Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
With more presence than most supercars, ultra-rapid charging capability and luxury-car-like ride quality and interior comfort, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is hard to fault
Pros
- Price
- Looks
- Comfort
Cons
- No rear wiper
- Fidgety ride over bumps
- Some rivals have longer range
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58kWh RWD | 240 miles | 9hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 175kW) |
| 73kWh RWD | 300 miles | 11hrs 45mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 220kW) |
| 73kWh AWD | 287 miles | 11hrs 45mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 220kW) |
Hyundai and its sister brand Kia are no strangers to the electric-car market: for years now, they’ve been producing some of the best-value EVs around. But the original Ioniq Electric hatchback and Kona Electric SUV are old news now: the Ioniq 5 has landed, seemingly from outer space.
Unlike its budget-minded siblings, this model has loftier ambitions, with its sights set on the premium electric-car crowd. The Ioniq 5’s rivals include the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Model 3, as well as higher-spec versions of the Volkswagen ID.3. To take them on, Hyundai has given the car class-leading charging technology and made it more of a head-turner than most supercars in the looks department.
Retro-inspired styling is taking over the market at the moment – and we're all for it if it means more creations like this on our roads. But it’s not just the wedge-shaped design, inspired by '70s and '80s hatchbacks, that makes the Ioniq 5 stand out. It also features 20-inch alloys on higher-spec models, as well as cool details like '8-bit' headlights made from 256 individual LED ‘cubes’ – the sort of detail you’d typically see on a concept car.
There's a choice of two battery sizes, as well as rear or four-wheel drive, so you should be able to find the right mix of performance and range you're looking for. Performance is fairly strong, although the Ioniq 5 is not a Tesla-fighting drag racer: comfort and smoothness are the watchwords here. Occasionally fidgety ride aside, the only real negative we can think of for this car is the lack of a rear wiper. That, and the fact that some of its more attention-grabbing features are only available as options on the pricey range-topping model.
Otherwise, it's reasonably priced compared to rivals, starting from just under £37,000 for the entry-level SE Connect and rising to just over £48,000 for Ultimate trim with the biggest battery and four-wheel drive. That's on par with the likes of the Volkswagen ID.4 and what we expect the Tesla Model Y will cost when it arrives on British shores. Plus, the Hyundai frequently undercuts the Audi's Q4 e-tron and Ford's Mustang Mach-E.
Overall, then, the Ioniq 5 is an outstanding electric car that proves to have as much substance as it does style; it's more than worthy of the significant anticipation that had built up ahead of its arrival. Plus, Hyundai has already announced that an Ioniq 6 electric saloon and Ioniq 7 electric SUV are on the way in the next few years – and if they’re even on par with this first offering from the Ioniq sub-brand, premium rivals should definitely be worried. For a more in-depth look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5, read on for the rest of our detailed review...
