When it comes to EVs, one of the most highly anticipated has been the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is the first vehicle to launch under the company’s Ioniq sub-brand (which debuted in 2020).
The Ioniq sub-brand is a pivotal moment for Hyundai because it shows that the car company is going all-in on electric vehicles.
The company has set a goal of selling one million EVs per year by 2025, with about half of that coming from their Ioniq brand and the Ioniq 5 looks like it could help Hyundai achieve that goal.
Design & Interior
As mentioned in our hands-on with the vehicle, the Ioniq 5 may look like a hatchback but it’s closer to a small SUV. The vehicle has a longer wheelbase, 3,000 mm (118.1 inches), than Hyundai’s much larger Palisade and its Kia Telluride sibling.
The front and back of the Ioniq 5 go for a pixelated aesthetic that makes it feel more futuristic.
Like some other modern vehicles, the Ioniq 5 features door handles that pop out when you approach the vehicle and sit flush when driving.
One annoyance is that the Ioniq 5 doesn’t have a rear windscreen wiper which can be annoying in really bad Canadian snowstorms or heavy rain.
When asked about whether a rear wiper could be added in future Ioniq 5 models, Hyundai Canada provided the following statement:
Hyundai Motor Group has received comments about the lack of a rear wiper on Ioniq 5 under advisement from Canadian journalists and customers, and we are looking into finding a solution. We are grateful for this feedback about a very important product for Hyundai. As of now, we have yet to confirm if the coming model will have the rear wiper installed.
The Ioniq 5 can output up to 225 to 320 horsepower and 258 and 446 lbs.-ft of torque. And depending on the model, the Ioniq 5 will come with a 58 kWh or 77.4 kWh battery that can get you anywhere from 354 KM to 480 KM of range.
The vehicle comes standard with rear-wheel drive (RWD) with all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option.
The Ioniq 5 press vehicle that Hyundai provided for the review was the Preferred (AWD) Long Range with the Ultimate package, which gets you up to 414 KM of range.
When you need to charge the Ioniq 5, it supports up to 350 kW chargers which can charge from 10 to 80% in 18 mins or so. However, there aren’t many 350kW chargers around, the fastest charger I could find was one of Petro-Canada’s DC fast chargers.
The charging port for the Ioniq 5 is locked on the rear right side of the vehicle. One cool feature is something called Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) which uses an adapter that plugs into the charging port and gives you an outlet to power small appliances like a coffee maker or electric grill.
The V2L adapter for the Ioniq 5 is an additional cost of around $300 CAD, however, if you opt for the Ultimate package, you get an internal V2L that adds a plug near the rear seat.
While the Ioniq 5 might look small on the outside, the same can’t be said on the inside. The Ioniq 5’s interior is very spacious and can seat five people but it’s more comfortable for four people.
Both the driver and passenger seats can be fully reclined when parked, which is perfect for when you need to unwind when waiting for your car to charge. The driver’s seat also includes a leg rest.
A lot of the interior materials in the Ioniq 5 are made from recycled plastic. While that’s nice for sustainability, some of the finishes like the steering wheel feel a bit rough.
Behind the rear seats, you’ll find a good amount of cargo space around 531L (18.8 cu ft) with seats up and 1,600 L (56.5 cu ft) total when the second row is folded.
The vehicle comes with a heads-up display that has some AR tech so it can show you upcoming turns on the road, as well on the screen.
One really cool feature is Remote Smart Parking Assist, it’s been available on a few Hyundai vehicles but basically, it allows you to remotely move your vehicle forwards or backwards using the buttons on the key fob.
Another neat feature is the Blind View Monitor which shows a view of the blind spot cameras on the digital driver display. This was on the Kia Telluride I tested previously but it’s great to see Hyundai and Kia continue to offer the feature.
In terms of pricing, the Ioniq 5 starts at $44,999 CAD, the press vehicle I tested was the Preferred AWD Long Range trim with Ultimate package.
