2021 (21) Hyundai IONIQ 5 160kW Premium 73 kWh 5dr Auto

Hyundai's IONIQ 5 EV will still turn a few heads. Jonathan Crouch looks at the updated version.

Ten Second Review

Having shaken up the market with its very first IONIQ, Hyundai did so again with this far more sophisticated IONIQ 5 EV. It's still quite an arresting-looking thing, especially in this usefully updated form. And a car aimed at mid-sized hatch and Crossover models typified by cars like Volkswagen's ID.4, Ford's Mustang MACH-E, the Polestar2 and this Hyundai's close cousin, the Kia EV6. You have to offer something interesting and different in that kind of company. The IONIQ 5 very definitely does.

Background

Exactly what has the EV automotive sector been lacking - apart from extended battery range? Here's our nomination: design character. Most family EVs are about as interesting to look at or sit in as a wet day at Brighton Beach: in lockdown. But this one, Hyundai's IONIQ 5, isn't. A decade or so back, the first combustion-era IONIQ model was the first car to be available in hybrid, electric and plug-in forms - a Prius rival that went further. This replacement EV design, originally launched in 2021, aimed to go further still, the founding member of Hyundai's IONIQ EV sub-brand, a line-up subsequently bolstered by the IONIQ 6 (a mid-sized saloon). Three years on in mid-2024, it received the package of mid-term updates that have created the car we'll be looking at here. As before, this IONIQ 5 is a difficult model to pigeonhole, not least because of its arresting looks, penned by Luc Donckerwolke, the man behind who styled most modern era Lamborghinis. It's a family hatch with aggressive SUV overtones. And it still makes quite a statement.

Driving Experience

The IONIQ 5 sits on the E-GMP platform that Hyundai has created for its future EVs. As usual with an EV of this size, there's a choice of battery pack sizes and rear-driven electric outputs, with a token AWD model at the top of the range. The base Standard Range battery model now offers 63kWh and has a single electric motor on the rear axle with 170PS and 350Nm of torque. That delivers 273 miles of driving range and gets to 62mph in 8.5s. Step up to the improved Long Range battery version - which now offers 84kWh - and the rear motor gets a boost in power to 228PS, range increases to 354 miles (or 320 miles in 'N Line'-spec) and the 0-62mph sprint time improves to 7.3s. The top 84kWh AWD model adds an extra motor on the front axle, which boosts output to 325PS and ups torque to 605Nm, slashing the 62mph sprint time to just 5.1s, though the drive range figure falls to a best of 307 miles. On the move, drive dynamics are still centred upon comfort; to that end, the brand engineered the mass market's very first integrated drive axle, which combines the driveshafts and wheel bearings, benefitting comfort and handling stability. There's a 'Sport' driving mode button hanging from the steering wheel for those times you want to push on a bit, on the opposite side to the phallic-shaped gear selector. SUV-specific Michelin Pilot sport 4 tyres promise decent traction and the slippery shape aids cruising refinement. We've left the most desirable IONIQ 5 until last, the IONIQ 5 N, because it's an almost completely different proposition from its mainstream stablemates. It gets a 84kWh battery and a power output that can be as much as 650PS, allowing for 62mph from rest in just 3.4s. It's been designed for the track with a whole series of circuit-specific engineering features developed at the fearsome Nurbring Nordschleife.

Design and Build

We thought the IONIQ 5 a striking thing when we first saw it - and still do in this updated form. The changes made as part of this mid-life update are intentionally subtle; smarter 19-inch and 20-inch alloy wheel designs, refreshed front and rear bumpers, a redesigned front LED V-garnish, an extended rear spoiler, rear wiper for increased visibility (at last!) and slim Digital Side Mirrors. As before, the IONIQ 5 makes quite a pavement statement with its aggressive clamshell nose section, its 'Zorro'-style profile panel slashes, the forward-leaning C-pillars, the flush door handles and the neat spoiler that's actually a wing with airflow slots. Style-wise, this could be either a Crossover or a high riding hatch, depending on your perspective. And EV size-wise, it's a Volkswagen ID.4 rival, larger than a Nissan LEAF (this IONIQ is 4,735mm in length), but smaller than, say, a Mercedes EQC. Inside, there's plenty to talk about too, again with subtle improvements for this revised model. The new interior layout features a sliding centre console with physical climate and heated seat buttons, pixel design door armrests, an auto-dimming digital centre mirror and a refreshed design for the seats and upholstery. A smarter dark surround for the dual 12.3-inch audio, visual and navigation system and driver's instrument cluster reduces reflection. As before, there are lovely front seats with limo-like deployable calf rests and a reclined 'Relaxion' pre-set mode. Some of the haptic touch buttons still aren't particularly successful, but there are plenty of them, so not everything is buried in sub-screen menus. Thanks to a 3-metre wheelbase even larger than something like a BMW X5, there's loads of room in the back, aided by seats able to electrically slide fore and aft by up to 135mm. Boot capacity is ample at 520-litres - or 1,580-litres with the rear bench folded. There's also further 'frunk' storage under the signature clamshell bonnet.

