Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs Polestar 3

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 Epiq N-Line AWD leverages an electric powertrain’s best attributes brilliantly well.

It’s ultra smooth and comfortable with ample performance and great dynamics thanks in part to this car’s N Line spec.

Its price tag pits it against formidable competition from the German Big Three, Tesla and others. But it has what it takes in terms of quality and value to fight that battle. It’s an impressive machine.

The Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack offers a lot of good stuff and in a segment filled with jellybean-on-wheels-designs, it looks great!

It’s large and comfortable enough for a family but the technology feels overworked and that hurts its functionality for me. So much so that at times it feels like you were driving a phone, rather than a car.

Is this a big hatchback or a mid-size SUV? I’m on team hatchback, while Hyundai defines the Ioniq 5 as an SUV.

But who cares? They’re just words and the fact is even after close to three years in market this five-seater looks fresh and contemporary thanks to its confident, chiselled lines and wide stance.  

For car-spotters the N Line exterior treatment consists of flat aluminium badging, specific bumpers front and rear, with a deeper nose spoiler incorporating larger vents to cool the front brakes.

There’s also body-coloured cladding and side skirts, gloss black mirror caps, unique 20-inch alloy rims and a ‘hidden’ lighting signature across the top of the front bumper.

Inside there are Alcantara- and leather-appointed seats, an N Line-exclusive partially-perforated leather steering wheel, red contrast stitching and accents, and brushed metal covers on the pedals.

Add in the twin 12.3-inch screens display and this understated, super-cool interior comes to life with a sporty twist. 

The Ioniq 5 scores points for a manual dial for audio control and an Ioniq 5 update earlier this year included a row of simple-to-use buttons for the ventilation system and another on the centre console for seat comfort settings and more. A sensible blend of physical and digital controls.

Where the Polestar 2 is mid-size, the Polestar 3 looks enormous but both feature what I like to refer to as Polestar minimalism. Crisp lines showcase the body without ever looking flashy.

There’s a distinct, growly edge to the Polestar 3 which its rivals lack with their pillowy designs and there’s no other word for it - it's hot.

While the thoughtfully sourced Nappa leather is a nice touch, it feels like virtue signalling to have the fact stencilled on the seats themselves. I don't need to know that it used 8.1kg of CO2e per square metre of material to produce, but it might float your boat.

This supple material is set against some lovely soft-touch knit fabrics that look great but easily pick up marks.

The Swedish Gold accents in the seatbelts and ambient lighting add some personality but the cabin looks too similar to its far more affordable sedan cousin for its price point.

The simply-styled but high-end looking interior won’t appeal to all, especially not when you’re considering the cabins of its flashier rivals but there is something beautiful in its minimalism.

At just over 4.6m long, a little under 1.9m wide and a fraction more than 1.6m tall the Ioniq 5 comfortably fits the medium SUV profile.

But arguably its most significant dimension is a 3.0m wheelbase which is huge for a car of this size as evidenced by the wheels pushed out to the corners.

What that means is plenty of space inside, but before you can even get in the capacitive touch power door handles may look cool and help aero performance with their flush fit design but I’m not a fan. They’re hard to grip most of the time and don’t work well from an ergonomic point-of-view.

That said, once inside the front seats are adjustable six ways to Sunday and at 183cm tall I have plenty of head space and breathing room in general.

In terms of storage there are big pockets in the doors with room for bottles and thanks to the ‘shift-by-wire’ gear controller located on the steering column there’s room between the seats for a substantial console including a pair of cupholders, a slot for devices and a lidded tray (which doubles as a centre armrest) with that whole rear section able to swing up to allow access to a large lower shelf underneath.

In fact, the entire console unit easily slides fore and aft to liberate more legroom for the centre rear position. There’s also an oddments cubby in the lower part of the dash and a decent glove box.

Then, for connectivity and power there are three USB-C sockets (one in the dash switchable to streaming), a wireless device charging pad and a 12-volt outlet.

In the back that long wheelbase comes into its own. Sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my position I have loads of foot, leg and headroom.

Storage runs to door pockets with room for bottles, a fold-down centre armrest with a pair of cupholders, there are netted map pockets on the front seat backs and pull-up sun shades on the rear windows.

There are controls for the front passenger seat on the inner edge of the front passenger seat backrest which allows rear seaters to adjust its position. Thoughtful.

For power there’s a pair of USB-C sockets and individual ventilation controls in the back of the B-pillars is welcome. 

