Hyundai's IONIQ 5 EV will still turn a few heads. Jonathan Crouch drives 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. In this usefully updated form, it's still quite an arresting-looking thing. And a car aimed at an EV mid-sized hatch and Crossover segment typified by cars like Volkswagen's ID.4, Ford's Explorer, 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 Nurburgring 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, an Audi Q6 e-tron. 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 1,587-litres with the rear bench folded. There's also further 57-litre '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. From home, expect an AC charge from a typical 7.4kW garage wallbox to take around nine and a half hours with the 63kWh battery; or 5 hours 50 minutes if you've a 3-phase 11kW supply. For the 84kWh battery, it'd be about 12 hours from a 7.4kW garage wallbox; and 7 hours 35 minutes using an 11kW supply. 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

The changes made to this updated IONIQ 5 won't be enough to persuade you into one if you weren't already convinced before, but if you were, seduced no doubt by the avant garde looks, this mild mid-term update could be the clinching factor for you. As before, this car positions Hyundai toe to toe with the most advanced offerings from European brand automotive design. 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 still 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, then this car is one you need to try.

Body Glass

Rear wiper

Electric front/rear windows with drivers one touch/anti-trap

Acoustic windscreen

Automatic windscreen wipers with rain sensor

Windscreen auto defog function

Manual rear door blinds

Windscreen wiper with aero blade wiper

Privacy glass rear tailgate windows

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Electronic stability control

Hill start assist control (HAC)

Electric parking brake with auto hold function

Regenerative brake shift paddles

Smart regenerative braking

Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA 2.0) - Car, Pedestrian, Cycle and Junction(Turning)

Communication

Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition

Wireless phone charging pad

Driver Aids

Power assisted steering

Traffic sign recognition

Smart cruise control with stop and go functionality

Blind spot collision avoidance assist

Parking - rear view monitor with parking guidance dynamic

Intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA)

Parking distance warning - forward and reverse

Rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist (RCCA)

Lane keep assist (LKA) - Line and road edge

HDA 2 - Highway Drive Assist Level 2

Drive mode select (Eco, normal, sport, snow and Mydrive)

Lane follow assist - Level 2

Driver Convenience

Smart electric tailgate with hand's free opening function

eCall emergency system

Hyundai road side assistance

Driver Information

Digital clock

On board diagnostics

Outside temperature display

RTTI - Real time traffic information

Phone connection with apple carPlay and android auto

12.3" Full TFT drivers supervision instrument cluster

Over the air updates

12.3" touchscreen satellite navigation with bluelink, live services and map care

Driving Mirrors

Electric adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors

Indicator light on door mirrors

Electrochromic rear view mirror

Engine

Shift by wire - E shift

Battery heating system with pre conditioning

Entertainment

Steering wheel audio controls

DAB radio

Exterior Body Features

Anti-corrosion treatment

Shark fin roof aerial

Body coloured door handles

Rear roof spoiler with integrated LED brake light

Door scuff - Deluxe plate

Frunk - under the bonnet storage

Tailgate up lift opening

Headlamp surround

Rear side wing doors

Exterior door handles - Auto Flush

V2L - Vehicle to load inside

Exterior Lights

LED daytime running lights

LED rear combination lights

Smart high beam headlights

Auto headlights

LED rear fog lights

LED positioning lights

LED headlights with intelligent front lighting system

LED rear courtesy light

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Heat pump

Dual zone climate control air conditioning

Interior Features

Luggage cover

Luggage hooks

Rear grab handle with coat hook

3 spoke steering wheel

Height/reach adjustable steering column

Heated steering wheel

Leather wrapped steering wheel

Sliding centre console box

Front cup holders

12V power outlet in front console

Power outlet in luggage compartment

1x USB connectivity port in front

2x USB inside centre console

Cloth and leather upholstery

Interior Lights

Interior mood lighting

Luggage compartment light

LED boot light

Ambient light in 64 colours

Packs

Trailer wiring package - Ioniq5

Safety

Height adjustable front seatbelts

3 point rear seatbelts

Childproof rear door locks

Impact sensing auto door unlocking

Front passenger airbag deactivation switch

Front and outer rear seatbelt reminder and pretensioners

Front center side airbags

Front thorax and pelvis + curtain airbags

Tyre pressure monitoring system with individual tyre pressure warning

FCA-JT - Forward Collision Avoidance Assist - Junction ( Turning)

Seats

Heated front seats

3 rear seats

Driver's electric lumbar adjustment

3 rear seat adjustable head restraints

Driver/passenger front seatback pockets

60/40 split folding rear seat

ISOFIX child seat anchorage points attached on outer rear seats

Electrically adjustable driver seat

Front passenger's seat electric adjustments

Front head restraints with vertical and horizontal adjustment

Second row outer head restraints vertical adjustment

Manual sliding rear seats

Single front passenger seat

Up/down and sliding headrests

Passenger seat electric lumbar support

Security

Immobiliser

Remote control central locking

Drive away door locking

Thatcham category 1 alarm

Rear occupant alert

Smart Key - Keyless entry with Power On/Off button

Service/Warranty

Warranty - 5 years / unlimited mileage

Vanity Mirrors

Driver/passenger sunvisors + illuminated vanity mirrors (drivers with ticket holder)

Vehicle Charging

Emergency 3 pin connector charging cable (ICCB)

Vehicle to load adaptor

Wheels - Alloy

20" N line design alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 455

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 10.5

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 10-100

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 76

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 50

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 10-100

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Charge Time (Mins): 18

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Power Supply - kW: 350

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Charge Time (Mins): N

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Power Supply - kW: N

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Percentage Change: N

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 8

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 100000

Battery Capacity in kWh: 84

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 495

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 18.11

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 3.4

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 307

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 70

Charging Port Location: Left Side Rear

Usable Battery Capacity: N

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 350

Emissions - ICE

CO2 (g/km): 0

Standard Euro Emissions: N

Noise Level dB(A): N

CO: N

HC: N

NOx: N

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Engine and Drive Train

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

CC: 1

Cylinders: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Number of Valves: N

Camshaft: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

Compression Ratio: N

Transmission: AUTO

Gears: 1 SPEED

Engine Code: N

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

EC Urban (mpg): N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Combined (mpg): N

General

Coin Series: N Line

Coin Description: N

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 5

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 41E

Service Interval Mileage: 20000

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24

Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N

Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N

Badge Power: 325

Badge Engine CC: 0.0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 1

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Performance

0 to 62 mph (secs): 5.3

Top Speed: 114

Engine Power - BHP: 325

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - KW: 239

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 446

Engine Torque - NM: 605

Engine Torque - MKG: 61.7

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Tyres

Tyre Size Front: 255/45 R20

Tyre Size Rear: 255/45 R20

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Type: 20" ALLOY

Wheel Style: N Line

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4655

Width: 1890

Wheelbase: 3000

Width (including mirrors): 2152

Height: 1605

Weight and Capacities

Minimum Kerbweight: 2100

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2685

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1600

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 585

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 520

No. of Seats: 5

Max. Roof Load: 80

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1580

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.98

Driving Mirrors

Glossy black door mirrors

Exterior Body Features

Pearlescent paint

Special solid paint

Matt paint

Additional metallic paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Cyber grey

Metallic - Ultimate red

Paint - Pearlescent

Pearl - Ecotronic grey

Pearl - Abyss black

Paint - Special

Special solid - Atlas white

Matte - Atlas white

Matte - Ecotronic grey

Trim - Part Leather

Cloth and leather - Black