2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5 – Road Test

We’ve seen pictures of the IONIC5 for a while now, but I’ve never actually seen one in the flesh, on the road. It’s a very rare beast and as of right now there’s a 1 year wait until people are going to be getting them…people want them, but dealerships can’t get them – it’s the typical story of 2022 from all manufacturers. Oh well, we’ve got one and we’ve got an entire week behind the wheel.

What Is It?

It’s an all-electric CUV
It comes three ways with 5 variations:
Standard Range RWD (Essential or Preferred) – 354 kms range;
Long Range RWD (Preferred) – 488 kms range;
Long Range AWD (Preferred or Preferred w/Ultimate Package) – 414 kms range
We’re driving the top of the line – LR AWD Preferred w/Ultimate Package ($5,000 and worth every penny!)
Dual motors HTRAC All-Wheel Drive with Snow mode – intuitive traction feature can distinguish between packed and deep snow conditions on the road and adjust traction accordingly
20-inch Alloy Wheels
EV Ultra Fast Charger – one of the highest available today. It can add around 109 kms of range in just five minutes
Two-way onboard charger (V2L) – you can actually charge another car if they are low on juice!
Shares the same platform/battery as the Kia EV6

How Does It Look?

I LOVE the sharp edges and unique look of the IONIQ 5
Everywhere you look there are unique details like the slash marks around the wheel wells
Personally I prefer the 19” rims on the Essential and Preferred models to the ones on the test vehicle

What’s It Like Inside?

VERY quiet – almost eerily quiet, typical EV
IONIQ 5 has more passenger volume (106.5 cu-ft) than both the Mach-E (101.1) and Volkswagen ID.4 (99.9)
Visibility is excellent, all around, plus there’s a 360° camera (Surround View Monitor) and the rear camera to help guide you when reversing
Love the interior – it’s very open and futuristic without being obnoxious or trying too hard
The huge glass roof (only on the LR AWD Preferred w/Ultimate) has a sliding cover to block out the sun and it’s very unique – it slides forward and backwards and you can stop it at any time, so you can have the front as well as the rear passengers heads covered/protected but still leave the middle bit of the roof uncovered – very clever!
From the front seats you don’t see a hood, just the road ahead
The driver gets a semi-customizable 3″ digital instrument cluster (see pictures at the end of article for various options)
Plus a separate 12.3” screen with navigation/infotainment etc. – they are both contained within the same wide screen and there is no differentiating between the screen and the surround. You can choose either a white face or black
It also includes within it the amazing Hyundai turn with a camera feature when you use your indicator
I didn’t like that the touch feature on the infotainment screen – it was less than responsive, I found I had to touch the virtual button a couple of times to get it to actually respond – very annoying especially while driving. Swiping was fine. When I was driving and my wife was using it she said it was fine – you just have to make sure you touch it in the middle of the icon – something you can’t always do when driving and keeping your eyes on the road
Voice recognition sucked. My wife was yelling and it still said it couldn’t understand her. On one occasion it actually heard her, but gave us the wrong information
The navigation and screen are superb. If you want a little bit of information you can have that, but if you want a turn by turn visual it’s as simple as touching an icon in the corner and boom…plenty of info. LOVED it – it’s one of the very best we’ve ever encountered
The layout looks good and easy to read at a quick glance. The HVAC are tactile touch-control – not a big fan of those types of systems…gimme dials and buttons any day – but they work much better than I’ve experienced in other vehicles.
The volume button was a real dial, so that kept me happy and there are actual buttons for quick access to the camera, Navigation and audio if you’re in a different screen, as well as a programmable button that you chose to assign a screen to – nice
Advanced Head-Up Display (Augmented Reality) work well – I like how the warning for vehicles in your blind spot flashes there as well as the “hey, the car ahead has moved – pay attention” notification – love it
Grey two-tone leather interior actually looks much closer to white
The heated steering wheel is actually much nicer in person. Seeing it in videos and pictures I didn’t like it at all, I hate single-spoked wheels. But as soon as I got behind the wheel it was completely perfect for the car
The heated and cooled front seats are very comfortable and offer many different adjustments including knee bolsters on the driver’s side for those that take a nap while waiting to recharge
The driver’s seat gets an 8-way power adjustable + 2-way lumbar adjustment, the front passenger gets a manual 6-way adjustable seat
Sliding centre console has wireless charging for your phone and numerous USB ports – my wife’s TCL phone was too long – newsflash, not everyone uses one of those small iPhone’s
Storage is at a premium. There’s only a tiny storage area in the centre armrest and nothing underneath that isn’t open to prying eyes. Unlike 9% of vehicles, the glove box in the IONIC5 is monstrous – there a nice space for the owner’s manual and you could almost squeeze a small baby or cat into it and still close the lid!
The heated rear seats slide forward, creating a very large cargo space and fold completely flat just by pulling one lever on the side – very nice. They also split 60/40 for addition options
The floor is flat, so 3 people could easily fit there without playing footsie
Heat Pump System – a boon for those of us in a cold climate to pre-heat the cabin while still connected to the electric outlet
The very good Sound system is a Bose Premium Sound AM/FM/HD Radio/MP3/XM audio system with 8 speakers
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes standard
Bluelink Connected System comes standard and like almost all manufacturers’ now, it offers an abundance of information and features that connects your smartphone to your vehicle – complimentary 3-year subscription
Safety Features are listed below “What’s The Verdict”
Rear Seat up: 27.2 cu-ft (770 L) / Rear seats down: 59.3 cu-ft (1,680 L) / Frunk Capacity: 0.85 cu-ft (24 L)

