Away from its attention-grabbing launch, can one of the year’s most hotly anticipated models impress on a week-long review? We jump behind the wheel of a 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD to find out.
- Wondrously spacious interior
- Approachable as an EV. No big learning curve needed
- Bold looks can’t not get a mention
- Can’t quite sort that perfect driving position
- Low-speed stop/start driving a bit cumbersome
- Limited availability
It’s fair to say that of all car launches in 2021, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 was one of the most hyped. I’ve been keen for its arrival, you’ve been reading about it, and its initial 240-strong Australian allocation is an instant sell-out.
So why is Hyundai’s latest electric vehicle play causing such a stir? It’s not like the Korean manufacturer is reinventing the wheel, nor did its line of previous electric vehicles receive this much excitement.
As a bit of background, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s new-generation electric vehicle and exists in a sole five-door, medium SUV body style.
But it is different – that’s for certain. You only have to look as far as its retro, angular styling to appreciate that. Under the skin, too, the Ioniq 5 scores a modular-ish interior with roomy levels of interior space, and forward-thinking design and technology.
Many anticipated the Ioniq 5 as a hatchback runabout in photos, but reality paints a different picture when you’re standing beside it. This low-slung mid-size ‘SUV’ is much closer aligned to its combustion-powered Tucson stablemate – in terms of size – than you’d expect.
So while the pricing lifts the Ioniq 5 to the top of Hyundai’s model tree, you can view the Ioniq 5 as the electric version of the Hyundai Tucson, at least dimensionally.
Hyundai’s secured 400 units for its initial run of Ioniq 5s, throttled by semiconductor supply issues. An extra 160 examples are on their way after the new year, though all have been sold-out through Hyundai’s online ordering portal so far.
That there are so many willing buyers at all is a promising sign, because the Ioniq 5 isn’t cheap. Selling through a fixed-price, agency-style strategy, the Ioniq 5 comes in two variants to Australia. The more affordable of the two is simply named the Ioniq 5 2WD (rear-wheel drive) priced at $71,900 before on-road costs and the top-tier specification is the Ioniq 5 AWD for $75,900 (before ORCs).
The rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 on test scores a 160kW/350Nm electric motor on the rear axle, while both are serviced by Hyundai’s dedicated E-GMP electric architecture that offers 400- and 800-volt charging capacity, the latter translating to a 17-minute 10–80 per cent charge time using a 350kW DC fast charger.
Luckily, both variants of drivetrain will come fitted with the same equipment specification. Headline inclusions start with two 12.3-inch displays nestled within the dash, 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels, electrically adjustable seats with heating (fronts score ventilation), panoramic roof, Bose sound system, coloured ambient lighting, power boot release, and eco-friendly leather trim.
Our car is painted in Galactic Grey outside, while featuring a two-tone Dove Grey/Dark Teal leather interior. Most colour combinations come at no extra cost, though the special matte-effect Gravity Gold colour costs an additional $1000 – the sole additional option for the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
In terms of charging, Hyundai supplies a standard AC type 1 charger with the car. You’ll have to pay out an extra $495 for a type 2-to-type 2 charging cable (for some public charging stations), and Hyundai also facilitates the install of a $2454.10 Wallbox Pulsar Plus through Jet Charge.
That’s enough of an intro to the Ioniq 5 for now, let’s get stuck into what it’s actually like to use.
| Key details | 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD |
| Price (MSRP) | $71,900 |
| Colour of test car | Galactic Grey |
| Options | N/A |
| Price as tested | $77,292.80 drive-away in VIC (excl. $3000 VIC gov rebate) |
| Rivals | Tesla Model Y | Nissan Leaf | Mercedes-Benz EQA |
Inside
One of the first things that hits you when saddling up in the Ioniq 5 for the first time is the sheer amount of interior space. Hyundai’s products stock some of the most spacious cabins these days, but the Ioniq 5’s interior is on another level.
What’s better, the space is very configurable too. The centre console slides forward and back, both rows of seats slide electrically, and the front two pews can even contort into a flat orientation when you’re not on the move – dentist chair style.
The vibe inside the cabin is fantastically light and airy, with light-coloured materials catching all of the light supplied through the roof-length panoramic glass roof. I’d imagined the cabin might become too hot on warm days, but Hyundai has fitted a nifty shade blind to curb that.
