If you’ve been a user of this big, lovely, stupid network of computers and internet-connected nannycams that we call “the web” chances are that you have encountered a particular and strange ad. The ad, which I’ve helpfully shown you above, is of a Hyundai Ioniq 5, with its tailgate open, but it’s not open in the sense that any Ionic 5 ever made can open its hatch; it’s slid onto the roof, in a strange but not unappealing way. So what the hell is going on here? Is this just some devious yet stupid way for the advertiser to get you to click on their ad? Probably. But, strangely for ads on the internet, there’s also a bit of real-world truth behind it all. I’ll explain.
Now, we all know that a Ionic 5’s hatch opens like a normal hatch, like this:
No surprises there. That’s how hatchbacks work! But this little ad clearly shows something very different:
In this, the hatch appears to slide up onto the roof, via the roof rails. While this method does appear to slightly limit the vertical size of the opening, it does make the hatch easier to open in low-height situations like parking decks, and I suppose would make driving with the hatch open, if you were carrying something bulky, easier, with no bouncing hatch or risk of whacking it into something or having to awkwardly tie it down.
Really, for what is likely a quick photoshop hack, it’s not the worst idea, and that’s where the interesting part comes in, because it seems Hyundai/Kia thought so, too, at least enough to take a patent out on this very idea. Somehow, this patent, from almost exactly one year ago, seems to have been first found by the patent sleuths over at the New Nissan Z forum, of all places; I was just searching for “hyundai sliding tailgates” when I found their link! Anyway, look at this:
See that? It’s a tailgate that slides up onto the roof rails, pretty much just like what that photo shows! The car shown in these diagrams is the simplest of schematic sketches, but I suppose it could be an Ioniq 5.
According to the abstract, this seems to be a powered unit, which is good, because I bet that thing is pretty heavy, and it looks like it swings up in a conventional arc for a more vertical tailgate, then rolls forward, or moves in a more continuous arc for more rounded or sloped rear ends.
Now, I have no idea if the people making that little programmatically-populated ad had any idea of this, if it was a deliberate choice meant to suggest some possible future where Hyundai/Kia implements sliding tailgates, but if they were not aware, it’s a pretty strange coincidence.
I guess it worked, as the ad did catch my attention, though to be fair – or maybe in this case, unfair – I haven’t actually clicked on the ad. Oh well. I wasn’t going to buy a car, anyway.
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I’ve notice the faux sliding hatch ad for sure — looks cool. It would be annoying if loading stuff into the hatch during a rainstorm, though.
It’s like the reverse of the 70’s GM wagons with the dissappearing tailgates! Pretty cool
Well, as us olds who grew up with station wagons can tell you, their dark secret is that if you open that rear hatch or window even the slightest bit while driving, the car immediately fills up with exhaust. So what is the point of having a tailgate that allows you to drive with it open?
If its an Ioniq, there is no exhaust
One of the many benefits of having a stationcar/wagon/mpv style automobile, is the ability to sit under the tailgate and enjoy the view, protected from both sun and rain.
This, like the falcon doors is stupid.
Sliding doors would have been so much better than the falcon setup.
And just like those stupid falcon wing doors, this design completely eliminates any possibility for a roof rack.
About six months ago, a fellow Autopian and I went deep into this ad. It seemed odd the Ioniq 5 had the sliding hatch in ads when it was just a patent concept. A reverse image search led us back to this article from Clean Technia. We figured some low budget ad service was just scraping the internet for an Ioniq 5 image and that’s what it chose.
But here’s the thing: after reading this, I dug out the link from our text chain…. and the image is gone from the original article!
Tin Foil Hat Time: did Clean Technica get a request from HMG to take down the sliding hatch image, but now it’s somehow living on in internet ad?
Source for original article: https://web.archive.org/web/20220224213731/https://cleantechnica.com/2022/02/24/game-changer-hyundai-ioniq-5-sliding-rear-hatch/
Current link to the same article: https://cleantechnica.com/2022/02/24/game-changer-hyundai-ioniq-5-sliding-rear-hatch/
I thought it seemed unlikely that one of those clickbait adverTRASHments would create an original image.
Is “roof fail” a new term of art for car design?
I think it is an AI generated image.
Oh crap. thank you, fixed.
What about the Lincoln Navigator with the whole passenger side that opens up? I see that one as well in the same ad space.
Yo do you have a link to the image? I find this kind of clickbait fascinating
I haven’t seen the ad, but Lincoln did make a concept Navigator with gullwing doors.
https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2016/03/23/lincoln-navigator-gullwing-doors-new-york-auto-show-concept/82016442/
Not as good as the Continental MK VIII with the disappearing doors.
https://www.engadget.com/2007-07-11-disappearing-door-lincoln-concept-turns-up-on-ebay.html
That’s the one ! Thanks.
The chum box is always full of entertains clickbait like this. My favorite was the ad telling me to “wait until you see the new Ram trucks!”’ The picture accompanying this was of a Dartz Pombron.
I just want whale penis leather in my Ram 3500
I’m reminded of the 1971-76 GM “clamshell” full size wagons with a rear window that retracted *into* the roof while the lower tailgate retracted down into the body, requiring a support structure so massive that their survival rate in a given area is affected by whether they were favored for the local demolition derbies in the ’80s/90s or quickly banned from them.
New party game: pin the tailgate on the Hyundai.
On this site, I’ve been consistently getting a “SEE THE EXCITING 2023 NISSAN LINEUP” ad with what looks like a photoshopped Toyota concept SUV in it, which is hilarious.
Whatever algorithm thought that putting “Nissan lineup” and “exciting” in the same sentence in an ad placed on an automotive enthusiast site needs a solid slap upside its artificial head.
They do love concept images. I’ve seen ones with Kias and VW SUVs I think in the same way you describe. Though some with versions of what they do offer here in not-U.S.-spec form too.
I also get a lot of ads about a stockpiles of unsold inventory that always has an image of a lot full of a model they haven’t made in like 10 years. I just got one this morning (not here, but another auto site) that had an image of dusty *3rd-gen* Explorers. It’s been funny getting those ones since any news article about car inventory for a couple years now has been shouting about how the exact opposite is true and even regular people are mostly hip to that fact now.
I see ads like this for more than cars. It seems like they all go to a basic page with multiple search items filled. Just a marketing ploy to build clicks. Not on the sight but on some internet ploy.
I keep seeing a Nissan ad claiming people buy their EVs because they’re “exciting” on Youtube. Considering these are usually rolling ahead of a video I’m trying to watch about F1 or some other enthusiast topic it’s such an utter waste of money. No one who is watching a video like that is buying a Leaf or Ariya because it’s fun to drive.
While probably expensive to implement/repair, that would be sweet. Older houses don’t have high garages, we can’t open the hatch without pulling the car out.
Most hatches barely open higher than the roof line of the car, though. I’ve had plenty of GTIs, Civic hatches, Mini Coopers, etc. None of them opened more than a few inches higher than the roofline, which was still shorter than any even mid sized SUV. Which also has a hatch that opens. So if the roof of the SUV isn’t hitting the ceiling, neither would the open compact hatchback’s rear deck.
This is a solution in search of a problem. The only thing I can see it solving is things that hang out the back while your’e hauling them so that you don’t have to tie the hatch down while driving.
I believe the ideal height is high enough to be out of your eye line while low enough to allow you to smack your head on it.