IONIQ 5 EV Features:

239 kW Electric motor + 77.4kWh lithium-ion polymer high-voltage battery
Charge Time (Level 2, 10.9 kW charger): 6 hrs 43 mins
Fast Charge (Level 3, 50 kWh charger): 62 mins
Fast Charge (Level 3, 350 kWh charger): 17 mins 16 secs
Using 350 kW DC ultra-rapid charger, the IONIQ 5 can be charged from 10-80% in just 18 minutes and/or a 5-minute charge will give you over 100kms range
EV Ultra Fast Charger (up to 800V)
Battery Capacity: 77.4 kWh / Output: 272 kWh
Regenerative braking system with steering-wheel mounted paddles
V2L feature – allows owners to use the vehicle to charge all sorts of electronic devices, including other EVs (only on the LR AWD Preferred w/Ultimate)
Programmable when you want to charge – set times for cheaper tariff rates at home for example
Preconditioning (Heat Pump): To help the battery reach its optimal performance state, prior to departure – and to optimized range, you can precondition the vehicle interior temperature while it’s still plugged in by setting departure times

So How Quick Is It & How Does It Handle?

Shift-by-Wire gear selector
Steering is very good – predictable and well balanced with just the perfect weight and feel
Stomping on the gas pedal gets you an instant response – as per usual with EV’s. It isn’t eyeball flattening, but it certainly leaves everyone else in your dust
I switched it to Sport mode while driving and was taken aback by the sudden change to the steering and throttle – wow its way more fun in sport mode!
Braking is PHENOMINAL! We were doing 120 km/h and the cars in front came to a complete stop. I hammered the brake and quite literally stopped within a couple of car lengths – that’s the closest I’ve ever come to rear-ending someone in 43+ years of driving. Fortunately the Land Rover behind me was also paying attention and he bopped to the left shoulder as I went to the right to give him space. The old Driving Instructor training kicked in – brake and avoid while also checking your mirrors! I continued on, he went to change his underwear…
Lane Keeping Assist is a little annoying, it constantly micro-manages the steering wheel. Thankfully it has a dedicated button on the steering wheel to switch it off
There are 3 Driving modes: NORMAL – for everyday driving. SPORT – adjusts the throttle and steering response. ECO – battery saving and more lethargic. There’s also a Snow mode – you press and hold the Mode button to activate it
Towing: 2,000 lbs (w/brake), 1,650 lbs (w/o brake)

Party Trick: Included on the test vehicle is the Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA). It allows you to pull in and out of a parking spot while you are outside your vehicle. Just press the button on the Smart Key and the IONIQ 5 will use its sensors to safely drive itself into a parking space. When it’s time to leave, the system will utilize the Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance system to scan for any passing vehicles or pedestrians, then safely pull out.

Horsepower: 320 / 239 kW
Torque lb-ft: 446
Top Speed: 185 km/h
0-60 km/h (sec): 5.1

What Does It Cost? For up-to-date pricing visit: HyundaiCanada

To Buy…
Base Price for the IONIQ 5 is $47,550
Test Vehicle: Preferred AWD Long Range – $54,999
+ Ultimate package: $5,000
As Tested: $59,999

Ultimate Package is well worth the cost and includes:
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 / Two-way onboard charger (V2L) / Wireless device charging / Bose Premium Audio / 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 / Rear door sun shades / Cargo cover

To Operate…

Rated at (Le/100 km): City – 2.1 / Highway – 2.7 / Combined – 2.1
Annual cost to operate (Transport Canada – 20,000 kms / $0.13 kWh): $639
The IONIQ 5 DOES qualify for the Federal Rebate of up to $5,000
EV Incentives in Quebec are (up to $8,000) and B.C gets $3,000, on top of the $5,000 Federal Grants
For vehicles that do qualify click HERE

