This week we are reviewing the Hyundai IONIQ 5 Ultimate AWD. Our vehicle was assembled at the Ulsan Plant in South Korea and had an MSRP of CAD $60,199.00. (Before incentives)
When we first saw the Hyundai 45 EV in 2019, we didn't imagine Hyundai would have the audacity to release a vehicle that looked like it belonged in another century. Yet, they did and stayed true to the concept. Some might find it a little too extravagant, but it opens a new book for Hyundai. When we stopped at the NYC auto show, the IONIQ 5 did not only win one prize; it won 3. World car of the year, world electric vehicle of the year and world car design of the year.
The version we tested had a 77,4 kWh battery; currently, this is the largest battery you can find inside the IONIQ 5. In the AWD version we evaluated, the announced range is 414km, and the RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) version has an announced range of 488km. As for the smaller 58 kWh battery rated up to 354km, it's only offered in an RWD in our market. Hyundai presents the Hyundai IONIQ 5 as an SUV, although we feel it's more of a hatchback from the outside. In the SUV segment, it rivals the VW ID4, The Mustang Mach-E, its cousin, the EV6 and the Model Y. If you look at the competition, you have the best value for your money and get the most comfortable ride.
Fun Factor: 8
We all know that EVs are fast; Hyundai announces a 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. Which is respectable, and during our real-life acceleration test with winter tires, we achieved an impressive 5.49 seconds. It's not hard to believe it could accomplish the announced figures with summer tires. We would expect a much stiffer ride; instead, it results in a serene driving experience you can control with just one pedal. Handling is not as precise as we hoped, and body roll is present around corners showing the IONIQ 5's true weight.
Can it Family: 9
From the exterior, it's pretty inconceivable to imagine the space available. The front seats are cozy; the driver seat offers thigh support, almost like driving with a sofa. And talk about the rear ones; it almost feels like the back of a limousine. In the Ultimate version, you also get rear-heated seats. Compared to all the interior space for passengers, the frunk is ridiculously small; you can barely fit a laptop bag.
Fuel-Friendly: 10
Hyundai announces the following energy consumption for our AWD version; 19 kWh/100km in the city, 24 kWh/100km Hwy and a combined 21.3 kWh/100km. This results in an announced range of 414km for our model. During our test, we saw different electric consumption due to the considerable temperature variation during the week we tested the vehicle. During our Hwy test, exterior temperature flirted with the freezing point; hence we saw an average of 34kWh/100km, which is a bit higher than Hyundai's numbers. It makes sense, given the extra energy required to keep the interior and battery at an ideal temperature. Our city test concluded that when temperatures increase to favourable double-digit temperatures, we get better results than Hyundai's announced results. We averaged 15.9kWh/100km with mostly city driving. At the end of our week, we finished with an average of 20.9kWh/100km in our 450km test. During our test, outside temperatures oscillated between -2C and +13C.
HWY-warrior: 8
Hyundai has a significant advantage over other manufacturers when it comes to semi-automated driving. We rarely interfered with or corrected the vehicle's trajectory using smart cruise control. Something cool is the fact that the steering wheel is capacitive touch; hence there is no need to grab the steering wheel to have the features active. You can have your hands sitting on the steering wheel. We also saw a realistic Hwy range of 326km when we tested it. During warmer months, this number comes closer to the 414km that Hyundai announces. The cabin is well insulated, and conversation with all family members will be possible without raising your voice. The heads display provides all the necessary information, removing the need to look at your gauges to maintain speed or get information on cruise control settings. The augmented reality when using the integrated GPS is a real game changer.
Karaoke Friendly: 7
With such a futuristic look and quiet cabin, we expected better audio. We are not surprised as Hyundai chose an 8-speaker system from Bose. It lacks richness and feels muffled. We hope that Hyundai will offer a better system in the future to make it more appealing. Now the infotainment is a giant 12.3-inch screen that accompanies another 12.3-inch gauge cluster. Both screens take a vital part of the front cabin. Without being overwhelming to use, they require a slight learning curve to find smaller settings to be changed as sometimes they can hide in submenus. Strangely, you'll be able to charge your phone wirelessly; but you will not have wireless car connectivity to use Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
Baby-friendly: 9
Rear legroom is plentiful in the IONIQ 5, and the rear doors open wide enough, making it simple to get car seats inside the vehicle. The latches are slightly hidden above the seat bight, making it more playful to latch car seats with bulkier connectors. We say more difficulties with front-facing car seats. Other car seats with smaller connectors were quite simple to attach. You'll find these latch connectors on the outer seats and anchor connectors on every back seat. The middle seat has a strange belt buckle position, making it almost impossible to install a booster adequately or for a child to sit. Our kids loved that they had a full working wall outlet underneath the middle seat to charge their smartphones, the hungrier tablets, or laptops.
City Cruising: 10
Like most EVs driving, the IONIQ 5 in the city is most enjoyable. No kidding, being stuck in an EV in traffic is less painful than burning gas continuously without moving forward. While there is a loss of energy, it's less important in EVs and naturally less costly. Pedestrian and bicycle avoidance systems are presently making the stealthy IONIQ 5 a safe choice around town. One thing that troubled us were the blind spots created by the position of the B and C pillar. Luckily Hyundai transmits a live feed into the cluster once the blinker is activated. This will be of great use, especially during the winter, once the rear window loses visibility due to the lack of a wiper.
Why would we buy the 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5, or what we like?
The best bang for your money when it comes to EV. The central console can move, making it versatile for different drives to find a comfortable position. It's fast, faster than one would expect! The interior is nicely insulated.
Why would we not buy the 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5, or what did we not like about it?
No rear wiper; this impairs visibility with rain or snow as it brings dirt on the windows. The heated seats and heated steering wheel are hidden in the menu instead of having their own menu. No USB-C ports; you still have access to traditional USB ports, but for a futuristic vehicle, it's a miss.
Hyundai has lent us this vehicle for one week as a press vehicle. We have no affiliation with Hyundai Canada. The above is a recollection of our personal opinion of the car referred above.
Thanks to Flo for sponsoring this review. Check out their website for their chargers here.
