The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a fully electric vehicle, that is it doesn’t work in tandem with
a petrol or diesel engine.
It’s is currently available in one grade in Australia, with the option of a rear-wheel
single motor layout or a dual motor (rear and front) AWD. We feel that other models
may follow later, but Hyundai Australia won’t comment on this. Time will tell…
DRIVETRAIN
The IONIC 5 RWD has a 72.6 kWh electric motor mounted at the rear that produces
160kW of power and 350 Nm of torque with a listed WLTP range of 451 km.
The AWD version has motors at the front and rear with outputs of 225 kW and 605
Nm but less range, at 430 km. The shorter range is probably due to the testing
method and may not happen in real life.
STYLING
The front of the car features two narrow glass strips, the top one with twin
rectangular LED headlamps outside of orange turn indicators on either side and
sensors and a camera in between.
There’s a full-width string of LED daytime running lights beneath while at the bottom
there is a pair of air flap that opens when needed to provide cooling to the various
pieces of componentry above.
On the side a diagonal crease runs from high in the front doors down to the base of
the rear ones. The door handles sit flush against the doors and pop out when you
unlock the car.
INTERIOR
Hyundai IONIQ 5 has a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats,
heated rear seats and an adjustable centre console.
The front seats are 12-way power adjustable and come with a ‘Relaxion’ (zero
gravity) mode. Which is good for lying back and having a rest on a long country trip.
Especially if you’re driving at night and feel tired.
The IONIQ 5 has the very good rear legroom the sort that you get in a luxury vehicle.
All seats are power adjustable with a memory function which can be set through the
digital display screen.
A vision glass roof with a powered sunshade is standard in both models.
The charge point is at the right-rear of the car, with both AC and DC sockets. The
cables are stored under the front bonnet and there’s a Vehicle to Load device which
plugs into the car’s AC port at one end and a standard power plug at the other
allowing for multiple uses including providing power to another electric vehicle.
Full charge through a standard domestic power point is upward of 24 hours. A home
/ office charging wallbox will reduce charging time to around six hours.
An ultra-fast charger can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 18 minutes.
It’s likely that in the not-too-distant future service stations will install these, and of
course charge you to use them (excuse the joke). Thus, you can ‘refuel’ when you
stop and have a light meal or simply walk around and stretch your legs.
INFOTAINMENT
The IONIQ 5 has two 12.3-inch screens embedded into a single panel. A digital
instrument cluster in front of the driver and a Multimedia navigation unit in the centre.
There are three USB ports at the front and two more at the rear with 12-volt sockets
at the front and another in the boot.
Wired-only Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility is standard as well as
wireless smartphone charging. Sound is through a BOSE eight-speaker premium
audio system.
Satellite navigation includes details of the closest charging stations and a driving
radius on how far the battery will allow the car to reach.
SAFETY
Standard safety features include seven airbags; front and rear autonomous
emergency braking; front and rear parking sensors; blind spot monitoring including
camera coverage; lane departure warning; lane keep assist (which can be
temporarily turned off; smart radar cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert; safe exit
alert; rear seat occupant alert; driver inattention alert; and an interactive surround
view monitor including a 360-degree overview; remote smart parking assist which
allows the car to be moved remotely; and two IsoFix child seat mountings.
DRIVING
Pressing the unlock button on the key fob opens the door handles which sit flush
against the sides of the car.
The driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive and the overall ambience of the
interior sets the scene for an enjoyable travel experience. The driving position is
fairly high.
The chunky steering wheel feels great but does tend to obstruct the driver’s view of
the instrument panel and the gear selector.
We love driving electric vehicles at the best of times but the IONIQ 5 takes that
enjoyment to an even higher level. It cruises effortlessly and with such a large
amount of instant torque on offer it can accelerate sharply when needed.
Smart regeneration braking to extend range can be adjusted through steering wheel
paddles including an i-Pedal feature which allows one-pedal driving.
There are three drive modes: Normal, Eco and Sport.
SUMMARY
No review of an EV can be complete without looking at the price / range equation.
Electric vehicles are very expensive when compared to conventional vehicles,
including hybrids. At $69,900 for the IONIQ 5 RWD and $77,500 for the AWD it sits
at the higher end of the segment.
Its range of up to 450 kilometres makes it more practical than many of its
competitors.
Standard warranty is five years with unlimited distance. There’s an eight-year,
160,000 km battery replacement warranty,
MODEL RANGE
IONIQ 5 Dynamiq 2WD: $69,900
IONIQ 5 Techniq AWD: $77,500
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact
your local Hyundai dealer for drive-away prices.
AT A GLANCE
SPECIFICATIONS (IONIQ 5 AWD Electric five-door SUV)
POWERTRAIN:
Maximum Power: 225 kW
Maximum Torque: 605 Nm
Maximum Range: (ADR 81/02) 450 km
CO2 Emissions: Zero
DRIVELINE: Single-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4635 mm
Wheelbase: 3000 mm
Width: 1890 mm
Height: 1605 mm
Turning Circle: 12.0 metres
Kerb Mass: 2100 kg
BRAKES:
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated disc
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Five years / unlimited kilometres
RATINGS
Looks: 9/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 8/10
Range: 8/10
Practicality: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 6/10
