Hyundai Ioniq 5
Electric hatchback promises lots of space and fast charging to go with its futuristic looks On sale Now Price from £36,995
Striking new electric hatchback promises a long range, ultra-rapid charging and loads of interior space
YOU KNOW THAT warning you sometimes get on door mirrors about objects being closer than they appear? Well, if it’s a Hyundai Ioniq 5 that’s being reflected back at you, the opposite will actually be true.
You see, while the hatchback bodystyle and general proportions of this new electric car might lead you to assume that you’re looking at something that’s about the size of a Volkswagen Golf, in reality it’s longer than a Tiguan SUV and almost as tall. Meanwhile, the distance between the front and rear axles is the same as you’ll find in Audi’s A8 limousine.
As a result, the Ioniq 5 is seriously spacious; even with a six-footer driving, someone of the same size can sit behind and really stretch out. What’s more, the floor is completely flat, which makes life unusually comfortable for a central rear passenger.
The Ioniq 5 also stands out for its seating flexibility, but not in the way you might think. Its rear bench folds in a bog-standard 60/40 split, should you need to enlarge the generous 540-litre boot. However, you can recline the front seats to be almost fully flat, and they incorporate leg rests that extend to give you the full first class experience as you wait for the car to charge.
Ah, yes, charging. While the Skoda Enyaq iv and Volkswagen ID.4 have a maximum rate of 126kw, every Ioniq 5 can cope with 220kw. That enables you to add 62 miles of range in just five minutes if you can find a sufficiently fast public charging unit.
On the other hand, the maximum range varies depending on which variant you go for. According to official tests, the entry-level 58kwh, rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 can travel up to 238 miles between charges, while the midlevel 73kwh, rear-wheel-drive car can do up to 298 miles. The range-topping model with the same 73kwh battery, but with four-wheel drive courtesy of its extra motor, manages 287 miles.
These three variants can accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.5sec, 7.4sec and 5.2sec respectively, which means the range-topping Ioniq 5 that we drove is a bit quicker than the comparable Ford Mustang Mach-e Extended Range AWD and much quicker than any ID.4. In fact, it will even keep the entry-level Tesla
Model 3 honest in a straight line, and feels every bit as fast as the figures suggest.
Such impressive performance is combined with light and accurate steering. And thanks to a comparatively low centre of gravity, the Ioniq 5 feels more nimble than large electric SUVS. Among rivals, only the Model 3 offers tighter body control and sharper handling.
Unfortunately, the ride is less impressive – at least when the Ioniq 5 is fitted with big, 20in wheels, as our test car was. On these, it thumps over bumps and potholes around town, while even on the motorway, expansion joints send jolts through the car. The Model 3, Enyaq and ID.4 are all more forgiving.
Refinement could be better, too; the Ioniq 5 generates quite a lot of road noise at motorway speeds. However, the regenerative braking system (which harvests energy that would otherwise be wasted and uses it to replenish the battery) works well with the normal friction brakes, so you’ll have no trouble bringing it to a smooth stop – unlike in the Mustang Mach-e.
The Ioniq 5 may not be styled like an SUV, but its driving position still feels lofty rather than low-slung and sporty. This means you get a terrific view of the road ahead, while big windows and door mirrors help with visibility, too. What’s more, a clever monitoring system is available that shows the view in your blindspot on a display in the instrument binnacle.
The interior echoes the minimalist designs in many other electric cars and includes two conjoined 12.3in screens on the dashboard for the infotainment and instruments. However, the top of the steering wheel can block some of the display, depending on your driving position.
Still, the infotainment system itself is good. It has a relatively simple layout for its menus, and even though some of the icons are a little small and fiddly to use on the move, the screen is responsive and the graphics sharp. As a bonus, there are helpful physical shortcut buttons along the bottom of the screen, complemented by voice control and simple switches on the steering wheel. It’s a huge improvement over the system in the ID.4.
The climate controls are, unfortunately, touch-sensitive, so they require more of your attention while you’re driving than physical buttons would. But it’s not all bad news: they are at least in a separate panel beneath the touchscreen, so they are always present and visible (rather than hidden in sub-menus).
So, the Ioniq 5 combines standout looks with composed handling, an incredibly spacious interior and ultra-fast charging, plus pricing is competitive. Ride comfort and refinement let the side down a bit, but it’s still an appealing addition to the large electric car ranks.
SAYS It may well be the looks that pique your interest, but it also impresses on objective levels