There are so many new electric cars arriving in Australia right now it can be easy to overlook an outstanding EV which has been here for some time from a brand that’s well established - the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
The variant tested has what I call the ‘magic combination’: the entry-grade Ioniq 5, with the larger 77.4kWh battery and rear-wheel drive. Having driven more than a few electric cars over the past year I can say it’s the smartest pick from the range and one of the best EV choices on the market.
Let me explain why…
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Hyundai Ioniq 5 2024: Ioniq 5 2WD (77.4Kwh)
| Engine Type | 0.0L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | 0.0L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $67,210 - $77,220 |
| Safety Rating |
|
Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
8 / 10
We are reviewing the model year 2024 Ioniq 5, but Hyundai Australia announced pricing and spec for an updated model year 2025 Ioniq 5 earlier this week. It comes with visual tweaks and a boost to battery capacity. Check out the article for the MY25 details, otherwise, read on to find out more about the model we drove.
Our Ioniq 5 may be the entry-grade in the range but it has the big 77.4kWh battery and rear-wheel drive (not all-wheel drive) so its list price is $73,500.
You can also have this same grade with rear-wheel drive and the smaller 58kWh battery and pay less at $67,500, but you won’t have as much driving range.
Take it from somebody who has lived with electric cars for months at a time, you can never have too much range. So, if you can afford the extra $6K for the bigger battery, do it. I’ll get into the range lengths and motors straight after I tell you about the standard features.
Coming standard on the entry-level Ioniq 5 are LED headlights and LED tail-lights, a proximity key and retracting door handles. There's dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch media display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a six-speaker stereo with digital radio.
Seat upholstery is a wool blend and leather combination, the driver’s seat is power adjustable and there’s wireless phone charging.
That’s pretty much it. So you’re missing out on the heated, full-leather seats, privacy glass, a head-up display and power tailgate on the higher grades.
Still, this entry-level grade is the best value in the range. But there’s more to why our test car is such a great pick.
Oh, by the way, rivals to the Ioniq 5 include Kia’s EV5, the Subaru Solterra, Tesla’s Model Y and the Toyota bZ4X.
Efficiency – What is its driving range? What is its charging time? 9/10
9 / 10
Let’s talk about the range which will become a regular conversation topic of yours if you buy an EV. As we said our entry-grade Ioniq 5 had the larger 77.8kWh battery and it's RWD.
If you select this ‘magic’ combination you will have yourself the Ioniq 5 with the most range in the.. er, range, which is up to 507km.
To put that in perspective the entry-grade with the smaller battery has only up to 384km of range and the furthest the others claim to be able to drive is 476km.
The Ioniq 5 has 400/800V architecture which means you can use 350kW fast chargers to full capacity and charge from 10-80 percent in approximately 18 minutes.
Most chargers are 50kW and 75kW units, or 150kW if you’re lucky. However, Hyundai’s more robust architecture is nicely future-proofed, ready to accept faster facilities when they become available.
Hyundai says after a combination of open and urban roads you’ll use 17.0kWh/100km and in our testing the trip computer was reporting 19.9kWh after 207.2km of everyday activities such as the school run and commuting. That's very energy efficient.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its motor? 8/10
8 / 10
The larger battery brings with it a more powerful motor delivering outputs of 125kW and 350Nm. It’s not the most powerful Ioniq 5 in the range but it does have only one motor driving the rear wheels. The all-wheel drive variants have two motors - one at the front and one at the back.
All-wheel drive offers better traction in wet conditions and on gravel roads, but rear-wheel drive does the job perfectly well in most circumstances, so don't get pressured into the other if money is tight.
Driving – What's it like to drive? 8/10
8 / 10
The Ioniq 5 is easy, comfortable and fun to drive. The long wheelbase gives this car a comfortable and composed ride.
Rear-wheel drive and plenty of torque make it fun with good handling.
Finally, excellent visibility, light steering and raised ride height make it an easy car to pilot.
The paddles behind the steering wheel aren’t for changing gears, they’re for increasing or decreasing regenerative braking. I use them almost like shifting paddles, though, in that I’ll increase the regeneration coming into a corner and this will brake the car harder.
Or you can set the regeneration to Max and drive in 'one pedal' mode and never have to touch the brake pedal.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
8 / 10
The Ioniq 5 has cool retro looks with its overgrown hatchback shape, the ‘pixel’ LED tail-lights and square LED daytime running lights.
I’m not as much a fan of the cabin as I am of its exterior with its dull grey surfaces. Yes, this is a modern and minimalist interior but it’s also on the plain and uninspiring side.
You’ll notice on the steering wheel there’s no Hyundai logo and instead just four dots. That’s Morse Code for the letter H.
Another intriguing fact is the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is enormously long at 3.0m for a car that’s 4.6m end-to-end.
That wheelbase is longer than a Toyota LandCruiser's and Hyundai has achieved this by putting the wheels at the extreme ends of the vehicle creating more room for a big battery (which runs along the base of the car) and extra space for passengers in the cabin.
That’s a good lead into practicality…
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 9/10
9 / 10
The Ioniq 5 is super practical with great storage, power outlets and a spacious cabin thanks to that long wheelbase.
There are big door pockets, four cupholders, a large storage tray between the driver and front passenger, plus USB ports and wireless phone charging.
There's also vehicle to load (V2L) capability which means it has a regular household power point (see my awful photo of it) that can be used to run camping equipment, fridges or in my case, a vacuum cleaner which I used to remove all traces of the 'hot chips incident' involving two small humans.
Flat floors throughout, rear seats on rails, excellent headroom thanks to the high roof and outstanding rear legroom, the Ioniq’s cabin is one of the roomiest of any car I’ve sat in, including big, hulking SUVs.
Boot space is great at 527 litres and there’s a 57-litre front boot under the bonnet, too.
Important to note there's no spare tyre, just a repair/inflator kit.
Warranty & Safety Rating
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 9/10
9 / 10
The Ioniq 5 was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2021.
Even though that’s close to four years ago now the advanced safety technology is still impressive with AEB which can detect pedestrians, cyclists and other cars, junction and crossing AEB, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, rear occupant alert and a surround camera view.
The Ioniq also can be parked remotely using its key fob. That's right, without you in it, in parallel or perpendicular parking situations.
For airbags there are dual front, front side (thorax and pelvis), a front centre airbag and side curtains.
For child seats there are three top tether anchor points and two ISOFIX mounts across the second row.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 7/10
7 / 10
The Ioniq 5 has Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, while the battery is covered for eight-years 160,000km.
Hyundai recommends the Ioniq 5 2WD 77.4kWh be serviced at 30,000km intervals or every two years.
A two-year/30,000km standard pre-paid plan will see you pay $610 up front which is about what you'd pay for a petrol SUV over the same time.
Verdict
This is the Ioniq 5 I would buy with my own money. The value is great, the range is excellent, the practicality is outstanding and it's superb fun to drive. What more could you want? Heated seats and dark tinted windows, really.
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