So, you have decided you want an electric car, but none of the current EVs out there grab your attention or are simply priced out of your budget. If that's the case, then you may want to look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5, as it's a very different kind of car.
The Ioniq 5 is an EV crossover that is anything but mainstream. Its quirky retro-themed styling makes it look like nothing else on the road. While it is about the size of a Hyundai Tucson, in my eyes, it looks more like a sleek hatchback than an SUV. And with its versatile interior and plenty of practicality, its starting price of $44,200 is hard to beat.
Out since 2022, the Ioniq 5 is small in size but big in technology. And it looks so cool with its blocky sculpting, stubby proportions, and squared-off complexion. Appearing as if it were plucked from the 1980’s, there are certain futuristic styling cues like the motion lines around the wheel arches and the use of pixel shapes all over. In a sea of RAV4s and CR-Vs, the Ioniq 5 is a breath of fresh air.
Enter the Ioniq 5 and you are greeted with an interior that feels much larger than it is. The dashboard is pushed far forward, leaving tons of legroom available for the front passengers, and the lack of a full-length center console provides an open feeling across the front row. A 12.3-inch touchscreen controls most of the features, but there are also physical buttons that can be used to control the HVAC and other features. The infotainment system is surprisingly well organized and is simple to use. There are plenty of USB-C charging ports as well as a phone charging pad, so no device should go uncharged. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all Ioniq 5s.
For 2025, Hyundai adds 2 new trim levels to the Ioniq 5 lineup. For the off roader, there is now the XRT trim level, which adds unique wheels and tires, more ground clearance and front tow hooks. Then there is the Ioniq 5 N - which is a new higher-performance version of the 5. Generating up to 641 horsepower, I hope to review it soon. Meanwhile, all Ioniq 5s benefit from more range than last year as well as using a new Tesla-style charger plug.
The Ioniq 5 is available with rear or all-wheel drive and makes between 168 and 320 horsepower. Range varies between 220 miles and 303 miles depending on the trim level. The base Ioniq 5 is the SE Standard Range which comes in rear-wheel drive only and uses a single motor to make 168 horses and a range of 245 miles. The SE, SEL, XRT and Limited are available in rear or all-wheel drive. When equipped with rear-wheel drive, they make 225 horses and can travel 318 miles on a full charge. The all-wheel drive version adds a second motor to the front wheels for a combined power output of 320 horsepower, but range is reduced to 290 miles.
When it comes to storage, the Ioniq 5 has about 27 cubic feet of space in the hatch area, which isn't much. Thankfully, the rear seats fold flat, which increases cargo space and helps for loading longer items. There is also a frunk (front trunk), but it is small. The cabin, however, is full of cubbies and places to stow bottles, phones and other stuff and a movable center console is pretty cool.
While the look and the style of the Ioniq 5 is vastly different from anything else on the road, its driving manners are like that of any other EV - it's smooth, and quiet with a very linear powerband. And like most EVs out there, it's fast. The tester, a Limited with all-wheel drive (so with dual motors) can hit 60 mph in just over 4 seconds.
Being that the tester is the top-of-the-line model, it carries a price tag of $59,785. So far in my time with it, I've found it to be fun and easy to drive. My only gripe is with the column-mounted gear selector - which is easy to use, but depending on the position of the steering wheel, it can be difficult to see what gear you’re selecting as the steering wheel spoke is often in the way. And of course, the typical charging woes apply if you don't have a home charger. Plugging into a 120V household outlet (Level 1 charging) is painfully slow, gaining only about 10 miles of charge overnight - making a Level 2 home charger a must for Ioniq 5 owners. But on the bright side, DC fast charging, which typically is used in high-end EVs, is standard on all Ioniq 5s, to provide super-quick charging speeds when connected to a Level 3 Charger.
Since its debut a few years ago, the Ioniq 5 has won all kinds of awards, including EV of the Year. Looking at it and driving it, it's easy to see why.