Materials throughout feel of good quality, with silver-finished switchgear, soft leather-covered door cards, dash, and steering wheel, and hard-wearing plastic that feel nice enough to the touch. You wouldn’t go as far as calling it a Genesis level of quality, but the fit and finish are right up there with the best of Hyundai.
One thing I couldn’t get my head around is the odd red piping and stitching along the door cards and seat bolsters – seems like an odd pairing for the colour palette employed in this Ioniq 5.
Jump inside for the first time and you’ll feel the space is far more lounge room than car cabin. The feeling is a tricky one to describe, but it’s best experienced in the first row, where it’s as though you’re sitting in a chair rather than in a car seat.
As such, the driver’s position does feel a little funny for those who like to sit close to the steering wheel. That said, the position does afford a good view over the road ahead and when you look behind.
The seats are very comfortable and adopt a form-fitting shape that provides good support. Leg rests extend for the driver and front seat passenger as well. I’m a little perplexed about the empty space between the two front seats – the space feels like a missed opportunity that could have been used as extra storage or similar. That said, the centre console slides forwards and back, which is a nifty trick.
With that, there’s still a great amount of storage throughout the cabin – even if some of it is weird to access. The glovebox is an odd slide-out tray system, the tray between the seats is down low, and the slot beneath the dash is a long reach away. Elsewhere, the Ioniq has a large centre console, wireless charging, twin cupholders, and big door cards for water bottles and the like.
Speaking of doors, I love the door handles on both sides: the big interior pulls are impossible to miss, and the outers pop out of the car swiftly and with intuitive accuracy – for whenever you walk up to the car to unlock it.
In the back row, space is equally as commodious. I’m taller than most people and never wanted for more leg room or foot room, though my head was close to touching the headliner. There are map pockets, a little cubby behind the centre console, and door card storage to store items inside.
There’s not a lot to the boot space, though you do get a powered boot release and a 12-volt port for powering items out of the boot. Under the floor is a tyre repair kit as opposed to a spare wheel, while it’s a 593L space in total. That fares better than the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Skoda Karoq.
The rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 also gets a small 57L tub under its bonnet, which brings total cargo capacity with all seats down to 1644L.
| 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD | |
| Seats | Five |
| Boot volume | 593L seats up / 1653L seats folded |
| Length | 4635mm |
| Width | 1890mm |
| Height | 1605mm |
| Wheelbase | 3000mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Sitting pride of place on the Ioniq 5’s dash are two 12.3-inch screens that house the car’s infotainment and instrument cluster. The functionality and look of the system aren’t as wild-style as the rest of the car, but what you do get is an intuitive layout and easy access to key vehicle functions.
Pertinent information is displayed clearly on the digital instrument cluster including vehicle charge status, range, consumption, etc, but I was a fan of the way it wasn’t overly complicated in terms of various screens or settings. All of that should be handled through the infotainment display to the left.
The infotainment screen handles both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but Hyundai’s proprietary system is nice itself, and I didn’t feel the need to plug in the phone for smartphone mirroring. The maps are bright and clear, the settings are easy to flick through, and media information is well displayed.
One thing I’m perpetually annoyed about in cars is the lack of a hard home button that takes you back to the main menu. This only pops up sometimes on the top of the Hyundai’s screen, but a shortcut alongside all the other buttons would be appreciated.
One feature I know the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has, but didn’t get the chance to test, is the car’s vehicle-to-load technology. It essentially turns the car into a giant portable battery by inserting an adapter into the car’s charge port, which provides a standard Australian power outlet for you to plug electronics into. God knows how often that’d get used (camping comes to mind), but it’s an extremely cool feature.
Each Ioniq 5 is fitted with an eight-speaker Bose stereo system that outputs high-clarity sound to replace the eerie absence of engine noise.
Safety and Technology
The Ioniq 5 was recently awarded a full five-star safety rating by ANCAP in October 2021. The car has a total of seven airbags throughout the cabin, including one in the centre.
Hyundai’s wide-ranging suite of SmartSense safety features do service in the Ioniq 5 including blind-spot collision avoidance assist, advanced autonomous emergency braking, driver attention warning, lane-follow assist, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, and adaptive cruise control.
A surround-view monitor is of decent quality for low-speed manoeuvring, but the Ioniq 5 also gets the neat side-view camera that activates inside the cluster when indicating to show what’s in your blind spot.
