Life Unlocked
What would tomorrow's passenger car experience look like?
A legendary designer's collaboration with Hyundai nearly
50 years ago is still offering clues.
Today, Hyundai Motor Company ranks among the most recognizable automakers in the world. It sells on six continents, produces more than 30 models, which includes a dedicated electric vehicle lineup brand, IONIQ. A pioneer in next-generation energy solutions, Hyundai is rapidly transforming from a car manufacturer to a smart mobility company.
Two decades after enduring a grievous war, Korea still struggled to secure resources, materials, and expertise that more industrialized nations took for granted. Against this daunting backdrop, a company forged a partnership that would change its course forever.
Hyundai hired Giorgetto Giugiaro, the influential car designer who designed some of the most heralded cars in Europe. Together, they rapidly conceived, designed, and built the car that would put Hyundai on the global map, and its challenger spirit would distinguish the company for the next 46 years.
The Pony was completely different, original. Though the compact car segment at the time was similar, the Pony clearly had its own uniqueness, style, and conceptual originality.
The Pony concept was a breakthrough for Hyundai. Forged in the conviction that sophisticated design could be enjoyed by all, not just the wealthy, the car remains a powerful point of reference for the Hyundai brand.
With the introduction of the dedicated EV design of the
IONIQ 5, we want to rekindle that bold, pioneering spirit of the original Pony.
“The idea to bring heightened emotional value is timeless. It all started from that very moment when the veil was pulled off the shining, silver Pony Coupe Concept,” says SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design.
“The new IONIQ 5 takes both philosophical and visual inspiration from the Pony concept, to create a bold new EV design that connects a common thread from past to present and future of Hyundai design,” Lee says. “With the introduction of the dedicated EV design of the IONIQ 5, we want to rekindle that bold, pioneering spirit of the original Pony.”
More than a spiritual connection, the IONIQ 5 and Pony are animated by the same idea: the maximization of space. “We ultimately designed a product capable of using space to its fullest,” says Giugiaro.
The legacy can literally be measured in the IONIQ 5's generous wheelbase. This measurement equals or exceeds that of much larger cars, “including Hyundai’s own three-row Palisade SUV,” says Simon Loasby, Head of Hyundai Styling Group.
“In a compact crossover, this means there is more usable space for the passengers in the footprint of the entire vehicle. The extended wheelbase is almost exclusive to the second-row seats, with near limo-like legroom.”
That versatility is a direct byproduct of IONIQ 5’s electric architecture. Because its battery sits below the floor, the interior is free of cumbersome bulkheads, allowing rear seats to slide—an industry first. A center-mounted console between the two front seats also can slide fore and aft. These features are particularly helpful for a parent who needs to reach their child from the front passenger seat, or to make room for a bulky package.
“Our interior design group led by Haksoo Ha discovered all the little freedoms quickly adding up to a transformative design experience exclusive to IONIQ vehicles,” Loasby says.
Functionality rides high in IONIQ 5, but not at the expense of pleasing yet purposeful design details. “Colors and materials that are not only soothing but environmentally friendly; a new screen interface dedicated for IONIQ ; and small but significant details like tactile surface knurling and speaker patterns all communicate an exclusive IONIQ design experience,” Loasby says.
Outside, the car’s grille and lights present an interplay of pixels — a detail that hints at the timeless iconography of the Pony. “The Pixel is a design signature from the original Pony, a timeless design that transcends generations and time, and is both analogue and digital,” says Lee. “By choosing the pixel as our design signature, it emphasizes our relentless effort to redesign and rethink the automobile for next - gen EV mobility — starting at the pixel level.”
Disruption in technology has given rise to an exciting new age in transportation: smart mobility. Consumers have largely benefitted from new mobility services, encouraging urban planners to think about larger goals that impact society, for example, reducing congestion and increasing productivity.
Artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, and 5G technology are at the nexus of smart mobility. Automobile and technology companies have been designing the present and not too distant future of how we move around. As cities get denser, a mobility ecosystem is being prototyped across multiple industries, putting the intangible benefits to the symbiotic human-to-environment relationship first.
The Pony concept and IONIQ 5 share the clearest link through their emphatic response to this new world order: To deliver breakthrough customer experiences. Pony delivered style and convenience to a massive audience, and IONIQ 5 updates those qualities for a purely electric age.
It all points to the dawn of an era that Giugiaro, nearly 50 years removed from his Pony triumph, is already envisioning.
“The intelligence and evolution of humanity have always surprised us,” he says. “Entertainment, connectivity, ease of use—they’ll all increase as artificial intelligence helps people enjoy their vehicles to the max, facilitating their movements in total safety and offering more and more content.”
We create IONIQ design to offer transformative design experiences previously not possible.
Evolving to a state where cars offer more than just mere transportation requires something more complex than engineering. It takes imagination. Serving experiences to customers that will enrich their lives and delight them even when the car is at a standstill is the next door to unlock.
Then, electrification becomes a liberating force for designers that helps them address people’s needs even better.
“We create IONIQ design to offer transformative design experiences previously not possible.” says Lee. “Our heritage beginning from the original Pony inspires the common thread that completes our journey to create a new EV design for the next-gen mobility experience.”
Hyundai IONIQ 5 unlocks the future connected vehicle, redefining mobility as an experience.
