by Anthony Fongaro - photos via Hyundai - 06/27/2023
A few years ago, Hyundai gave us its first crossover electric vehicle. It was the Hyundai Kona Electric, and it was a good vehicle. Although it didn’t have the best range, it still was fun to drive with a lot of wheelspin. Since the Kona Electric was based on a gasoline-powered car, it was an electric version of a gasoline car. This isn’t Hyundai’s only electric crossover. The other one, as you will read, is a fantastic vehicle. It’s the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5, this time in the Limited Trim and AWD.
Just take a look at the exterior. It’s one of the coolest cars you’ll see on the road. Its retro styling can be seen throughout the exterior and interior. Finished in Cyber Gray with intricate 20-inch alloy wheels, this Ioniq 5 looked like a concept car. At the front, you’ll see a black bar that houses square LED lights. You’ll notice more squares throughout. From the side, the Ioniq 5 looks more like a taller hatchback than a crossover. The small body cladding around the wheel arches does give a toucher look. Door handles pop out when the car is unlocked. My favorite part of the exterior is the rear end, with square lights in the tail lights and silver design trim.
Step inside, and you’ll notice just how much spare there is. Since this is a bespoke EV, the interior is spacious. Take a look at the steering wheel, and the Hyundai logo was replaced by four squares. Along with buttons for media and safety features, there is a round button for the Drive Modes. The shifter is on the column which utilizes a switch on the end. It’s in a great position since it helps to free up space. In front is a digital display with the Limited model getting a head-up display.
Next to the drive is the Ioniq 5’s infotainment system. In the Limited Trim, you get heated and ventilated seats along with navigation. Underneath are shortcut buttons for Map, Media, and 360-degree camera. Climate control functions can be done on the infotainment system or haptic-feedback buttons. While you can do most functions in this section, you turn on the heating and ventilated seats in the infotainment system. The Ioniq 5 has three USB-a chargers and utilizes corded-only Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
Since there is no transmission tunnel, you’ll see a large open central area. This houses the cupholders, wireless charging, and an area to place items. Although there is a center console, it is quite shallow. Similar to the front, the rear, and trunk have plenty of room. Limited vehicles also get heated rear seats and window sunshades. The Ioniq 5 Limited also came with a Bose sound system. It’s a comfortable interior with a lot of technology. The front seat can also extend out when you’re charging.
It might have a blocky look, but the Ioniq 5 handles well. In almost any situation, you can utilize the Ioniq 5’s many safety features including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and a camera feed when you use your turn indicators. I found driving it quite relaxing and simple to use. While driving, the Ioniq 5 was receiving between 3.5-4.0 mi/kWh. Theoretically, the Ioniq 5 could get around 270 miles, but mine would have been around 230 miles at 100%. This is due to having to use the AC and ventilated seats. If you want to use your car as a giant battery, you can charge other cars and plug-in items due to V2L, vehicle to load. Thanks to a quick charging architecture of up to 350 kW, you can go from 10-80% in around 20 minutes. That is if you find a fast enough charger.
When it comes to price, there are a few different battery packs, trim levels, and motors. While the entry-level SE Standard Range can be bought for $41,000, Limited AWD is quite more. Limited Ioniq 5s start at around $53,000 and AWD models are $57,000. That is expensive, but you get heated and ventilated seats, a 360-degree camera, 20-inch wheels, and a power-operated hatch. Is this the trim level and combination to get? If you live in the Midwest or have to drive in a lot of inclement weather, the SEL AWD can be had for $52,000. Range-anxiety drivers can get rear-wheel drive models which are $3,500 cheaper than AWD models, although they make around 100 horsepower less.
At the end of the day, should you look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5? I would say you should put it on your shortlist or just buy one. The Limited trim does seem a bit expensive, but the added features are worth it. With the Ioniq 5, you get an amazing retro exterior, room interior, and good power. If you can find one not terribly marked up, take a look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Not only is it a great electric vehicle, but it’s also a great all-around car.
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