Hyundai XRT Concept: Shaping a New Off-Road Culture

Designed by Kangsik Park

High Performance, Two Paths

Hyundai defines high performance through two distinct brands: N and XRT. While N is focused on the racetrack, maximizing instinct through precision, speed, and the art of mastering corners, XRT translates high performance into the wilderness. It is not about lap times but about fueling the human urge to explore uncharted terrain, to confront the unknown, and to conquer it.

The project by Kangsik Park embodies this duality, giving form to a distinctly Korean interpretation of off-road design while holding onto Hyundai’s global design values. It hints at how Hyundai could shape an entirely new off-road culture, one that respects tradition yet embraces bold, high-tech experiences.

Design Language: The Art of Steel

Hyundai’s philosophy, the Art of Steel, is expressed here through intersecting dual-cylinder volumes. These elements create both strength and elegance, anchoring the vehicle in Hyundai’s design identity while pushing forward its rugged character.

Front Architecture: Curved inward to improve departure angles, enhancing practical off-road capability.Rear Volume: Inspired by a bunker, communicating solidity and protection.Fenders: Rugged and oversized, underscoring durability and toughness.

Off-Road Details with High-Tech Layers

Beyond form, Park integrates functional and forward-looking details that expand the XRT identity.

Quad Adaptive Lights: Designed to shift across different modes, offering versatility and safety in diverse terrains.Roof Rack with Drone Integration: A bold addition that not only enhances utility but also introduces a new layer of exploration, documenting and interacting with the environment in real time.

Together, these elements go beyond the expected cues of off-road design. They suggest a future where technology and instinct intersect, creating a richer off-road culture under Hyundai’s banner.

A Distinctly Korean Off-Road Vision

The concept is not just a study in form and function. It is also cultural. By fusing traditional ideas of exploration with futuristic design and innovation, Park positions Hyundai to define what a uniquely Korean off-road spirit might look like in the global market.

Through XRT, Hyundai has the opportunity to craft an identity that sits apart from established Western off-road cultures, bold, adventurous, and unmistakably Korean.