Slowly, over the past couple of years, Hyundai has been following the rest of the EV space, transitioning to fully electric cars. In this review, we will talk about Hyundai’s latest IONIQ 5, whose design evokes the memory of the old Hyundai Pony.
OVERVIEW
Do you know of the saying “looks can be deceiving”? Hyundai IONIQ 5 has a look of a hatchback, but this car actually belongs to the crossover/SUV group. Meaning, it’s packing a lot of space, and it is suitable for a family. It’s got a retro, blocky look, that can be intimidating to some buyers. But make no mistake, this car has got a lot of good features. On July the 6th, 2021, in Offenbach, Germany, Auto Express has organized an event where they compare the newest vehicles and their technologies, awarding them. IONIQ 5 has been awarded as the “Car of the Year 2021”. It is very notable that the Koreans have stepped up their game.
DRIVING AND RANGE
This model has an 800-volt electrical system, and the customers can choose between 58kWh and 72kWh batteries.
Hyundai reports that a 10-80% battery charge is possible in 18 minutes at a 350 kW charger (800V) for the 72kWh model. Chris from the youtube channel “Battery Life” has a detailed review on the charging of this car. We encourage you to watch it on the link below. Per his results, it took 42 minutes to charge this model from 6% to 100%. This is by no means a small feat.
As for the range, we’ll look at the data from ev-database.org, as companies do overestimate their capabilities some of the time. The model with the smaller battery has an estimated real-world range of 310km, while his bigger brother goes up to 375km. It should also be mentioned that the 72kWh model has two versions: one with a 214hp rear-wheeled motor, and the other one with an additional motor in the front, totalling 301hp. The second version has a slightly smaller range, due to the additional motor that’s included.
- Entry-level rear-wheeled 58kWh battery takes 8.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h.
- Mid-level rear-wheeled 73kWh(that also has 46 more horsepower) takes 7.4 seconds.
- The most powerful version, which has a dual-motor setup and the all-wheel drive takes only 5.2 second, which beats its Volkswagen competitor, ID.4 GTX.
INTERIOR, INFOTAINMENT
The inside of the IONIQ 5 offers a completely new driving experience and a redefined space. IONIQ 5 makes extensive use of environmentally friendly materials such as ecologically treated leather and recycled nylon yarn.
The interior consists of two 12.3-inch digital screens: one covering the infotainment and sat-nav systems, while the other displays information for the driver. The twin displays have been inspired by Mercedes’s interior. The graphics are responsive, easy to use and look clean.
BONUS FEATURES
This Korean EV has Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA) that uses radar to detect vehicles and apply differential braking when necessary. Another great function that’s included is Blind Spot View Monitor (BVM), essentially showing the driver the preview of the left and the right of the vehicle, depending on the lane blinker that’s turned on. You can see how that looks in the image below.
Another feature that this car comes with is vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, essentially turning the car into a portable battery. It can charge most of the electric appliances, and the peak power is 1.9kW using a standard 120-volt outlet. This can come in handy when you need to charge your smartphone or laptop.
We also wanted to mention the aluminum wheels. They are gorgeous.
Summary
Hyundai IONIQ 5 can easily be the best buy when it comes to choosing a new electrically powered SUV. Sure, it’s got some good competitors such as Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Maybach Mach-E, even KIA EV6… But the “Car of the Year” award does not come easily. Even if there was no award, the car has a lot to offer. The only thing that can be an issue to the potential buyer is the exterior. You either love it or hate it.
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