively, it might suggest that a production version of the electric Crater concept could be in the works, although that seems less logical.

      🚨 No jokes here, just big things coming on 4/1 📷 Join us on Weds, 4/1 at 9:55 a.m. ET at the @NYAutoShow to see what we’ve been up to 📷 https://t.co/NKpjlCxSRG pic.twitter.com/UkqbfllcOA— Hyundai USA (@Hyundai) March 30, 2026

      Hyundai has previously stated that a body-on-frame truck will arrive in the U.S. by 2030, and it's likely that an SUV will accompany this new model.

      To pivot the market positioning, the automaker discontinued the unibody Santa Cruz pickup back in January.

      What could this new model look like? The Hyundai Crater concept, which was unveiled in November at the 2025 LA auto show, provided insights into the design direction of Hyundai’s team. It includes features such as sculpted metal, a raked roofline that evokes a sense of movement, large tires, substantial tow hooks, trail sights, and ample ground clearance.

      Hyundai also aims to establish credibility in the off-road segment. At the LA auto show, Olabisi Boyle, Hyundai North America's senior vice president of product planning and mobility strategy, informed The Drive that the automaker’s XRT trim "is not going to be just a trim," and the upcoming products will be "100%” more capable than the current offerings. Hyundai is eager to capture a share of the adventure and off-road market. Boyle further stated, “We’re bringing that true (off-road) capability and hardware to our vehicles moving forward.”

      Currently, there are no existing products that match those expectations. "You can achieve more with a body-on-frame platform than you can with unibody or monocoque constructions, as we sometimes refer to it. That presents us with many opportunities. That’s the key," Boyle explained to The Drive in November.

      A less likely but still possible scenario would be a production version of the previously mentioned Crater concept. This concept was developed on the existing E-GMP platform, which forms the basis for models like the Ioniq 5, the now-defunct Ioniq 6 in the U.S. (aside from the N version), and the three-row Ioniq 9 crossover. While a production variant is conceivable, the current trajectory of EVs in the U.S. market makes it seem more probable that a body-on-frame vehicle is on the way.

      What if that body-on-frame SUV or truck is named… the Crater? You get it? Like an asteroid that impacted the dinosaurs.