As the transition to EVs gathered pace in Ireland, Hyundai have been one of the success stories with the Kona and the Ioniq. The South Korean manufacturer didn’t rest on their laurels however. They were working on the e-GMP platform, a dedicated, EV-only architecture to build their next generation of vehicles on. One of these cars is the award-winning IONIQ 5.
There is no mistaking the design of the IONIQ 5. At first glance it appears to be a hatchback, but it is a much bigger vehicle than meets the eye. A clamshell bonnet gives the front a seamless look, with 256 pixelated lights giving the IONIQ 5 its distinguishing look and signature design cue. 19” or 20” alloys are framed by what are called Dynamic Wheel Arches. At the back, the shark fin aerial sits on a spoiler that is designed to channel air down the rear window and clear water, negating the need for a rear wiper. The pixellated theme carries across the back in a continuous light bar.
The interior of the IONIQ 5 is geared toward sustainability, with plant-based dyes and recycled PET plastics for the fabrics. A very clean, two-spoke steering wheel hides the flappy paddles that control the Regenerative Braking. Two 12.25” screens stretch from just behind the steering wheel across the central divide of the dash. The completely flat floor is apparent, and gives a real sense of space. The centre console is moveable to give more space where needed. For front passengers, the Zero Gravity seats recline into a very comfortable position if you need to spend some time in the car. Apple Car Play and Android Auto come as standard, and you can charge your phone wirelessly.
The benefits of building an EV on a dedicated platform like the e-GMP come to the fore when you look at the space inside. Thee IONIq 5 has a boot of 531 litres can be stretched out to 1,591 litres with the seats down. There is a small frunk available for some extra space. The IONIQ 5 is rated for 80kg on roof bars and braked towing up to 1,600kg.
There are two battery choices, 70kWh and 54kWh usable. The IONIQ 5 also comes with a choice of Two Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive. Depending on what combination of battery and motors you choose, range in the real world will vary from about 300km up to 400km. Performance will also vary according to which combination you choose. The slowest option will do the 0-100kmh sprint in 8.4 seconds, while the Long Range AWD accomplished the same feat in 5.2 seconds.
Thanks to the 800 volt e-GMP platform the car is built upon, charging the IONIQ 5 is rapid. AC charging goes up to 11kW. The car really shines on DC charging which goes all the way up to about 225kW. However, you can’t precondition the battery before charging so customers may find themselves well short of those figures in winter. Perhaps the party piece for the car is the V2L capability. It comes with an adaptor that you can plug into the charging socket and extract up to 3.6kW.
Prices for the IONIQ 5 in Ireland will start at €38,000 and go all the way up to €65,000 for the top spec. There are also 4 different trim levels within those choices. There are nine colour options, and all are muted and natural. It is a compelling offer from Hyundai in a busy market, where the competition will include the VW iD.4, Tesla Model Y and the upcoming Nissan ARIYA.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 EV Video Review
This review is in partnership with EV Review Ireland and you can learn more about what I thought of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 in the video below.