Another piece of neat tech involves the three levels of braking regeneration. The car can also be driven one-pedal style with i-Pedal.
| 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2021) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
Value for Money
After you drive away from the dealership in a brand-new Hyundai Ioniq 5, you’ll be warranted for five years with no kilometre-distance stipulation. Hyundai warrants the vehicle’s 72.6kWh battery for eight years too.
A full 12 months of roadside assistance is included from delivery day, though it’ll be extended by 12 months every time you service the Ioniq 5 at a Hyundai service centre – until nine years post-purchase.
Service intervals occur every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever is first. The first three services are $220 each, though after five services you will have paid $1684.
The Ioniq 5 is equipped with 800-volt charging architecture, which was previously only found on cars such as the Porsche Taycan. Ultra-rapid chargers should charge the Ioniq’s battery from 10–80 per cent in around 18 minutes.
A more user-friendly solution involves the installation of a type 2 high-output alternating current (AC) wallbox system at home, which could charge the Ioniq 5 in roughly six hours.
Hyundai claims the Ioniq 5 2WD will use 17.9kWh/100km on a combined cycle, which our test car actually beat after returning a 16.4kWh/100km reading. That’s about on par with other electric vehicles I’ve driven, such as the Nissan Leaf.
| At a glance | 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD |
| Warranty | Five years / unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $660 (3 years), $1684 (5 years) |
| Energy cons. (claimed) | 17.9kWh/100km |
| Energy cons. (on test) | 16.4kWh/100km |
| Battery size | 72.6kWh (451km range) |
Driving
Cautious electric vehicle adopters will be pleased to learn the Hyundai Ioniq 5 doesn’t require the big learning curve you’d expect from an EV. You jump in with a regular key, turn it on with a normal push button, slot it into drive, and away you go. The gear selector itself is the most out-there part of the experience, and is found where you’d traditionally insert a key.
The shift action, twist upwards for drive and twist down for reverse, didn’t feel particularly intuitive when compared with other cars, but it’s something you’d get used to quickly.
The Ioniq 5 2WD is powered by a single electric motor that produces 160kW/350Nm and sends it to the rear wheels. Claimed range from the 72.6kWh battery pack stands at 451km, which is further than its more powerful alternative, the Ioniq 5 AWD (430km range).
Though it’s not the full push-you-back-in-your-seat-type acceleration that electric vehicles have become known for, the Ioniq 5 2WD’s outputs are more than enough for its application and provide it with peppy, swift acceleration. You’re never wanting for more poke when overtaking, nor do you feel short-changed on power.
Where it does feel a bit sluggish is when handling it round bends and through intersections in town. There is no hiding its 2020kg heft as you lug over speedhumps, though it does remain super comfortable across road imperfections and bumps of all kinds. The cabin is well-insulated from too much road noise across a variety of surfaces.
For a car that’s hasn’t undergone Hyundai’s Australian road-tuning program, it’s remarkably well-suited to our local – sometimes less than satisfactory – road network. It requires next to no effort to steer the deceptively large body, and slotting it through tight city streets is made as simple as can be.
It’s not the easiest thing to creep through traffic in. Acceleration is either on or off, and it’s hard to roll to a slow stop. It’s a minor thing, but something I noticed when sitting bumper-to-bumper.Despite an instantaneous supply of torque solely to the rear wheels, the Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubber grips well in most scenarios, allowing the driver to push on with confidence no matter the weather. I didn’t take the Ioniq 5 for a back-roads burn – it’s not the car’s intention – but I wouldn’t be surprised for it to put a smile on my face if I found myself in that setting.
| Key details | 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 2WD |
| Motor | Single rear-mount electric motor |
| Power | 160kW |
| Torque | 350Nm |
| Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Single-speed automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 79.2kW/t |
| Weight | 2020kg (tare) |
| Tow rating | 1600kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 11.98m |
Conclusion
Of all the cars I’ve had the pleasure of driving this year, I was most excited about, and subsequently I think most impressed by, the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
I know for a fact that it’s not just capturing my attention either. I don’t think I’ve ever been stopped by more passers-by than when driving the Ioniq 5 around town. People are enthralled by its looks and are fascinated by its tech and capabilities. While its asking price is steep, you do get a bloody good product in return.
It’s a fantastic alternative to the electric-vehicle status quo of Tesla. As much as Tesla has done for the electric vehicle movement, and as cool as its vehicles are, I know which EV I’d be slapping my money down for.
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