Hyundai Ioniq 5 review

Hyundai has kept things pretty straightforward here, so you’ve only got a choice of three different battery and engine combinations for your Ioniq 5.

The entry-level model has a 58kWh battery that’s paired with a single electric motor. This sits at the back of the car, and generates a modest 170hp and 350Nm for a fairly brisk 0-60mph time of 8.5 seconds. With that smaller battery in place, Hyundai says you’ll be able to cover up to 238 miles on a single charge.

Sitting above that car is the single-motor, 78kWh model. This car gets a slight power boost (up to 217hp for a 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds); but the main attraction here is that it gets considerably more range than the 58kWh model – up to 298 miles from a charge.

Then, there’s the range-topping model, which is the car we drove. This version has the same 78kWh battery, but instead of just one electric motor it has two – one at the back and one at the front.

Together, these motors produce 306hp and 605Nm, which means this version of the Ioniq 5 can really get a shift on. The run to 60mph takes just 5.2sec – which is practically as quick as some of the faster hot hatchbacks you can buy these days.

That additional performance is certainly nice, but because there are two electric motors for the battery to keep running instead of just one, range takes a bit of a hit. Hyundai reckons you should be able to do up to 285 miles on a charge.

That said, on our test drive we saw an average efficiency of 3 miles per kWh. So in reality you’re probably looking at a real-world range closer to 234 miles.

And as for charging? Well, plugged into a 7kW home wallbox you’ll top the biggest 78kWh battery up overnight very comfortably. On a 100kW public charger you can expect to get 80% of charge back in around 35 minutes; while a 350kW charger (if you can find one) will get it juiced up to the same level in just 18 minutes.

It is worth noting, however, that alternatives such as the Ford Mustang Mach-e and Volkswagen ID.4 can both be configured with batteries that offer even more range than the Ioniq 5. The VW can have up to 317 miles, while the Ford ramps it up to 379 miles of claimed range.

A jacked-up driving position and big windows make the Ioniq 5 an easy car to see out of, which is handy when you’re trundling down tight lanes or trying to navigate busy car parks. It’s light, accurate steering also steps in to make things a lot easier here; as do a range of sensors and cameras. Generally speaking, the Ioniq 5 feels like a car that’s easy to keep out of trouble.

There are four levels of regenerative braking to choose from, and the most powerful setting will let you bring the car to a stop simply by lifting off the accelerator. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve wrapped your head around chances are you’ll use it all the time.

Its softer suspension set-up makes it a comfortable car to drive, too. There can be a little bit of agitated fidgeting at low speed on poorly surfaced roads, and really big ruts will send a bit of shock back into the cabin, but generally this is a cushy, quiet car to waft around in. It’ll certainly take the stress out of the school run – that’s for sure!

Trundle out of town and onto the open road, and it keeps its cool. At a cruise there isn’t much road roar or wind noise at all, and that soft-edged ride really comes into its own. Standard-fit adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist help to take the strain out of long-distance journeys too.

True, it’s not as much fun on a twisty road as a Ford Mustang Mach-e. There’s good grip, and it doesn’t wallow about too much; but lightweight steering means it doesn’t really feel all that sporty. Still, in terms of ride comfort it’d definitely be the easier car to live with.