2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Ready to stir things up

The electric hatchback segment — dominated by the Tesla Model Y and growing more recently with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID4 — is perhaps becoming the most competitive battlefield for the green crowd.

Just entering the combat zone is the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, not to be confused with the Ioniq, the gasoline-electric hybrid launched in 2016 as an alternative to Toyota's Prius.

The Ioniq 5 is a new all-electric model that heralds Hyundai's full play in EVs.

Hyundai hopes to undercut the competition by pricing the base Ioniq 5 electric crossover below the Ford and VW EVs, while offering a progressive walk up the trim ladder for buyers wanting more power, range and creature comforts.

The Ioniq 5 is engineered and built on a flat skateboard platform that integrates a large battery (77.4 kilowatt-hours) below the floor, with an electric motor bolted on the rear axle.

Hyundai says the layout helps deliver D-segment interior space in a midsize package.

More powerful all-wheel-drive versions add a front axle-mounted motor.

It is available in rear-wheel drive with an EPA-estimated range of 220 miles for the Standard Range version and 303 miles for the Long Range. All-wheel drive is available only with the Long Range and has an estimated range of 256 miles.

The cockpit features a 12-inch touch infotainment screen and a hoodless 12-inch digital gauge. Also on tap is a new augmented reality head-up display, a first in a Hyundai vehicle.

We've collected some early reviews from the automotive media.

"Here's everything you need to know in one sentence: The Ioniq 5 costs tens of thousands of dollars less than the Model Y, can go just about as far on a charge, charges faster, has more standard and optional features, is quieter inside, rides better, is built better, and has a better interior. The Model Y is quicker and sportier, and the Supercharger network is currently more reliable and easier to use than the non-uniform charging options for everyone else, but that and brand prestige are all the Tesla really wins on. The Model 3 sedan offers a more competitively priced trim, but all the other points still apply."

— Scott Evans, Motor Trend

"Hyundai calls the Ioniq 5 an SUV, but that's really just a marketing term. It's a hatchback. After all, its ground clearance is almost the same as the Elantra sedan, and it's available with rear-wheel drive.

"It's a big hatchback though. The three-meter wheelbase is actually greater than a Palisade, which is Hyundai's largest SUV. The flat floor and the wheels pulled to the far corners of the chassis add unexpected leg room and an airy feeling inside the cabin. The center console slides forward and back to add space to either row as wanted. The heavy weight of the batteries underneath the floor allows a low center of gravity and a sporty feel around corners that is limited only by the adhesion of its 19- or 20-inch tires.

"If the sun had been shining here, warming and drying the winding roads, I might have fallen in love with this vehicle, whatever anyone calls it. After all, the last time I test drove an electric car in San Diego, I was driving the original Kia Soul EV and after 150 kilometers, I thought the car was going to run out of juice and leave me stranded. What a difference five years makes. This Ioniq EV took me on a 227-kilometer drive up into the mountains and back, and had enough power at the end for another 93 kilometers.

"The lashing rain, however, had me reaching for the switch to turn on the rear wiper for the large rear glass, only to find there is no rear wiper. Hyundai Canada's Director for Product and Corporate Strategy, who was shivering at the lunch stop in Julian, Calif., 4,000 feet up in the mountains, said that Canadian cars do get the rear wiper, and was then surprised when he checked to find it was recently canceled. It would have been to save weight, not cost, he guessed."

— Mark Richardson, The Globe and Mail

"The Ioniq 5's ride and handling are tuned for comfort, feeling a touch more supple than the firm-riding Kia EV6 I drove earlier this year, but without sacrificing control or composure over bumps and around bends. The steering is light, but not vague. The generous electric torque feels great off the line — not overwhelmingly powerful, but more than quick enough for most drivers' needs — and retains its responsiveness around town and on the highway. Overall, I'm pleased with the Ioniq 5's performance.

"In addition to the four drive modes, there are five regenerative braking settings selectable via paddles on the steering wheel. There are three levels of regeneration and deceleration as well as an Auto mode that varies based on the battery's state, driver intent and other factors. There's also an I-Pedal mode that allows the driver to slow and stop without using the friction brakes or pedal, but the Ioniq won't stay in this mode, reverting to levels 1, 2, 3 or Auto at the beginning of every trip. This is mildly annoying, but I imagine less stubborn drivers will just leave it in Auto and enjoy the ride."

— Antuan Goodwin, Roadshow by CNET

"The Ioniq 5's strut front and multilink rear suspension is calibrated for a smooth ride. A Limited fitted with 20-inch wheels shod with 255/45R-20 tires readily smothered all manner of rough pavement and undulating asphalt, with no undue harshness or head-toss. This suspension is pleasantly limber, though its compliance might just teeter on the edge of excess for those that prefer a firm, tied-down ride. None of this prevents the Ioniq 5 from taking a tenacious set through bends, where its wide-for-an-EV tires and low-slung battery pack help it feel stable and planted. The trouble comes from the lack of feel and feedback transmitted through the steering wheel itself, which tends to mask the buildup of forces and make the Ioniq 5 feel less responsive than it really is."

— Dan Edmunds, Car and Driver
 

"The Ioniq 5 impresses with punchy acceleration, sports-sedan level of handling agility, generous interior room, and comprehensive EV-specific information displays. The EV emulates the format of the Mustang Mach-E and ID.4 by using a rear-drive platform and SUV-like styling. It's brimming with sleek high-tech features and yet it is user-friendly.

"While the Ioniq 5 may be plagued by a nameplate association to the humble Ioniq, it is an entirely different animal and promises to be fully competitive with the best EVs in its price range. It even employs an 800-volt architecture that allows it to be charged quickly on a long trip in select DC fast-charging public venues. The only other EV to have that is the Porsche Taycan. The Ioniq 5 may not have the panache and aura of a Tesla, but it can more than hold its own against the Model 3 or Y, based on our initial time with it.

"What we don't like:

• "More powerful AWD versions end up having a 47-mile penalty in range. Instead of the 303 miles for the RWD version, the range drops to 256 miles with the AWD. That said, the Mustang Mach-E has a similar range cut with AWD.
• "Unlike most modern EVs, the Ioniq 5 lacks a front trunk (aka frunk). Usually, that is an added bonus thanks to the lack of an internal combustion engine, or at least a handy storage place for the supplied mobile charge cord. That way the cord doesn't interfere with regular luggage."

— Gabe Shenhar, Consumer Reports