Ever since Hyundai unveiled its latest electric vehicle, the public has been buzzing with new pieces of information almost every day. The Ioniq 5, which is an electric crossover, is Hyundai’s first car from the Ioniq subbrand. It is the first of a reported 25 electric vehicles that Hyundai plans to launch by 2025. The YouTube channel “Car Scene Korea” got the opportunity to look at one of the pre-production models in South Korea. They found the car parked in a charging station and decided to conduct a detailed review from the outside.
A Look At The Various Exterior Aspects and Features
The guy reviewing the car started off with the roof of the Ioniq 5. The roof is available in three different options. One is with a sunroof, one with a solar panel on the roof, and one is with a ‘vision’ roof. The vision roof opens from the centre of the cabin up to the rear windshield. The solar roof is similar to the one Hyundai Genesis had. But that was used to charge the 12V battery, while this one will send the energy to the main battery pack. Another option is the digital side mirror (DSM), which uses the sensors on the side to create a digital view of the surroundings.
One of the most striking features of Ioniq 5 is its wheelbase. At 3000 mm, the wheelbase of the five-seater is longer than the seven-seater Palisade. This improves the interior space of the car considerably. But in spite of the long-wheelbase, its overall length is reduced because of the very short overhang in the front and rear of the vehicle. Thanks to the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), most of the components fit between the axles, which means that the part of the vehicle beyond the axles is short.
The absence of an engine in electric vehicles gives them storage space in the front as well, often known as the frunk. The rear-wheel-drive variant of the Ioniq 5 has a storage space of 57 litres. With a second motor coming into the picture in the all-wheel-drive, the storage space goes down to 24 litres. Which is still good, but not as great as the RWD.
Headlights, Taillights and Overall Looks
The lamps on both the front and rear end look funky. That is because of the pixelated design of the lights. The matrix pattern on the taillights and the single strip of LEDs for the brake light look quite clean. There is a small spoiler at the top of the trunk, with air holes for providing aerodynamic efficiency.
The interesting bit is that the spoiler is a single piece running down the edge of the trunk till the bumper, which once again preserves the character line of the vehicle, something that is evident throughout the exterior design. The character line, which is normally quite evident in Hyundai cars, looks even cleaner in the Ioniq 5. The rear quarter panel shape has been modified to allow this.
The blend of chrome and matte finish in various parts of the exterior makes it look even better. The front bumper and the lining under the taillights is chrome, while under the headlights, it is matte grey.
Cameras, Sensors and Wheels
The front bumper is covered in sensors and cameras. Hyundai has announced that Ioniq 5 will have Level 2 autonomy. These cameras in the front help achieve that, along with one under the side mirror and a sensor on top of the windshield.
The most interesting thing about the wheels is the complex wheel design sans any spokes. Add to that a plastic cladding ridden with indentations along the wheel arch, and the design keeps on getting simplistic. And the frunk (front trunk) goes all the way down to the wheel arch, which means there are no edges running down the front end. It also gives a flowing look to the A-pillar. Similarly, the side skirts are integrated with the door unit, which prevents any hassles as you get into the car.
Doors and Windows
The windows on the Ioniq 5 are dual-pressed – two different layers of glass integrated together. This will provide much better noise cancellation, resulting in a more silent ride. This is a standard feature for the front as well as rear windows.
The doors are much deeper because of the integration with the side skirts as mentioned earlier. Along with that, the handles tuck into the frame of the door, which helps the airflow around the side of the car.
Why The Ioniq 5 Could Be Better Than The Kona EV
The battery pack in the Kona EV is in the rear part of the car. This disturbs the weight balance during the dynamic conditions and causes a loss of grip in the front tires, resulting in understeer. But thanks to the design of the E-GMP, the weight is more or less evenly distributed along the wheelbase, which may result in better handling. At least that’s what Hyundai claims.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be available in two variants, Exclusive and Prestige. The Exclusive starts at $46,000, while the Prestige is at $51,000. The Prestige variant will have options such as the digital side mirror, the solar roof and the vision roof too. The all-wheel-drive option offers exciting performance, but the rear-wheel-drive may also be adequate, according to “Car Scene Korea”.
You can view the entire video here:
