EV TEST DRIVE: Hyundai IONIQ 5

Photo: Jonathan Grace

Hyundai has been among the trailblazers with electric vehicles in recent years. While other Asian manufacturers, namely Toyota, Honda and Mazda, have been slow to adapt to the market, Hyundai Motor Group was ranked sixth in global EV sales in 2022, trailing only Tesla and Volkswagen out of the brands available in North America.

The IONIQ 5, launched in 2021, has been Hyundai’s breakthrough EV product, packing a bold design and industry-leading charging architecture into a technology-filled vehicle for the popular crossover SUV market.

While the retro-looking hatchback appears that it would fit in alongside a five-door Civic or even a Veloster in pictures, looks may deceive you, with the IONIQ 5 having a larger wheelbase than Hyundai’s eight-seater Palisade SUV and being actually closer in overall size to the Tesla Model Y.

With a 6.1-inch ground clearance, the car rides slightly higher than typical sedans yet still feels glued to the road, especially on the 20-inch aero wheels equipped with the 2023 Limited AWD model we had while in Southern California for the Long Beach Grand Prix.

Its 118.1-inch wheelbase, a trend in EVs for optimized battery location, provides a smooth ride. However, navigating tight parking lots and spaces proved to be a bit of a challenge at times.

Photo: Jonathan Grace

The wide turning radius was largely our only complaint and was a non-factor for most daily driving, especially on the journey through the canyon roads of the Santa Monica mountains, which took advantage of the the car’s combined 239 kW (320 hp) powertrain.

However, unlike other dual motor EVs that deliver equal power distribution, the IONIQ 5 places emphasis on the rear axle, with 165 kW of power in the back and 74 kW in the front-mounted motor. It eliminates any fears of torque steer and gives the car plenty of peppiness off the line and comparable to other EVs we’ve driven.

The AWD option, which only comes standard with a 77.4 kWh battery, is offered in SE, SEL and Limited trims and has an EPA estimated range of 266 miles, an increase of ten miles compared to the 2022 model year launch edition.

Those wanting increased range would want to opt for the rear-wheel drive only package, which boasts 168 kW (225 hp) and a range of 303 miles with the same battery. An entry level ‘Standard Range’ 58 kWh battery is also offered in a RWD-only option that has a range of 220 miles.

While the latter option may not be ideally suited for those with long daily commutes, it does bring the starting price down to $41,450 USD, a savings of $4,000 compared to the SE model with the larger battery. By comparison, our top-of-the-line IONIQ 5 Limited AWD comes in with a MSRP of $56,500.

Photo: John Dagys

Hyundai’s bragging rights comes with its 800-volt charging system, which can rapid charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes at a speed of up to 250 kW. The 800v architecture is currently only available on most Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EVs, as well as high-end models such as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

Our test at a 350 kW-rated Electrify America charger in Culver City, Calif. only saw peak DC power output of 161 kW, although as we later discovered, it was because of not pre-heating the battery via the on-board heat pump, which only activates when routing to a charger with the native navigation system.

We instead used Apple CarPlay, which functioned perfectly on the 12.3-inch touchscreen display, although with no wireless connectivity offered, a USB-A to Lightning cable did the trick. The identical-sized digital gauge cluster, also on the dash, provided ample amounts of information, including a Tesla-like car animation but lacked navigation from CarPlay, which was exclusively in the center display.

Unlike Teslas or Rivians, starting the car requires the push of an on/off button, in the place of an ignition switch, with the gear selector located on the steering column as a rotary shift dial. A push button engages park, while drive, neutral and reverse is selected on the dial, which did get some getting used to.

Hyundai, however, did a good job of equipping the IONIQ 5 with an adequate number of physical buttons to not force the use of the touchscreen for every selection. Dials for volume and tuning, along with several custom programmable buttons located directly above the climate control, is a nice touch and something you don’t see in some overly-simplified EVs.

Photo: John Dagys

The interior, meanwhile, is particularly spacious, especially in the front row, with a sliding center console providing even more room when needed. Equipped with comfortable eight-way power adjustable H-Tex leatherette seats on SEL and Limited models, the Limited also comes with ventilated front seats in addition to the standard heated.

With 59.3 cubic feet of volume with the rear seats folded down, cargo space is generous and on par for small-to-midsize crossover SUVs, although there is virtually no front trunk (aka “frunk”).

A 40-mile journey from west Los Angeles to Santa Clarita, Calif. on the I-405 offered a prime opportunity to sample the car’s driver aids, including Hyundai’s ‘Highway Driving Assist II’ package, which is standard on the SEL and Limited models. The system was reliable and accurate, steadily holding its line in traffic, braking for slower cars ahead and even having lane change assist, a feature that’s yet to roll out on many EVs.

The IONIQ 5 is all-around one of the best EVs we’ve tested, especially for the price. While not as luxurious or necessarily performance-focused as a BMW i4 M50 or Polestar 2, Hyundai’s top-of-the-line model still comes in more than $10,000 less than the BMW, which offers something to consider depending on your wants and needs.

And with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N set to make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, the automaker will add its first EV to its performance division, which is another massive step forward for the brand and continued momentum for the ever-changing industry.

Photo: Jonathan Grace

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John