Market and Model

The IONIQ 5 prices from around £40,000 and is now offered in six specification levels - 'Advance', 'Premium', 'N Line', 'Ultimate' and 'N Line S', plus the top N version. Prices stretch up to around £65,000 and there are two battery size choices - 63kWh and 84kWh. The base figure gets you an 'Advance'-spec 63 kWh rear wheel drive model, even this coming well kitted out. You get 19-inch alloy wheels, sliding rear seat adjustment, interior mood lighting, a 12.3-inch LCD audio visual and navigation system with DAB, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, plus an LCD drivers instrument cluster. There's also wireless phone charging, a rear view camera, LED Multi-Faceted Reflector headlamps, rear parking sensors and Navigation based Smart Cruise Control. Plus loads of camera safety and drive assistance features - Highway Drive Assist (HDA), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), Lane Keep Assist with Lane Following Assist (LKAS + LFA) and Driver Attention Alert. You'll need closer to £42,500 to get the 64kWh rear-driven model in plusher 'Premium' form. But you might prefer to spend extra money on the higher capacity 84kWh battery. IONIQ 5 rear-driven variants with that start from around £43,500 (with 'Advance' trim); you're looking at around £50,000 for an 84kWh IONIQ 5 rear-driven model equipped to 'Ultimate'-spec, with around £3,500 more to pay if you want the same car with AWD. The top IONIQ 5 N costs £65,000.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the driving range figures in our 'Driving Experience' section: they're very class-competitive, a 63kWh rear wheel drive model offering a combined range of up to 273 miles. The 84kWh rear wheel drive model delivers a combined range of up to 354 miles, while an 84kWh all-wheel drive variant has a range of up to 307 miles. The IONIQ 5 features 800V charging as standard, which when combined with a 350kW ultra-rapid charger will provide an 80% charge in just 18 minutes and 62 miles of driving range in 5 minutes. Connect to a more accessible 50kW charging feed, the 63kWh battery can be completely recharged in 58 minutes - it's 1 hour 16 minutes for the 84kWh version. The charging system also supports both domestic wall box charging and mainstream public 400V high speed charging, using the motor and the inverter to convert the voltage from 400V to 800V for optimised charge times whenever possible. There's now an added battery conditioning feature that will enable the IONIQ 5 to automatically adapt its battery temperature while travelling to ensure optimal charging conditions when reaching the charging point, improving real-life charging performance in hot or cold ambient conditions. This function activates automatically when a charging point is entered into the vehicle's navigation system using connected routing. All IONIQ 5 models come with a 1 year subscription to the IONITY charging network, plus Hyundai's 5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty, an 8 Year/100,000 Mile High Voltage Battery Warranty, a 5 Year Annual Health Check, a 3 year MapCare navigation update program, a Roadside Assistance package, and a 12 Year Anti Corrosion Warranty.

Summary

If the IONIQ 5 isn't enough to position Hyundai toe to toe with the most advanced offerings from European brand automotive design, it's hard to imagine what would be. It looks arresting and lacks nothing in terms of the latest EV technology - except perhaps for a truly Tesla-style extended battery range driving figure. But you can bet that Hyundai is working on that - and certainly improvements have been made as part of this mid-term update. Is any brand faster at translating advanced concept to reality? What's even more impressive is that it does so without diluting extreme stylistic expression to something more palatable. That's certainly not happened here. Park an IONIQ 5 in the High Street and people are going to look. Invite others to join you inside and passengers are going to comment. If that isn't the feel you're after with your new EV, lots of other brands will better satisfy you. But if it is, this car is one you need to try.