2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 5
Base Price: $39,950
Test Unit HP: 320
Test Unit TQ: 446 ft/lbs
0-60: 4.4 Seconds
kWh Battery: 77.4
Range: 300 miles
— Guy who did stuff : Yousef Alvi
Every once in a blue moon I come across a vehicle that completely shifts my way of thinking. This 2023 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is one of those vehicles. A vehicle so good that is ‘almost’ lends credence to the whole EV future we may have.
You cannot talk about this IONIQ 5 without talking about it’s styling. This is by far the best looking EV ever made. No other vehicle garners this much attention, whispers and downright fascination as this IONIQ 5. It’s styling is pure brilliance! Combining retro inspired 80 motifs to futuristic angles and the lot, the best way I can describe is that the Tron Lightcycle and a Honda CRX made sweet love to a Alfa Romeo Brera and this was the end result.
Now it’s very rare for a vehicle to look this good, at this price point and have an interior to match and but damnit to hell it does! It’s beautifully simple, airy and familiar. There is reacquainting your muscle memory because most everything (except for the shifter) is where it’s supposed to be! For all you automakers take note of this IONIQ 5!
Stop reinventing the wheel! Stop ruining interiors because you need it to look ‘futuristic’. More often than not, it doesn’t and it looks and performs idiotically. You don’t have to place the HVAC controls on the roof just to be ‘futuristic’ or make the shifter a rubik’s cube…just make it look, feel and behave well beautifully!!
Packaging wise this IONIQ 5 might as well be perfect. You can fit two forward facing car seats in the back easily due to the tall roof, flat floor and large rear seats. The front seats are comfortable, supportive and has enough storage to fit your entire house. To top it all off…the rear cargo area is huge!
Now if you think the IONIQ drives as good as it looks…then you’re right…kinda. I look at the IONIQ 5 and I’m thinking that the Alfa Romeo Brera meets Honda CRX styling means Alfa meets CRX driving! Well…no. While the IONIQ 5 is plenty quick at a 60 shot in 4.5 seconds…it doesn’t handle like one would imagine it would. It’s not bad by any means and if anything it reminded of a Lexus RX which is to say that it’s engineered for a soft, pillowy and isolating ride rather than a corner carving beast. Once you level set your expectations of a luxury car ride…then it all falls into place. The IONIQ 5 is silent on the highway and it’s swallows road imperfections without notice, it’s steering is delicate and effortless…this Ioniq5 would be the ideal roadtrip companion.
Except for the following: The crux of every EV vehicle is range and recharging. Either you can get decent range and crappy recharging or great recharging and crappy range. No longer with this IONIQ 5! 300 miles of range on a single charge and with ability of recharging from 10-80% in 18 glorious minutes!! BUT. That comes with a huge caveat…if you can find a fast charger capable of pumping out those kW.
I didn’t and couldn’t find one when my test unit reached 20% battery left. Sorting through the onboard Navigation and even the Chargepoint App was an exercise in frustration…since everything in that area was relegated with 50 kWh, which is somehow a ‘fast DC’ charger. So instead of a glorious 18 minute charge time…it was 90 minutes…at 2am…75 miles away from home.
But it’s not Hyundai’s fault (well the navigation part is) but more of the woeful state of our charging infrastructure. It just sucks. If you have anything less than 20% battery left and you are more than 70 miles away from home…you are pretty much screwed. Either the charger is broken or it’s so slow you might as well grab an Uber home. Another caveat is that you may not have to run into that scenario often, if you charge your EV at home then you have 300 miles of range every single time you get in it! BUT if you happen to venture 140 miles away from home…you might get a bit worried.
Yousef Alvi
