Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review 2024

Hyundai Ioniq 5 At A Glance

5/5
Honest John Overall Rating
Retro looks combined with impressive technology and spacious cabin makes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 a winner.

+Range of up to 300 miles. Rapid charging as standard, able to add 62 miles of driving range in five minutes. Comfortable and spacious interior. Impressive technology.

-It's more of a large hatchback than an SUV. Lack of rear wiper irritates in winter. There are more affordable EVs around.

New prices start from £39,840, brokers can source from £36,742

The new Hyundai Ioniq 5 is quite simply one of the best electric cars currently on sale. There's no caveat to that – we don't mean for a budget brand – it stacks up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron and Volvo XC40 Recharge. With futuristic styling, a spacious cabin and a generous electric range, it'd be quite sensible to end your search for a new electric car right here.

Sharing its platform with the Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is pitched against rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq iV and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Don't be fooled by the pictures – the Ioniq 5 might look like a Golf-sized hatchback, but it's very definitely SUV in stature.

Measuring 4.6 metres long and 2.2 metres wide (including door mirrors), the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is considerably bigger than the brand's small electric SUV, the Kona Electric. It utilises its dimensions well, though, with a whole three metres between the front and rear wheels translating to an enormous amount of space inside.

Indeed, the cabin is lovely, combining retro charm with modern minimalism. You get two 12.3-inch digital displays (including the central touchscreen infotainment system and an extra digital instrument cluster), while touch-sensitive buttons operate the climate control. It's very different from, say, a Tesla, as there are even physical shortcut buttons to important features for the navigation system. There's a start/stop button, too, while you twist a column-mounted drive selector to get it moving.

When it first went on sale in 2021, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 was available with two battery sizes: a smaller 58kWh unit with a 238-mile range and a bigger 73kWh version with a 298-mile WLTP range. The latter is being replaced by a new 77kWh battery pack later in 2022 – although the exact range figure for this is yet to be confirmed.

So far, we've spent the most time in the 73kWh model with the rear-wheel-drive layout. While its 7.4-second 0-62mph time isn't going to trouble Tesla drivers, it feels pretty urgent. Acceleration is instantaneous, as with all electric vehicles, while the suspension does a relatively impressive job of shrugging off the Ioniq 5's hefty kerbweight.

If you want a punchier Hyundai Ioniq 5, there's also a twin-motor all-wheel-drive version with a total power output of 305PS. This will accelerate to 62mph in 5.2 seconds, although it's no sports car still. 

The Ioniq 5 range is made up of three trim levels: SE Connect, Premium and Ultimate. None of them are sparsely equipped, with even the entry-level Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE Connect coming with the aforementioned twin-screen display, 19-inch alloy wheels, interior mood lighting, wireless phone charging and an extensive list of driver-assistance tech.

The mid-spec Hyundai Ioniq 5 Premium adds highlights such as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an electric tailgate, front and rear parking sensors and an electrically adjustable driver's seat. Topping the range, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate comes with 20-inch alloy wheels (19-inch on the 58kWh model), a Bose premium sound system, heated outer rear seats, a sliding centre console, ventilated front seats, a head-up display and a clever vehicle-to-load system that lets you power your kettle or charge your electric scooter.

With prices for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 starting from around £37,000 and edging closer to £50,000 for the most desirable variants, it's not exactly a budget electric car. Factor in the cost savings on things like fuel and road tax, though, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 starts to become easier to justify. It also looks like a very tempting proposition alongside pricier, premium-badged electric vehicles.

Ask Honest John

What plug-in hybrid do you recommend?