Some standard features of the Ioniq 5 Preferred AWD Long Range trim with Ultimate package include:
- 239kW Electric motor
- 77.4kWh lithium-ion polymer high-voltage battery
- HTRAC All-Wheel Drive
- 20-inch Alloy Wheels
- Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist w/Pedestrian & Cyclist (FCA-CYC), (LO), (JT), (JC), (LS), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
- Highway Driving Assist (HDA)
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
- LED Headlights
- LED Daytime Running Lights
- LED Tail Lights
- Panoramic Sunroof
- 12.3″ high-resolution touch-screen navigation system
- 12.3″ Full LCD Instrument Cluster
- Front Heated and Ventilated Seats
- Heated Rear Seats
- Heat Pump System
- BlueLink telematics
- EV Ultra Fast Charger
- Two-way onboard charger (V2L) on rear seat
- Advanced Head-Up Display (Augmented Reality)
- Sliding center console
The Ultimate package for an additional $5,000 CAD will get you these features:
- 20″ alloy wheels
- Power-folding outside mirrors
- Full LED Headlights (Low & high Projection)
- “V” LED Light Guide Front and Rear
- Vision Sunroof
- Remote smart parking assist
- Highway Drive-Assist II
- Surround View Monitor
- Blind View Monitor (BVM)
- Forward Collision-Avoidance (Car/Ped/CYC/Junction Turning & Crossing)
- Parking collision avoidance assist – reverse
- Parking Distance Warning Forward / Reverse
- Rain sensing wipers
- Hands-free smart power liftgate with auto open
- Two-way onboard charger (V2L) on the rear seat
- Wireless device charging
- Bose premium audio (8 speakers)
- Leatherette seating surfaces
- Premium Relaxation Seating (Driver)
- 8-way Power passenger seat with power lumbar
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated Rear Seats
- Advanced Head-Up Display (Augmented Reality)
- Ambient lighting
- Integrated Memory System
- Sliding center console
- Power windows with front auto-down/up
- Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with HomeLink
- Rear door sunshades
- Cargo cover
Addition costs for different colour options are as follows:
- Cyber Grey – $200 CAD
- Phantom Black – $200 CAD
- Lucid Blue – $200 CAD
- Digital Teal – $200 CAD (Only available with the Ultimate package)
- Shooting Star (Matte) – $1,000 CAD
- Atlas White – $0
The total price of the Ioniq 5 I tested then comes to $62,024 CAD. The vehicle is eligible for the Federal Government Electric Vehicle Incentive of up to $5,000 CAD.
Software & Connectivity
For infotainment, the Ioniq 5 has not one but two 12-inch displays, one for the driver and the other for the infotainment/navigation system.
The system is running Hyundai’s BlueLink system and if you’ve used BlueLink or Kia’s UVO in the past, then this will feel familiar. The UI is easy to navigate with easy-to-read maps in the navigation system.
Like most vehicles these days, the Ioniq 5 supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but the implementation of it in the vehicle is a bit odd. For starters, it’s only the wired version of Android Auto and CarPlay which seems a bit outdated for such a futuristic car.
We’ve asked Hyundai Canada about why there isn’t any wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and they’ve said this:
Since the Ioniq 5 comes with a 12.3-inch Navigation System, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay needs to have a wired connection. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not applicable to the NAVI head unit. This is applicable to all Hyundai vehicles which feature the Navigation unit.
The other issue is that the USB port to use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is the USB port below the infotainment system and dashboard and kind of almost feels like you are putting your phone on the ground. There are USB ports in the centre console which can only be used for charging but it would have been nice if those ports could be used for phone mirroring.
Other connectivity features include the Hyundai BlueLink app which is available for both Android and iOS. The BlueLink app lets you do different vehicle functions such as unlock/lock, horn & lights, flash the lights, climate and EV-specific features like Charging and the Target State of Charge.
The app will also let you alert you of brake oil and washer fluid levels and your Smart Key Battery life.
I was able to test out the BlueLink app with the Ioniq 5 and it works well for the most part but can sometimes be slow to update the vehicle status.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a great vehicle and is a fun-to-drive EV. The Ioniq 5 seems like a very promising start for Hyundai’s electrified future with their forthcoming Ioniq vehicles.
Pros
- Long-range with fast charging speed support
- Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard
- BlueLink is easy to use
- Adaptive Cruise Control and other Driver Assistance tech work well
- Remote Smart Park Assist is cool and is simple to use
- Smooth and fun ride
- Plenty of interior space in the front seats and rear seats
Cons
- No wireless versions of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- No rear wiper will become an annoyance
TheCanadianTechie 