Then, not only is the electrically-adjustable rear seat split 60/40 in the backrest, it’s in the cushion, as well, which adds extra flexibility in terms of a balance between rear passenger space and room in the boot.

The boot is generous at 527 litres (VDA) with the rear seat upright and 1587L when it’s folded down.

There’s also a handy 24L ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, a decent portion of which is devoted to the (included) charging cable.

Interestingly, the Ioniq 5 AWD is rated to tow a 1600kg braked trailer with a trailer pre-wiring package standard. 

There’s a repair/inflator rather than a spare tyre, which is never a good thing, but there is a ‘smart’ power tailgate and a ‘Vehicle-to-Load’ function that allows you to power and/or charge three-pin appliances from the car. Handy.

The best part of the Polestar 3 cabin is the space available for all occupants! What it lacks in a third row, it more than makes up for in legroom. So, if you have a couple of lanky teenagers in tow, they'll be happy.

Passenger access is excellent via the wide door apertures and 202mm ground clearance. The front seats offer the most comfort with their heat, ventilation and five-mode massage functions. However, the rear seats are ergonomic and well-padded, so even back there, you won't get fatigue on a longer journey.

Storage isn't as clever as it could be but you still get some solid options. There's a glove box (opened via the touchscreen) that can fit a manual; a middle console, under-shelf cubby that has an elastic tech pouch and a centre console that features two cupholders and a phone cradle.

In the rear you get small storage bins in each door, two cupholders in a fold-down centre armrest and two map pockets.

Other amenities in the rear are okay but not class-leading, especially not for a top-grade model. Back rowers get climate control, heated outboard seats, two USB-C ports and reading lights but that's about it. A few practical items like sun blinds and extra storage options would be good for a family SUV at this price point.

The boot offers a maximum of 597L of storage capacity available when all five seats are in use but that can be bumped up to 1411L when the rear row is folded. The rear row has a 60/40 split with a ski-port door that adds variation to the configuration.

A level loading space makes it an easy car to slide gear in and out of. The floor folds up to reveal a large storage pocket underneath which is a handy spot for when you only have a few items and don’t want them rolling around.

Like most EVs you don’t get a spare tyre, just a tyre repair kit but you do get a powered tailgate with kick function.

Now we come to what has become the least practical aspect of the cabin for my family and that's the technology.

There's no denying the 14.5-inch portrait-style multimedia touchscreen looks awesome. And when it works, it's great. But the emphasis is on 'when it works'.

If you’re familiar with the Volvo systems, you’ll figure it out, but if you’re not - expect to spend some quality one-on-one time with the system because this isn't a simple ‘get in and go’ set up. 

It's run by Android Automotive which means you get a whole bunch of Google apps built-in, like Maps, Assistant and Google Play. There are others, like YouTube, Spotify and Tidal as well. A software update later in the year should see Apple CarPlay enabled.

The system seems to have a few gremlins and there are sporadic moments where the touchscreen functionality stops, or menus/functions can't be accessed. As when the key fob battery was low and the wireless charging pad could not be enabled. A full reset on the system was required to restore functionality.

Outside of volume control, everything is accessed via the screen and that means you're one glitch away from not being able to use the vehicle optimally or open your glove box.

The 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system with Dolby Atmos is nice, though.

There are two variants available for the Polestar 3 Long Range, a Single Motor and a Dual Motor, but a few different packs can be added to the chosen variant to further personalise it.

We're in the top-grade Dual Motor with Performance Pack; a pack that adds $11,700 to the 'base' Dual Motor variant and brings its price tag to $144,420 MSRP.

The Performance Pack adds 'Swedish Gold' accents on the seatbelts, ambient lighting system, tyre valves and calipers. There are Brembo brakes behind the 22-inch performance wheels and the chassis has been tuned for performance.

Standard kit for this model includes adaptive air suspension, adaptive LED headlights and LED tail-lights, keyless start/entry and three-zone climate control. The Android Automotive system runs a few different built-in Google apps like Google Assistant, Maps and YouTube. An update later in the year should see Apple CarPlay become integrated.

Other equipment includes a panoramic sunroof, 14.5-inch multimedia touchscreen, 360-degree view camera system, a powered tailgate, at home charging cable and electric front seats with heat function and extendable under-thigh supports.

Now come the little extras.

Our test model has the $2000 optional black 'Space' paintwork and 'Plus Pack' which adds $9000 and includes a head-up display, a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, active noise cancelling tech, a foldable boot floor, heated steering wheel and rear outboard seats, power-operated steering column, air quality filtering for the air-conditioning system and soft close doors.

