How Hyundai Became a Design Powerhouse | Bradley Arnold, Head of Design

Опубликовано 13 марта 2026, 13:00

In this episode of The InEVitable Podcast by MotorTrend, the hosts sit down with Bradley Arnold, Head of Design at Hyundai Design North America.

Bradley shares his journey from growing up around motorcycles to becoming one of the key designers shaping Hyundai’s bold new design language. The conversation dives into Hyundai’s rapid rise in the automotive world, how the brand approaches design and innovation, and what it takes to create vehicles that stand out in today’s competitive market.

They also explore the growing importance of off-road vehicles, lifestyle design, EV platforms, and Hyundai’s future strategy, including how designers balance brand identity, engineering constraints, and customer expectations.

If you're interested in automotive design, the future of Hyundai, EVs, or how modern cars are created, this episode offers a fascinating look inside the process.

Topics include:

- Bradley Arnold’s career and design background
- Hyundai’s evolution and brand transformation
- The rise of off-road vehicles and lifestyle design
- EV platforms and future vehicle architecture
- How car design teams actually work
- What’s next for Hyundai and the automotive industry

Subscribe for more conversations about the future of transportation, design, and mobility.

0:00 Intro to The InEVitable Podcast
0:33 Introducing Bradley Arnold (Hyundai Design North America)
2:40 Why Hyundai is entering the off-road space
3:05 Bradley’s background and ArtCenter connection
4:40 Growing up around motorcycles and Honda
7:10 How Bradley got into automotive design
11:10 Early career and working at different car companies
16:30 How Hyundai transformed its design identity
22:10 Hyundai’s design philosophy today
27:45 How modern car design teams operate
33:40 Designing vehicles for global markets
38:50 The rise of lifestyle and off-road vehicles
44:20 Balancing engineering constraints with design vision
49:30 EV platforms and how they change vehicle design
55:30 Hyundai’s future design direction
01:02:10 The importance of brand identity in automotive design
01:09:00 Advice for aspiring car designers
01:14:30 Final thoughts on the future of Hyundai and car design

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