Production-Spec Hyundai Boulder Off-Roader Design Patented In India

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has filed a design patent in India for a production-spec version of the Boulder off-road SUV concept. The Hyundai Boulder concept debuted at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, previewing the brand's first body-on-frame architecture built for a pickup truck due in the US by 2030.

The patent design closely mirrors the concept's boxy, rugged proportions, though the front fascia carries some notable changes. Hyundai had earlier confirmed plans for an off-road-focused SUV in its India line-up before FY2030, and this filing strengthens speculation that the Boulder could underpin it.

Hyundai Boulder: Exterior Design

The patented SUV retains the concept's chunky off-road tyres, muscular cladding, squared-off fenders and L-shaped C-pillars. Up front, though, two smaller square headlamps flanked by vertical LED strips replace the concept's large dual-headlamp clusters.

The slotted grille cover seen on the concept is gone too, giving way to a cleaner, more closed-off design in the patent image. The bumper looks different as well, with a defined skid plate carrying rows of small rectangular slats and integrated tow hooks.

On the side, the concept's rounded wheel-arch cladding is squared off in the patent, and the wheel design has changed too. Wide fenders continue at both ends, and the concept's 18-inch wheels give an idea of the scale involved.

Instead of the concept's roof-mounted light bar, the patented SUV gets a large roof rack with limb risers running towards the front fenders. These cables shield the windshield from branches when driving through dense overgrowth. The windows are also less rounded, and the small glass panels above them have been dropped.

The patent does not show the rear, but the concept's tail features vertically stacked LED tail-lamps set within flared fenders, a bootlid-mounted spare wheel and an off-road-spec bumper.

Hyundai Boulder Patent: Interior

Interior details are absent from the patent as well. The concept's black-and-beige cabin gets four rotary knobs on the centre console for 4WD and off-road modes, with an inclinometer positioned between them. A row of four rectangular screens sits above the knobs, alongside a head-up display that spans the width of the dashboard.

Large storage cubbies with orange ambient lighting feature in the dashboard. The two-tone, three-spoke, flat-bottomed steering wheel gets a floating central hub design along with an additional rotary knob for off-road modes. Physical buttons styled like aircraft cockpit controls and exposed gear-lever linkages round off the rugged cabin theme.

Hyundai Boulder: India launch plans

Hyundai confirmed during its 2025 Investor Day that it will add an off-road-focused SUV to its India line-up before FY2030. The company has also outlined plans to launch at least 26 models in India by 2030, spanning EVs, ICE vehicles and premium offerings.

There is no official confirmation yet that the Hyundai Boulder Concept itself will make it to India, in SUV or pickup truck form. The design patent filing, however, adds further weight to the possibility.