There is also an upgraded Nappa pack for $7500 which adds animal welfare secured (which almost feels like a misnomer) Nappa leather upholstery from Bridge of Weir, black ash deco panels and front seats with five massage modes, powered side support and ventilation function.

The top-model grade more than holds its own in terms of motor outputs compared to its rivals the BMW iX xDrive 50 Sport and Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 SUV, but the BMW has it beat with a longer driving range.

And despite technicality sitting as the most affordable with its base price, the extra packs our test model has put it at over $180K drive-away and, well, that feeling of value starts to slide for me.

The Ioniq 5 Epiq AWD is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor on each axle, both powerful, but the rear unit packs a bigger punch.

And combined peak outputs of 239kW and 605Nm are substantial with especially the latter delivering eye-widening acceleration.

Drive goes to all four wheels via a single-speed, reduction gear auto transmission on both axles. And a ‘Disconnector Actuator System’ is able to disengage the front wheels to reduce drag losses from the front motor and improve energy efficiency.

Our test model is a dual motor all-wheel-drive, with two 180kW permanent magnetic motors at each end of the vehicle. The Performance Pack adds a software upgrade which boosts the outputs (20kW/70Nm) and together this model produces up to 380kW of power and 910Nm of torque.

This gives you an impressive 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.7-seconds and a top speed of 210km/h.

The chassis has been tuned with performance in mind and there is torque vectoring on the rear axle, as well as a rear motor disconnect clutch to save power at lower speeds.

Despite its massive outputs, I haven’t felt overwhelmed by the power but it has plenty of it to ensure a quick on-road experience. You certainly don’t feel like you can’t overtake!

The Ioniq 5 Epiq AWD is powered by an 84kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, borrowed from the high-performance Ioniq 5 N.

Thanks to 800-volt compatibility it can accept a 350kW DC charge which translates to an up to 80 per cent charge time of around 18 minutes, which expands to just over an hour using a more typical 50kW charger.

Connect to AC at the Ioniq 5’s maximum 10.5kW capacity and quoted charge time is just over six hours.

Official energy consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 19kWh/100km and claimed range is a useful 495km.

Over a mix of urban, suburban and freeway running on test we saw a real-world average of 16.8kWh/100km, which is impressive for a car with this much performance potential.

The Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack has a lithium ion battery with a large 111kWh of capacity but its claimed WLTP driving range is only up to 567km which positions it in the middle of its rivals.

This isn’t a bad driving range but I’d want an even longer one for a family SUV because it means less time at the charging stations with your kids on a road trip.

The Polestar 3 has a Type 2 CCS charging port and it can be connected to a rapid DC charger. It can accept up to 250kW on this type of system, which is excellent.

An 11kW AC or 50kW DC charger will take up to 11 hours or two and a half hours to charge, respectively.

Our test model has an official claimed WLTP energy consumption range between 21.9 to 23kWh/100km and after a mix of open and city driving we managed to hit an average of 20.4kWh, which is good for such a big EV.

In terms of straight line performance we’re talking 0-100km/h in a tick over 5.0 seconds and I see anything in the five-second bracket as properly quick.

With more than 600Nm of peak pulling power at your disposal there’s always plenty of pulling power for efficient in-traffic moves and safe highway overtaking.

The shift-by-wire gear selector on the steering column takes some getting used to but once you’re in tune with it, it’s surprisingly convenient, especially during slow speed parking or turning manoeuvres. 

There are multiple modes - ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Snow’. Sport mode spices things up a bit with more urgent responses and the ‘HTrac’ AWD system uses multiple sensors to manage potential wheelspin and optimise drive in wet conditions or on loose dirt surfaces.

Suspension is by struts at the front and multi-links and the rear and the Ioniq 5 in this configuration is ultra-smooth and comfortable.

Even hitting pretty aggressive speed bumps and ruts in the road and the car soaks them up without fuss. You’re used to EVs being a little harsh in terms of ride compliance thanks to their relative weight, but that’s not the case here.

As part of a model upgrade introduced earlier this year Hyundai says it undertook a “comprehensive revision to the suspension tune”, which includes high-performance dampers on this N Line. And despite low-ish profile (255/45) Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres on the 20-inch rims it remains comfortable and quiet.

The upgrade also included body reinforcements in the B- and C-pillar, door surrounds and under the body for a stiffer platform overall.

