2024 Hyundai Ioniq 7 Will Crib These Bits From the Seven Concept

Look for the Seven concept’s pixel lighting to find its way to the Ioniq 7. Admittedly, this is not much of a surprise given Hyundai’s use of pixel-look lighting on the smaller Ioniq 5.

Unlike the retro-inspired Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 7 is set to fully embrace modern design details. Its front fascia even appears to draw on some of the same styling cues as those of the Hyundai Staria van, a model the company does not sell in the United States. As on the Staria, the high-mounted light bar of the Seven concept serves as the vehicle’s daytime running lamps, while the lower-mounted units play the part of the low- and high-beam lights. This setup is due to carry over to the production Ioniq 7, although Loasby noted Hyundai plans to put a flat and translucent cover over the mass of pixel lights to prevent road debris and the like from getting stuck between the individual lights.

Whereas the Staria’s light bar is separated into three pieces (left, right, and center), the Seven concept’s is one continuous unit—a detail Loasby said he hopes finds its way to the production Ioniq 7.

One styling detail of the Seven concept that Loasby confirmed will not find its way to the production Ioniq 7 is the flush Hyundai badge on the show car’s hood. Loasby noted such detail is easy to integrate into plastic body panels, such as the concept’s hood, but less so on metal ones like the unit Hyundai plans to use on the Ioniq 7.

The basic shape of the Seven concept came courtesy of Hyundai designer Woohyun Lee, whose initial sketch of the vehicle took inspiration from the teardrop-like shape of a torpedo. And speaking of that back end . . .

. . . Loasby confirmed that the Seven concept’s Volvo C30–like glass rear hatch is unique to the show car. We wager the Ioniq 7’s rear end will share its basic look with that of the aforementioned Staria. On that model, the rearmost glass seemingly takes up more than half of the hatch door’s real estate, the remainder of which is occupied by an exterior-painted panel that houses the likes of the license plate holder and hatch handle.

Look for the production Ioniq 7 to ditch the camera-fed exterior mirrors of the Seven concept for traditional glass units. At least in America, that is.

As with the Ioniq 5, Hyundai may offer its big electric SUV with the option of a camera-based setup. Even so, we doubt Hyundai will fit the Seven concept’s hidden cameras, which extend out from the lamps at the top of the front fenders, to any variant of the Ioniq 7.

What’s under the Seven concept’s long hood? Well, we don’t exactly know. That said, Loasby confirmed the production Ioniq 7’s underhood space is set to include a dedicated cargo area (i.e. a frunk).

We’re told the interior of the Seven concept is less representative of the Ioniq 7’s insides. That’s because the team designed the concept’s cabin around Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, a feature that is not expected to find its way to the upcoming Ioniq 7.

Certain elements of the Seven concept’s insides, such as the oval-ish cutouts in the door panels, are set to carry over to the cabin of the Ioniq 7. Others, however, will almost certainly remain concept-only features, including the L-shaped third-row seat and the steering-wheel-replacing joystick that emerges from the driver’s-seat armrest.

Although Loasby was unable to comment on the likelihood of the Seven concept’s wool seating upholstery making its way to the Ioniq 7, he acknowledged it’s a bit of kit he’d like to see in future Hyundai models. One obstacle, however, is consumer acceptance. “We have to hit a point where the customer is comfortable with it,” he said. The concept’s bamboo wood trim and bamboo silk carpets are likely in the same proverbial boat.