Hyundai IONIQ 5

Spaceship on Wheels

Raise the Ioniq 5 a few millimetres, add off-road tyres, and a roof-mounted solar panel, and we’d be convinced it was built to be driven on Mars. That’s just how it looks! And the Ioniq 5’s beauty is not only skin deep. It is packed with features and tech, and has a large battery pack that also promises healthy range. 

The Ioniq 5 is based on Hyundai Group’s new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The born-electric skateboard platform is set to underpin a bevy of Hyundai Group’s electric cars, and has already dispatched EVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia EV6 and EV9, and the Genesis GV60. These E-GMP underpinned cars are a significant step forward in practicality — thanks to not being restricted by an ICE platform — and the Ioniq 5 was the first of these. And for all that it offers, the Ioniq 5 is well priced too. So what’s the catch?

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Pros and Cons 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Exterior Design

Hyundai says that the design of the Ioniq 5 is inspired by its very first car — the Hyundai Pony — and the similarities are evident. The coupé-like silhouette for example is reminiscent of the Pony, and they both have quad headlamps. Hyundai has managed to keep a retro touch in the design, but it will be more at home in the 2030s, rather than the 1980s.

Hyundai has added a ‘pixel’ theme throughout the Ioniq 5, and the most evident use of this theme is in the rear lighting. There is a bar of pixels throughout the width of the car, and only a few pixels at the extremities of the bar light up, making it appear like a quad tail-lamp design. Then there are the ten pixels inside the charger lid which show the state of charge when plugged in. Up front, the Ioniq 5 gets quad headlamps with rectangular LED DRL outlines, which also appear like four large pixels. The entire exterior of the car has a legion of lines, and there are more than just a few ‘Z’ shaped elements throughout. In fact, apart from the curvy clamshell hood, almost every design element is at an acute angle to another. The whole design comes together beautifully, and even if you don’t appreciate it at first glance, it grows on you. But the most interesting part is that despite being larger than most compact SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, the Ioniq 5 still looks like a hatchback or a crossover — especially in photos — thanks to its proportions. 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Interiors

Where the external design is extravagant, the interiors are minimalistic. All surfaces are finished in light coloured materials, which make the large cabin appear even more airy. Helping the cause is a fixed panoramic glass roof and large windows, which add to the glass house area. The interiors are covered in sustainable and eco friendly materials, like fabrics made out of recycled plastic bottles, eco-processed leather upholstery, carpets and headliners made from sugarcane and corn extracts, recyclable paperette detailing, and plant based paints. However, the lighter coloured interiors may prove to be notoriously difficult to keep clean.

The dashboard houses twin 12.3 inch screens for the infotainment system and the instrument cluster. The screens sit in a tablet-like white housing. Sleek AC vents, digital AC controls, and shortcut buttons on the dashboard are all neatly laid out. Even the two-spoke steering wheel is under-designed, and is a nice throwback to older times. Interestingly, there is no Hyundai logo on the steering wheel; instead, it just gets four pixel-like dots (four dots is morse code for the letter ‘H’).

The Ioniq 5’s cabin scores close to full marks when it comes to practicality. All seats get plenty of adjustability. The lack of transmission tunnels and centre consoles also mean flat floors for passengers of both rows. Additionally, the Ioniq 5 has plenty of storage spaces throughout the cabin. Large door pockets, storage under the centre armrest, and cup holders for both rows are great, but the best bit is the huge drawer-like glove compartment. At 527 litres, the boot space is also large, but it is a touch shallow. The Ioniq 5 doesn’t get any spare wheel either, and instead makes do with a puncture repair kit.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Comfort

Where its sibling — the Kia EV6 — is more driver oriented, Hyundai has offered a great mix of comfort and dynamics in the Ioniq 5. Despite having huge 20 inch wheels with a relatively low 45 mm tyre section, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 does a great job of rounding off bumps and potholes in its way. It stays planted while crossing expansion joints and undulations over high speeds too, and good ground clearance of 163 mm while fully laden (unladen ground clearance figure would be a couple of centimetres higher) means going over speed breakers is also easier than rivals.