Warranty:

Basic: 5 years/100,000 km
EV system components: 8 years/160,000 km
Roadside Assistance: 5 years /Unlimited km

The Competition
Ford Mustang Mach-E, Jaguar i-Pace, Kia EV6, Porsche Macan EV, Tesla Model Y, Toyota bZ4X, Volkswagen ID.4

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good: Looks – we just loved the look of the IONIQ 5 and so did lots of other people by the looks we were getting
More Good: Considerably cheaper than the Mach E GT – don’t tell Ford – we prefer the IONIQ 5
The Bad: You can’t get one for quite a while thanks to the shortage
The Ugly: We didn’t get the IONOQ 5 for long enough – there’s probably a ton of stuff we didn’t get to experience. One week just isn’t long enough

What’s The Verdict?

The size is perfect, with ingress and egress being terrific with those doors opening so wide. It drives and feels almost like a luxurious CUV – it’s a very nice place to spend time – and don’t forget the fun-factor, it’s a blast to drive – especially in Sport Mode. Price-wise its typical Hyundai – loaded with options and reasonably priced. You may not think just shy of $60k as being “reasonably priced” but compared to the competition – it’s fully loaded at the same price point other EV’s start at. The range is at the top end of what’s available at this point in time – other than Tesla and that is a major bonus, plus it has been built futureproof and is ready for those 350 kWk chargers if they ever show up in Ontario – but they are available elsewhere in abundance.

Direct comparisons with Ford’s Mustang Mach E are going to be inevitable – along with its cousin the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y. From everything I’ve read/watched, the ID.4 isn’t particularly good so it’s probably going to be a fisticuffs between those four in reality. Without a doubt THIS is the EV to beat. We were fortunate enough to have the Mach-E for a few days at the same time we had the IONIQ5, so we got a great opportunity to drive both of them at the same time. It solidified our preference – the Mach-E is incredibly fast. But the IONIQ5 is without a doubt the one we’d buy.

Charging, Recharge Times & Costs
Drive for Free or Cheap
From what I’ve found you can almost always get free charging at shop/mall locations as well as government buildings. Some dealers offer free charging, while others charge either for the electricity or a parking fee. Canadian Tire locations typically charge $1.50/hour for Level 2 charges. Some businesses have charge locations and offer free charging as a good-will gesture, while others charge $3.00+ per hour.

Niagara Region has no fast charging Level 3 spots – anywhere, the best I can hope for is finding a level 2 charge point and hope to get a 50 kWh charging location (nope), reality is more like 6.6 – 7.5 kW AC.

Location Finder Apps…
Depending where you charge, you have to have several memberships with different companies if you travel around – most are free to join and you simply download an app (more on this below…). You can choose to add a credit card to make payment even easier, but I chose not to because I’m only using these charge points a couple of times per year.

Plug Share – Find plug locations anywhere, regardless of providers. This is your one-stop spot for charging/planning a trip etc.

ChargeHub – Find plug locations anywhere, regardless of providers. You can also interact with other EV owners/ other users with the in-app messaging system. Request to unplug a user’s electric car, coordinate your charging or ask for any other info. In my local area it told me about plugs that were coming soon

Electric Charging Providers in Ontario…

Sun Country Highway– You have to use Plug Share/ ChargeHub to find locations, but they offer many free locations
ChargePoint – Probably the most extensive network and has many free charging point
Flo Network – Flo also have a large number of charging locations, many are free and payments can be made using Flo or ChargePoint as well as others

Hyundai SmartSense safety features include:

Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA)
Blind View Monitor (BVM) – loved that it actually chimed if you put your signal light on and someone was in your blind-spot
Surround View Monitor (SVM)
Highway Driving Assist (HDA)
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with Pedestrian, Cyclist and Junction-Turning Detection
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with stop-and-go capability
Lane Following Assist (LFA)
Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
Driver Attention Warning (DAW) – drive erratically and it tells you to stop for a coffee (I’m assuming, I never drive like that)
High Beam Assist (HBA)
Rear Occupant Alert (ROA) – great if you’ve got kids, annoying as hell if you don’t
Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
Safe Exit Warning (SEW)

SUPERSTRUCTURE, a state-of-the-art platform built with Hyundai’s very own Advanced High-Strength Steel to deliver exceptional stiffness and strength. In the event of a collision, the SUPERSTRUCTURETM helps protect occupants inside the vehicle by absorbing harmful energy and redirecting it away from the passenger compartment.