"I’m looking to trade in a 2016 Lexus RX450h premium for a plug-in hybrid to take advantage of solar panels at home (not ready to go all-electric). Ceiling of 40k give or take cash purchase. The problem is the equipment level and quality of Lexus has rather spoiled us. The new NX 450+ premium gets close but is a tad pricey as used in short supply. So we’re looking at used Mercedes C300e. Has the spec but we’re concerned about reliability. Are we about right or are we missing alternatives? Might we be better waiting? Thanks."
In your situation, I'd be inclined to make the jump and go fully electric. It'll be less of a compromise than a plug-in hybrid, and you'll be able to charge at home (for maximum convenience and reduced cost). A nearly-new Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 would be a good choice.
Answered by Andrew Brady

What used electric car should we replace our Honda CR-V with?

"We are looking to replace a petrol Honda CR-V automatic with an electric SUV and exploring what's best? Our Honda CR-V has been super reliable and we value that. The Jaguar I-Pace has superb reviews as a car and cost is good value used but lots of reports suggesting scary unreliability, build quality issues and problematic breakdown/repair support. How scared should we be of that? And should we get an alternative electric SUV instead?"
Jaguar actually performed very well in our Satisfaction Index last year: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/honest-john-satisfaction-index-2022-results/ We've had very few reports of issues with the Jaguar I-Pace, too. Early models suffered from electrical gremlins and a few battery issues, but these should have been ironed out by now: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/jaguar/i-pace/good If you're considering a used Jaguar I-Pace, it might be worth investing in an aftermarket warranty to put your mind at rest: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/cheap-car-warranties/ As an alternative, it might be worth looking at more mainstream electric cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Skoda Enyaq iV.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Can you tow a caravan with an electric car?

"I have a small caravan, 1200kg max. I’m looking at changing my Nissan X-Trail to an all-electric. Would you advise I hang on for a bit or what EV would you recommend for towing it?"
There are actually a number of electric cars that can comfortably pull a 1200kg caravan, so you have plenty of choice. One thing to be mindful of is that towing something this heavy and the extra aerodynamic drag will reduce the range of any electric vehicle by some margin, so it is worth factoring this in when purchasing an electric car and planning your journeys. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, the related Kia EV6 and the Genesis GV60 can all pull 1600kg, as can the BMW i4, all of which will manage your caravan with capacity to spare.
Answered by David Ross

The black plastic trim on my new car keeps turning grey - what can I do about it?

"I purchased a Hyundai Ioniq 5 in April last year. On taking delivery of the car the gap between the wheel trims and the wheel arches was full with a white powder. I was told this was residue from the protective coating applied for transport. I was given an appointment for one week later to have this properly cleaned. A couple of days after the cleaning I noticed that the wheel arch trims had a silver/grey patina and also there was still some white powder in the joins, so I returned it to the garage, had another appointment and the car cleaned again. After a few days the grey/silver patina reappeared on the plastic wheel arch trims, back to the dealer and a clean with a spray seemed to clear the problem. But it returned every few days and was more noticeable on the side of the car parked to the sun. This was repeated several more times until the dealer informed me that I was not cleaning the car sufficiently and they then sold me a product called Meguiars Ultimate Black and said they would not do any more with the car until I had applied this product. As they product is sold as a plastic restorer I refused to apply it to a new car: I then took my problem to Hyundai UK who have now proposed that they will paint the plastic wheel arch trims with a special paint, again I find this an inappropriate response to a problem on a new car. I believe that the plastic is defective either because it has little or no UV stability or was damaged when the repeated cleanings to remove the white powder initially. I would really appreciate your opinion and any experience you have on this problem."
Given the repeated problems you have had with this issue it sounds like the original parts are defective, although you may find it difficult to get Hyundai UK to accept this. Because the car is older than six months you will find it difficult to reject the vehicle, so your only option may be to follow the course of action suggested by Hyundai UK and having the parts painted. If this option is also unsuccessful then you can go back to Hyundai UK and ask for a more substantial solution. The alternative would be to have the parts replaced with new items, but this would be at your own expense unless you can get Hyundai UK to agree to this.
Answered by David Ross
More Questions

What does a Hyundai Ioniq 5 cost?

Buy new from £36,742(list price from £43,445)