South Korea’s boss brand rocks up with a tough looking SUV.

IF the Kia Tasman seems too … quirky … would this new concept sports utility out of big brother Hyundai be more appealing?

Chance of Kiwis meeting the Boulder unveiled today remains uncertain.

While this body-on-frame five-seater is designated as a concept vehicle, South Korea’s biggest brand has already committed to building a mid-size pick up of this type, with release in 2030.

However, at this point they are still saying what will be the first of a series of models designed in America is also set to be developed for America, and is certainly set to only be built in America.

Whether that means it is only for Americans remains unanswered. The two prime rivals are the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler; just the latter represents here though the Blue Oval product has been mentioned in despatches as being a candidate for right hand drive.

However, despite the shape that it shows with here, the make also says this vehicle is designed to compete directly with a model that is doing well here, the Ford Ranger.

The Boulder clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the Ford Bronco and its boxy, upright exterior design.

Hyundai calls this new design language the "Art of Steel," and there are clearly some other external influences present - note the Land Rover Defender-like safari windows.

Hyundai’s media share says Boulder’s boxy design gives the SUV “aggressive approach, departure, and breakover angles” and features a “generous fording depth.”

It wears 37-inch mud-terrain tires and features a full-size mounted spare on the tailgate, which features a double-hinge that opens in either direction and a power drop-down rear window.

There are lots of cool features inside the cabin which seems a further development of an interior presented in a previous Hyundai concept, called Crater, that revealed in 2025.

It has the same “Bring Your Own Device” rail system for what look to be movable gauges and screens, with a cylindrical dash below stacked with big vertical meters and chunky rotating dials. Those who have seen the Boulder say the difference is that it uses some more materials that a real car would.

Settings for diff locks, four-wheel-drive modes, and an ‘X TREK’ mode are discerned.

Hyundai makes no mention of possible powertrains, but US media expect the platform to accommodate pure electric, combustion, and hybrid options.