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Hyundai has taken the covers off the Ioniq V sedan as the first step in its commitment towards a range of specialised products for China.
Hyundai has used the Beijing motor show to reaffirm its commitment to the Chinese market with the reveal of the angular Ioniq V sedan.
Alongside the new car, the South Korean brand announced it would extend its joint venture partnership with China’s BAIC, and launch 20 new China-specific models over the next five years.
The Ioniq V is the first of those, and introduces a new styling language for the electric Ioniq sub-brand, known as ‘The Origin’.
Hyundai claims the Ioniq V is tailored specifically to the needs of Chinese customers, with local engineering input.
The wedge-shaped four-door blurs the line between a traditional sedan and a liftback, with an angled bonnet and bootlid that maintain the rake of the front and rear windscreen, giving the Ioniq V an almost mono-volume profile.
Angular corners, sharply-defined body contouring, and very few curved details give the Ioniq V a look closer to that of a Lamborghini than anything in Hyundai’s current range.
The body also incorporates narrow lighting positioned at the edges of the body, near-flush door handles, frameless door glass, and ‘floating’ side mirrors.
The Ioniq V’s design is a development of the Ioniq Venus concept, which was revealed just weeks before the production version was unveiled.
The Ioniq V measures 4900mm long, and 1890mm wide with a 2900mm wheelbase, making it just 10mm shorter and 30mm narrower than the current Hyundai Sonata, with a 60mm longer wheelbase.
Although Hyundai did not reveal full powertrain details for the electric sedan, the Ioniq V is claimed to have a driving range of over 600km in long-range form, based on often-optimistic CLTC test protocols.
On the inside, Hyundai claims class-leading cabin dimensions, reduced road and wind noise within the interior, and comfort-optimised suspension for greater ride comfort.
A 27-inch panoramic display spans the dash from the top of the centre stack to ahead of the front passenger. The driver faces an octagonal steering wheel.
The high centre console features the now-typical dual wireless chargers and pass-through storage seen on a number of other Chinese-market cars.
As part of its Chinese focus, Hyundai is set to introduce fixed pricing across its Chinese dealer network, create dedicated Ioniq retail spaces, and upgrade its existing aftersales maintenance programs, although the brand did not elaborate on the changes.
Despite the Chinese-focused model offensive, the new joint venture products are being launched under what Hyundai calls an “In China, For China, To Global” plan.
While no Australian plans are yet confirmed for the Ioniq V, it means that it, or other China-first models, could make their way to markets outside of China.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
