2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Has Living-Room Comfort, Hatchback Utility

• Ioniq will be a new subbrand for Hyundai, marking its EV lineup.

• The electric-only platform of the Ioniq 5 means more room in the cabin.

• The U.S.-market Ioniq 5 will come in both single- and dual-motor configurations, making 225 and 320 horsepower, respectively. It is slated to go on sale this fall, with other Ioniq models coming in 2022 and 2024.

After first getting an online look at the electric Ioniq 5 in February, we finally got to see it in person. There was no driving yet, but we did get to slide the console back and forth, admire its contemporary hatchback design, and make a smoothie in its cargo area. (That's thanks to the 12-volt outlet in the charging handle that can power anything from an air compressor to our item of choice, a blender.)

The name "Ioniq" will recur. It's a subbrand specifically for electric vehicles, and Hyundai says there are a bunch of those coming, all based on the new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The Ioniq 5 is the first to be released, a compact SUV intended to compete with fellow electrics from Ford (the Mustang Mach-E) and Volkswagen (the ID.4). Because it’s built on a platform designed solely for electrics, the 5 packs a roomy interior into a relatively small exterior package. The Ioniq measures 182.5 inches in overall length, 6.5 inches longer than the compact Hyundai Tucson, but with a 1.8-inch-shorter overall height, giving it more of a carlike feeling from the outside—it's a very sporty hatchback in profile.

Here's where the dedicated electric platform does its magic. Because the designers don’t have to work around placing an engine in the front or allowing room for a transmission tunnel underneath, the wheelbase and the cabin can stretch out. The 5's wheelbase, at 118.1 inches, is almost four inches longer than that of the much bigger Hyundai Palisade, which should make for a pleasant ride quality. Because the design allows for a totally flat floor, Hyundai can offer more legroom in the middle back seat, and neat features like the sliding console in the front of the top trim Ioniq 5 Limited. Good news for those who carry a bag: there's room in the console, and in front of it, to put a purse or backpack. Bad news for those who didn’t want to go top trim: the sliding console is on the Limited only.

Like many new electric offerings these days, the Ioniq 5 will be available in a single- or dual-motor configuration. The rear-drive single motor generates 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which Hyundai says will propel the 5 from zero to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive dual-motor version gets you 320 horses and 446 pound-feet of torque. It’s quicker, too. According to Hyundai, it should be able to hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

Oh, but how far can it go and how fast can it charge? Those are the big electric-car questions, right? The Ioniq 5 has an 800-volt operating system, similar to what we've seen from quick-charging luxury electrics like the e-tron GT and the Porsche Taycan. At a compatible charger, the 5 can go from 5 to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes and get you 68 miles of range in just five minutes. You can charge at a slower charger, of course . . . it's just going to take longer. Final numbers for range haven’t been released, but Hyundai is hoping for 300 miles from the RWD version and around 270 from the racy AWD one. We couldn’t test any of that in the studio, but we were able to explore the interior.