Hyundai IONIQ 5

We’ve come a long way since the Pony Gold Medal

Hyundai’s transformation from bit-part player to global sales powerhouse continues with the IONIQ 5. Andrew Walker considers just how far the company has come since its first foray into the UK market

Way back in the summer of 1988, while working for a driving schools publication, I had the opportunity to drive a Hyundai, the Pony Gold Medal. This was a special edition Pony, launched to coincide with that year’s Seoul Olympics.

Powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the Pony cost under £7,000 and was the Korean giant’s first real foray into the UK car market.

Over time, each Hyundai that arrived in Europe took the brand closer to its European competitors. In recent years I’ve driven the Accent, the Getz and, finally, the i20, which brings us right up to date.

It wasn’t these model’s per se that have evolved into the brand’s latest offering, the electric IONIQ 5, but I like to think that every Hyundai car has contributed in some way to its current position.

The IONIQ 5 is the first model in Hyundai’s new electric range and will be followed shortly by the IONIQ 6. The odd numbers will represent new Hyundai electric SUVs, while the even numbers, hatchbacks or saloons.

On the IONIQ 5 there are three range options. The entry is a 58kW battery driving a single 168bhp motor and offering a 240-mile range. The 73kW version comes with 214bhp and a 280-mile range. And finally, you can opt for the most powerful 301bhp version, with a dual motor set-up and 4WD, which comes with a 267-mile range.

Whichever model you choose, the IONIQ also supports 800v charging, so you can top up where offered from 10-80% in just 18 minutes.

Trims and equipment

Three trims are available: SE Connect, Premium and Ultimate. SE Connect comes with 19” alloy wheels, cloth upholstery from ‘naturally derived polyester resin’, a 12.3” infotainment display, SatNav, wireless phone charging, a rear view camera Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Premium adds a powered driver’s seat, front seat heating, LED projector headlights and a powered boot. As with our Premium test car, you can also add the ‘Vehicle 2 Load’ (V2L) pack, which makes it possible to power or charge external devices using the car as an electricity source.

Ultimate spec is only available with the 73kW battery and takes the alloys up to 20”, adds leather upholstery, privacy glass, black exterior trim, electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Bose sound system, a head-up display, alloy pedals, V2L as standard and a sliding centre console.

Safety equipment increases by trim as well. So SE Connect gets adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. Premium adds a surround view mirror, Blind Spot and junction collision avoidance, as well as Highway Drive Assist Level 2, which enables the car to change lanes autonomously.

External appearance

The first thing to say is that this is no shrinking violet and it’s the boldest car design yet to emerge from South Korea. The front features rectangular LED lights, located behind a dark glass strip, with another strip right across the back. It looks smooth and buffed all over. The look is further enhanced by our test car’s matt grey paint finish.

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TECH DATA

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Premium

Battery type: 73kWh Max power: 217PS / 160kW Max torque: 350 / 258 Charging: 10.5kWh 3 phase on board charger (OBC) Range:

We’ve come a long way...

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The interior is a Terence Conran dream. Subtle greys, blacks and chrome in soft touch plastic and fabric exude a calm. The highlight is the 12.3” driver’s TFT display instrument cluster and the 12.3” touchscreen SatNav and media centre that sits alongside. They stretch right across the minimalist dash top. Separate heating controls sit underneath function buttons for the DAB Radio, Media, SatNav, Map and volume controls. You also get three USB connections and a 12v socket. In the rear, there’s two more USBs, a fold-down armrest and the air vents are neatly located in the door pillars, rather than down below. At 1,890mm wide, the interior feels spacious.

It’s all very practical yet stylish. Even the glove box has been designed with style, sliding out horizontally like a drawer and it’s large, too. Twin centre cup holders, a movable front armrest with space underneath, a cubby for your keys and medium-sized door pockets, all offer useful storage. The boot comes with 527 litres of space, 1,587 litres with the rear seats folded. You also get a flat folding floor, with space underneath for hiding the charging cables. The rear seats will sit three adults comfortably and each moves separately back and forth to create more or less leg room. At 1,890mm wide it’s wider than the competition which makes the interior feel airy.

Driving and regenerative braking

In common with other EVs, the IONIQ 5 offers a choice of regenerative braking. Utilised using the paddles behind the steering wheel, there are in effect five available. Zero kicks thing off and is really no-regen driving, which is good for progress on the motorway. By pulling the left paddle back, you then move up through 1, 2 and 3 and for the maximum level, iPedal, which brings the car to almost a complete stop. Although iPedal regen does feel quite strong, compared to similar systems on other EVs that we’ve tried, which can actually make your right foot tired, it’s actually quite light.

We were testing the IONIQ 5 Premium 73kWh RWD, which weighs in at just over 2,000kg. The battery weight definitely contributes to the car’s driveability which is, unsurprisingly, a little stodgy, but again, compared to other large battery electric cars, such as the Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC, it’s not that noticeable and is more akin to the ride you’ll get from a Volkswagen ID.4 or Skoda Enyaq iV. We liked it.

What it isn’t is slow, with a 0-60 mph time of just 5.2 seconds achieved in Sport mode; you can also choose from Normal or Eco, and a top speed of 115mph. There’s excellent mid-range acceleration as well. Motorway cruising is a doddle, urban progress calm and quiet and the on board tech all works well. The white-backed 12.3” infotainment is crystal clear and AppleCar Play syncs your iPhone superbly.

Economy and charging

Hyundai claims an average energy consumption of 3.7miles/kWh for both the 58kW and rear-wheel drive 73kW car, with a slight drop to 3.5miles/kWh for the AWD 73kW version. We had the car for five days in September, drove approximately 200 miles, on a mix of local urban roads and the M56 and M60. We drove almost exclusively in Eco mode, utilised the iPedal when taking short journeys and averaged 3.2miles/kWh. Multiply that by the 73kW battery and you’re looking at a range of 233 miles, which is 37 miles under the claimed, but in our opinion, a more accurate result. We also strongly suggest that you fit a home charger. We recommend Rolec; see (http://www.rolecserv.com/home-charging)

Pros and cons

Let’s start with the good stuff. The IONIQ 5 looks fantastic, both inside and out. The interior is spacious, it’s very well equipped and the on-board tech is some of the best out there. Factor in a real world 230-mile range and 1% BIK and company car drivers should be taking a long hard look.

To bring it down a little, there is some cheap plastic on the door pockets and the matte black door finish, which we liked, does have a tendency to smudge. We’re struggling to find anything else to criticise…

While we really liked both the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enya iV, they pale in comparison when put alongside the stylish IONIQ 5. It really is a stunner.

From a company car perspective, 1% BIK rising to 2% in 2022 makes it an attractive proposition.

Model-wise, company car drivers will be more than happy with the smaller 53kW version in SE Connect spec, which will still offer a 200-mile range and not least, because it has a P11D value of £36,940.

The highest praise that we can give is that, as of autumn 2021, the IONIQ 5 is the first electric car that we’ve driven that is tempting enough to consider as our very own company car.

CC&V VERDICT

Just brilliant. Delivers where it needs to, with a great-looking cabin, great pick-up from standing, practical and good range for the money. An electric car that has us thinking of owning one – and that’s a first. Close, so close, to perfection...