This SUV is quite large and looks a lot like a hatchback.
Since Hyundai’s Ioniq5 was unveiled a few weeks ago, many people have wondered how big it is. Its design and shape makes it look almost like a hatchback. This extended video shows a prototype of the South Korean brand’s first dedicated electric vehicle.
Its dimensions can be compared to the VelosterN hot hatchback, which is parked directly next to it. The Ioniq 5 measures 4,635 millimeters (182.5 in) long. This is likely due to its short overhangs, low roofline, and small size (for an SUV), which many will be tempted believe that it’s quite small.
Although the car shown here features conventional mirrors, Hyundai will offer optional side camera options where permitted by law. This should make the Ioniq 5 more like the Concept45, which has retained much of its avant-garde exterior design. It rides on 20-inch wheels that have an intricate design and are aero-optimized for efficiency.
Hyundai offered a unique feature to this prototype at an extra cost. The solar roof harvests sunlight to power the battery pack, giving it extra range on sunny days. We didn’t notice the openings in roof-mounted spoiler. This also has a third brake light, with an unusual LED bar split in its middle.
We dare to say that the Ioniq 5 is almost identical to any Hyundai model before it. And those pixel-like lights seen on the concept car are just as cool on the road-going version. The shiny chrome accents could be removed and the logo should be updated to reflect the changing times. To show the immense progress it has made over the past two decades, sister brand Kia redesigned its badge.
After installing a large clamshell hood that is twice as wide as the car, the Ioniq 5’s front fenders are among the slimmest we have ever seen. The wheelbase is a generous 3,000 millimeters (18.1 inches) in length. This allows for maximum space inside if there is a flat-floor layout.
The Ioniq 5 was the first Hyundai EV sub-brand and will be followed by the Ioniq 6 next year. It will be the production version of the Prophecy Concept. There are plans to make a larger SUV, called Ioniq 7, in 2024.