The Ioniq 5’s front seats are remarkably comfortable. The wide seats are well-bolstered, and do a great job of holding passengers in place when the going gets rough. The seat cushioning is soft too, and you can easily find a comfortable seating position, thanks to electrical adjustment. Additionally, the front seats also get a zero-gravity feature, which raises the retractable ottomans (leg rests) and recline the seat backs, allowing you to snooze when charging. The front seats are heated and ventilated as well. The two outermost rear seats also get a heating function, but miss out on ventilation. The rear seats are comfortable and have plenty of knee and legroom. But since the batteries are placed under the floorboard, taller individuals will sit knees-up, craving under thigh support. There is also no room to extend your feet under the front seats. The rear seats can be moved forward and backward electrically, but the recline angle can only be adjusted manually. Space at the back though, is expansive, and there’s loads of knee room. Thanks to the skateboard platform, there is no transmission tunnel, so the middle passenger also has a generous amount of legroom. 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Performance and handling

Despite being comfortable, the Ioniq 5 is a great handling, fun to drive car. Thanks to the long wheelbase, the Ioniq 5 handles more like a hatchback than an SUV. It stays planted through most surfaces, and there is also a good amount of heft to the steering wheel, making it an entertaining drive. 

The 215 bhp and 350 Nm torque figures translate to an adequate level of performance on the Ioniq 5, but since it weighs over two tons, this motor doesn’t feel overly spirited. Internationally, the Ioniq 5 is also available in a much more powerful AWD setup, but the Indian market only gets the RWD option with the larger battery of the two on offer globally. This decision makes sense from Hyundai’s standpoint, since most consumers would opt for this version anyway. But the all-wheel drive variant is just so much more powerful that we wish it was on offer regardless.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Battery, Charging, and Range

Under the floor, the Ioniq 5 gets a 72.6 kWh battery pack in India, which is the larger of the two options available internationally. The large battery pack coupled with the single-motor setup translates to a healthy 631 km of ARAI certified driving range. In real world conditions, this should easily translate to over 450 km on a single charge. The battery pack can be topped from 10% to 80% in 57 minutes on a 50 kW DC fast charger. Hyundai has also packed some strong charging tech in the car to future proof it, and once faster chargers are available in the country, the Ioniq 5 will be able to support charging speeds of up to 350 kW, thanks to the 800V architecture. A 350 kW super fast charger should top the car up from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes! However, this is a feature for the future. 

Using an accessory, you can even power electrical appliances of up to 3.6 kW using the car’s battery. So for the outdoorsy person, this car can act as a power bank for heavy appliances like an electric camping stove, or external speakers. In fact, you can also charge another EV using the Ioniq 5.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Key specifications 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Safety Features

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 scored a 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating in 2021, making it a safe EV to be in. The Ioniq 5 packs a suite of level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, radar-based adaptive cruise control with stop and go, frontal collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, blind-spot collision warning and avoidance, high-beam assist, and leading vehicle departure alert. Being a silent EV, it also gets a virtual engine sound system, which will alert pedestrians using an artificial sound. Adding to these are all the other basic safety features, such as six airbags, ABS, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), hill assist, multi collision braking, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). However, Hyundai hasn’t included a spare tyre, and it makes do with a puncture repair kit.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Technology and Infotainment

As you’d expect from a spaceship-like car, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 packs loads of tech on board. It gets a 12.3 inch infotainment system with built-in navigation and a host of connected car features. But strangely, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity is wired, not wireless. Within the same housing is another 12.3 inch display for the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster offers a bunch of customisation options too, and displays all the information you’d need. Both displays have a crisp resolution, and the infotainment display’s touch sensitivity is also commendable. You can also use the infotainment screen to customise a host of things in the car, the climate control for example. The system is paired with an 8-speaker Bose sound system. Other features in the Ioniq 5 include a 360-degree camera, bi-directional charging, level 2 ADAS, heated outside mirrors, rain sensing wipers, and more.

Is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 for you?

Being assembled in India, the Ioniq 5 undercuts the pricing of its rivals like the Volvo XC40 and the Kia EV6 by a significant margin, all while offering almost everything the competition offers. It has gorgeous and futuristic exteriors that have a hint of retro in them, and the interiors are minimalistic and loaded with tech. There is almost every feature you’d want in the car, and it has a very impressive range figure on as well. Yes, we wish the AWD drivetrain was on offer in India, but apart from that, it has no deal-breaking drawbacks, which gives it the credentials to be a well rounded EV. So, if you are in the market to buy an EV in the budget of around ₹50 lakhs, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 should definitely be on your shortlist.