That pays off in the dynamics. Despite its 2.1-tonne weight the Ioniq 5’s steering is accurate and nicely weighted. It doesn’t feel lumbering or ponderous despite its relative heft.

The physical brakes are ventilated discs front and rear with regenerative available through four levels, the most aggressive setting being ‘i-Pedal’ which allows single-pedal driving.

It will slow the car to a full stop, harvesting the most energy possible in the process, although you might need a dab on the brake pedal if things are tight.

Miscellaneous observations include a 12m turning circle, so be ready for three-point turns where you didn’t think you’d have to.

Hyundai's (and Kia’s) default over-speed warning is present in full-force taking clicks through multiple screens to switch off and avoid its incessant audible alarm saying you've exceed what the car believes is the posted limit (every time you restart the car).

The recently released Tucson Hybrid features a short-cut function to do away with this issue and it would be welcome here.

The CPU underpinning the multimedia system is more powerful and response is speedy without a hint of lag.

And the camera based ‘mirrors’ take some getting used to. For many, they’re the answer to a question no one was asking. I mean, conventional mirrors work pretty well and any aero benefit from the smaller camera units has to be modest. But once you’re in tune with them the hi-def screens are excellent.

A flip of the switch on the interior rear view mirror allows you to side-step tall heads or loads in the back of the car but minimal depth of field is also (visually) awkward at first.

I have been a little surprised by the top-model grade this week. It’s got heaps of power and your tummy does a little leap when you really have to put your foot down but the strong regen braking and adjustable one-pedal function (up to two levels) take a long time to get used to and sometimes it just feels like it's champing at the bit but not in a fun, sports car way.

The Polestar 3 sits lower to the ground than some other large SUVs but it’s not as steady as I would expect in cornering. The adaptive suspension is adjustable depending on the drive mode you select but remains fairly firm and you feel the bigger bumps.

The visibility is great and none of the pillars are in the way from my driving position, the frameless side mirrors also add a wide view into your blind spots. 

The active noise cancelling tech means the cabin is delightfully quiet and it's very easy to chat with the back seat passengers. I’ve hated that you can’t ‘close’ the sunroof though because despite there being little to no heat, the constant sunlight is really annoying.

The 360-degree view camera system is high quality and despite a few fish-eye lens angles you can get, this is a very easy SUV to park.

My dad struggled with the concept of not turning the car on or off, and in his words "it just feels wrong!". This is a Polestar experience though that you get used to (eventually).

However, the aspect I struggled with is that you get two 'keys' - an easily lost key fob and a keycard (same size as a credit card).

You apparently need both to access the vehicle - the keycard to unlock/open the doors if the key fob proximity feature doesn't register and the key fob to actually drive.

Although, at a pinch the keycard is technically a second key and can be used to drive if the battery on the key fob runs out. Oh, did I mention you have to charge the key fob? It all seems a bit superfluous.

The Polestar 3 hasn't been assessed by ANCAP yet, so is unrated, but there's not much it doesn’t have when it comes to its safety equipment and it features nine airbags which is great for a family SUV.

The standard safety kit includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keeping aid, parking assist, traffic sign recognition, 360-degree camera system, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring and occupant detection alert.

Some highlight features include an alarm system with interior motion sensors, automatic unlocking in a collision, emergency e-call, and Volvo's 'Whiplash Injury Protection System' consisting of energy absorbing backrests and specially designed head restraints in the front seats.

The adaptive cruise control is great but has one too many steps to get it going.

The Polestar 3 has forward and rear collision warning, as well as AEB with cyclist, pedestrian and car detection.

There are two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchor points on the rear seats but two seats will fit best.

Hyundai covers the Ioniq 5 with a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is the mainstream market norm, with a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty for the drive battery; also an expected term.

Roadside assistance and sat-nav updates are renewed annually if the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Hyundai dealer.

Service interval is two years/30,000km which is appropriate for an EV given its relative mechanical simplicity and a ‘Lifetime Service Plan’ locks in scheduled maintenance costs for the life of the vehicle.

Service cost for the first five years is $1220, with each of the two services required in that time coming in at $610. Competitive for an EV in this part of the market.

Polestar offers the Polestar 3 with a five-year/unlimited warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year or up to 160,000km warranty. You also get a free service plan for the first five years or up to 100,000km of ownership, whichever comes first.

Considering its position in the premium-end of the EV market, this is good value compared to its Euro rivals.