Isn’t electric car jargon ugly? Previously, we were able to salivate via power, torque, injection nozzles and distributors. Now we’re stuck with miles per kWh and the number of charging sockets is messed up.
One of the terms that we will regularly praise is the “bespoke electric vehicle” or “electric car”. This is a car that should only ever be electric (like a Honda e, a Mustang Mach-E or a Tesla), as opposed to a Vauxhall Corsa-e. Things that were born electric rather than retrofitted with batteries tend to be better suited.
Because of this, the Ioniq 5 is exciting long after you’ve been drinking in its retro-angular shape. After all, this is just a five-seat, 5-dr, Korean hatchback. But because it lives on Hyundai’s brand new platform dedicated to electric vehicles only, it has many benefits.
There is a mighty three meters of tin between the axes. Adults can sit behind adults in an easy-to-park box. The batteries – choose between normal 54 kWh or oversized 72 kWh – are under your feet. Great for center of gravity, but don’t confuse this with a sporty car. You assume the dominant driving position of an SUV, without the wrong presumption in the field.
This platform enables a completely flat floor, so that the interior can be transformed as the mood takes you. The center console slides completely forward, while both front chairs have built-in footrests and recline almost flat.
Welcome to the virtuous circle in which the engine, transmission or exhaust do not have to be packed. Did I mention that the trunk is massive and there is storage space under the base for your dirty charging cable?
A generous family car. And yet, Hyundai was brave enough not to wrap it in a humble body. The Ioniq 5 looks like a hot hatch from the eighties that has been blasted into the future. It’s devastatingly bold and full of talking point details. These wheel arch strips. The robot’s dot matrix taillights. The solar roof.
Inside there are two 12.3-inch screens with a magnetic field that you can pin receipts, notes, or maybe family photos on. The seats could be from something French in the seventies – forgetting all about comfort and cornering.
It looks and feels like a machine designed for 21st century driving, the way it actually is, not the way we wanted it to be. Spacious, relaxing and really big. Common sense in the jargon.
Click here for the full list of TopGear.com 2021 Electric Awards winners
TopGear.com Electric Awards sponsored by Hankook
