Hyundai Boulder: The Body-on-Frame 4x4 Coming for the Wrangler and Bronco

A body-on-frame beast with 37-inch tires just crashed the party — and it's coming for the Bronco, the Wrangler, and everything in between.

What We Know

Unveiled at the 2026 New York Auto Show, the Hyundai Boulder Concept is a proper body-on-frame SUV — not a softroader, not a lifted crossover. It rides on massive 37×12.50R18LT mud-terrain tires, sits on independent front suspension with a solid rear axle, and features the kind of design that makes you do a double-take. Hyundai calls the look “Art of Steel.” Think boxy proportions, safari windows like an old Defender, coach-style doors, a double-hinged tailgate, and a canvas roll-back roof. Inside, chunky rotary dials control the 4WD system and locking diffs. A digital terrain-spotter system reads the ground ahead in real time. Hyundai says it will be built in America, using American steel.

What To Expect

The Boulder is officially a concept — a design preview for an upcoming production pickup truck. Hyundai confirmed the truck but stopped short of a launch date. Realistic timeline? Somewhere around 2029–2030. Don’t expect the 37-inch tires to survive production, but the DNA — body-on-frame, proper off-road capability, massive accessories ecosystem — is the point. Hyundai wants to out-accessorize Jeep. That’s a bold ambition, but so was building Genesis from scratch.

Will It Actually Launch?

Almost certainly yes, in some form. Hyundai has too much riding on this — they explicitly said body-on-frame vehicles will be “woven into the fabric of America.” The Santa Cruz proved they can do a lifestyle truck, even if it didn’t set sales records on fire. The Boulder is a much bigger bet. With a Georgia plant ready for truck production, this isn’t a motor show fantasy. The question isn’t if — it’s how close to the concept it lands.

Freak`s Take

Let’s be real: the 4x4 world has been hollowing out for years. The Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero? Gone. The Nissan Patrol as a true off-roader? Largely replaced by a luxury barge. The Opel Frontera, the old Isuzu Trooper, the original Chevy Blazer — all casualties of the crossover tsunami. Even the Land Cruiser barely survived. We’ve been left with a handful of survivors — the Wrangler, the Bronco, the Defender reborn — and they’re all expensive and oversubscribed. The Boulder, if it arrives anywhere close to this concept, fills a genuine hole. Hyundai has the manufacturing muscle, the platform, and apparently the ambition. We’re here for it.

Bottom Line

The Hyundai Boulder Concept is the most exciting 4x4 news in years. It’s a statement that a new player is entering the arena with hardware that can actually compete. Three to four years is a long wait — but given what they’re promising, it might just be worth it.

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