Hyundai Ioniq 5 review

The Ioniq 5 was the first of a new, genuinely desirable family of all-electric cars from Hyundai, which has since been followed by the Ioniq 6 and the chuffing massive Ioniq 9. A smaller Ioniq 3 has already been shown off and will arrive on UK roads soon. Expect that to be a rather excellent machine, if this first effort is anything to go by.

Was this Hyundai’s first go at an EV?

Nope, the Koreans have been quietly making decent electric cars for some time now. The old teardrop-shaped Ioniq was available as a pure EV (though most left the factory as mild hybrids) and for a few years before the Ioniq we were quietly impressed by the Kona Electric: a small crossover which embarrassed stuff like the Audi Q8 e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace for range.

And yet worthy as those cars were, Hyundai realised it wasn’t going to get a foothold in the EV gold rush unless it wrapped up everything it had learned about going electric into a body that turned a few heads. And then dropped jaws into laps when we saw the interior.

And this is what makes the Ioniq 5 one of the stand-out electric cars you can buy right now. It’s an EV you’ll want to own just from clapping eyes on it, after which range and features seal the deal.

Let’s talk about those looks.

This is still one of the biggest head-turners among EVs right now. The Ioniq 5 was facelifted in 2024 with new alloy wheels and front/rear bumpers, but Hyundai knew it had a winner on its hands so barely changed the look at all. It just grew in length by 2cm.

The 5 has no fake grille, just a light motif that ‘bleeds’ through the front trim. The front frown looks purposeful, the creased sides are brave, and the LED-festooned rear is pure Pixar movie robot. It’s a tremendous piece of car design that somehow hits all the aero and pedestrian safety targets while looking like a cross between a DeLorean hot hatch and a prop from Blade Runner.

I can’t work out how big it is. A city car?

Optical illusion, that. While the Ioniq 5 can appear in pictures to be the same size as the wee Fiat 500e, it’s actually a large Range Rover Evoque-sized crossover masquerading as a family hatch. It rides on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform that also underpins a bunch of Kia and Genesis EVs. Everything from the teeny EV2 to the giant EV9, in fact.

Hyundai’s made a boon of that by giving the Ioniq 5 a raised seating position and an upright, airy glasshouse. So it feels spacious, and it’s easy to place in town.

Let’s be having those specs then.

The Ioniq 5’s hardware has been updated numerous times in recent years, but now it comes with a choice of two batteries and three powertrains in the UK, with various combos across many different trim levels.

You can click through to the Buying tab of this review for the full lowdown, but just know that the entry-level Ioniq 5 currently costs £40,695. That gets you a 63kWh (gross rather than usable) battery and a 168bhp rear motor for 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds and 273 miles of WLTP range.

The other battery pack is the 84kWh ‘Long Range’ version, with up to 354 miles of range available if you go for the right spec and a single motor. Ticking that battery box does unlock a twin motor option with more power and all-wheel drive though. Prices for that powertrain can reach up to almost £57,000 at the top trim levels.

Blimey. Hyundai sees itself as a premium player now, huh?

Sure does. Badge snobs might still baulk at it, but with looks this sharp you can see why Hyundai feels comfortable in such premium territory. The Ioniq 5 certainly feels posher than a Tesla Model Y.

Other rivals? Where do we even start? It’s in the same pack as the likes of the Kia EV6, Genesis GV60, Audi Q4 e-tron, Polestar 2, VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq, Nissan Ariya, Volvo EX40, Mini Countryman Electric and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Strong field, that.

And what’s all this I’ve heard about a performance version?

Ah yes, that’ll be the brilliant Ioniq 5 N. Unveiled in full at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2023, there’s so much to talk about we’ve given it its very own review. Click these words to go there right now. All you need to know here is that it has up to 641bhp, a drift mode and fake gearchanges. It’s awesome.

Oh, and it has also inspired some new trims for the standard car, so if you want the looks without the yobbishness you’ll need either the N Line or N Line S.

The Ioniq 5 has been around for a good while now and has even been through its first facelift, but to our eyes it’s still one of the best and boldest-looking EVs on sale. And the fact this retro XXL hot hatch bodywork conceals one of the most complete family EVs money can buy is downright remarkable.

By taking the punt that people are more likely to be converted to EV ownership if the car is desirable as an object and an experience – and gambling that there’s more to life than the European players’ softly-softly, don't-offend-anyone approach – Hyundai has built an exceptional electric car.

Course, we said much the same about BMW’s brave old i3 hatch, and that pretty much sunk as a business case. Whoops. But judging by how many of these we see out on the roads, Hyundai’s nailed it.