It was 1974 when the econobox reached American shores in the form of the Volkswagen Golf, sold then as the Volkswagen Rabbit. It ushered in any number of competitors with a similar Bauhaus-like design efficiency that flew in the face of Detroit’s fixation on baroque brougham designs. Americans did embrace efficient, sensibly sized hatchbacks but subsequently spurned them for oversized, inefficient ones — namely SUVs.
So the appearance of the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a welcome change from the affectation that we’re all about to take to the Rubicon Trail when in fact we are actually trooping to Walmart.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a digitally drawn econobox reimagined for the road ahead, a battery electric buggy that’s at once fresh and familiar. It’s peppered with exquisite detailing, such as the strakes that cascade from around the wheel arches, the artfully slim headlamps and subtle interplay of geometric side sculpting. It’s all contained on a crisp, boxy form that offsets such flights of fancy with a functional sensibility.
