Hyundai Ioniq 5, we called it a mid-size CUV and we did that advisedly. Although you could be easily fooled into thinking it’s a compact hatchback from the press shots, its 118-inch wheelbase is around 4-inches longer than the Palisade’s, nearly 1 inch longer than the current BMW X5 and 2 inches longer than the previous, fourth generation Cadillac Escalade.
Mind you, there are some EV tricks going
on there. At 4,635 mm long, the Ioniq 5 is 348 mm shorter than the Palisade. Still, though, it’s longer and wider than a Tucson,
having essentially a similar footprint to the latest BMW X3 SUV (4,657 mm long). That comes across a little more in these photos, which show a
driver inside the car, helping to give the EV a better sense of scale. They
also help place the crossover in the context of the real world. Although the
studio shots really make it look retro-futuristic, when it’s painted a more
conventional color with a bit of snow on it, the strength of its aesthetic is
scaled back a bit. It looks like a more normal car, albeit still a handsome one
in this writer’s opinion.
Riding on Hyundai’s shiny new
Electric-Global Modular Platform, the Ioniq 5 is good for up to 480
km of range on Europe’s WLTP test cycle thanks to a 72.6 kWh battery. A
smaller battery pack is also available, as are one- or two-motor layouts. With
two motors, the crossover makes 302 hp and can get to 96 km/h in just 5.2
seconds, a little faster than an Audi e-tron. In its most efficient level of
trim (one motor, big battery), power is limited to 167 hp and the 0-96 km/h time
stretches to 8.5-seconds.
Capable of 400- and 800-volt charging,
Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 can recharge from 10 to 80% in as little as 18
minutes. Perhaps more relevantly, the automaker claims that five minutes of
charging on a 350 kW charger is enough to get it an extra 62 miles of range.
Inside, meanwhile, the Ioniq 5 wants to be chic and livable. Following in the
green spirit of the electric powertrain, the materials inside the vehicle are
all sustainably sourced. That means recycled plastics, plant-based yarns,
eco-processed leather, and more. Hyundai plans to start selling the Ioniq 5 in
Europe about halfway through 2021 and in the US this fall.
