We are at the start of an electric revolution. Tesla has been leading the charge for a number of years now but the other auto manufacturers are quickly catching up. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the newest electric vehicles that hopes to take a chunk of the EV market.
Performance
Motor – The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available with a single (RWD) or a dual motor (AWD) powertrain along with a standard or long range battery pack. This demo vehicle is the full double espresso. It has the dual motors and long range battery pack. Total power output is 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque (238 kW & 604 Nm) which enables this Ioniq 5 to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds according to Hyundai. RWD long battery range Ioniq 5’s produce 225 hp / 258 lb-ft (167 kW & 350 Nm) while the RWD standard battery range Ioniq 5 produces 168 hp / 258 lb-ft of torque (125 kW & 350 Nm).
Getting back to the AWD long range model, it feels and goes plenty quick for daily needs. To put it into perspective, it is as quick to accelerate as the sporty Nissan 370Z. However, if you want the dual-motor AWD in Canada, you must opt for the top spec Ultimate trim which is quite a lot more than the base starting price. In the United States, the dual-motor AWD is available as an option on all trim levels for $3,500 – $3,900 USD (depending on trim).
Range & Efficiency – The standard range RWD Ioniq 5 can drive for up to 354 km (220 miles). The long range RWD version can go for up to 488 km (303 miles) while this dual-motor long range has an estimated range of up to 414 km (257 miles). The ranges of course depend on your driving style, climate control use, ambient temperatures, and so on. As well, the Ioniq 5 can be equipped with a heat pump. This is a more efficient way of heating or cooling the cabin that doesn’t impact the battery range as much as an electric heater. In Canada, only the base trim level doesn’t have a heat pump. In the United States, it’s only Ioniq 5’s that are equipped with the dual-motor AWD that receive heat pumps.
Officially the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is rated for 2.4 Le/100km (98 MPGe). During my time with the car, I averaged 20.4 kWh/100km (3.04 miles/kWh).
Battery & Charging – The standard battery is 58 kWh and has 288 cells. The long range battery is 77.4 kWh and is made up of 384 cells. These batteries allow for either 400 or 800 Volt charging. From a 250 kW DC fast charger, the Ioniq 5 will recharge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes. From a 150 kW DC charger, that same charging range is done in 25 minutes while a 10.9 kW level 2 charger will take up to 6 hours from 10% to 100%. These are all estimated times from Hyundai. One thing to note, when you plug the car in to charge, a very robotic voice tells you that the “charging started”. Thankfully it can be turned off. There are lights on the charge panel as well as the front of the car (if equipped) that can tell you the charge level at a glance.
One interesting feature of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the ability to power household appliances or provide a charge to another electric vehicle. Using the V2L function, it can be used to discharge the Ioniq 5’s battery level to a certain point that is set in the infotainment system. So you can go camping and power electrical devices or power your home during a blackout. There is a plug at the bottom of the rear seats or an adapter can be used with the charging port.
Braking – The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has FOUR different modes of regenerative braking. It has the standard levels of regen braking that range from 0 (almost no regen braking) to level 3 (near max regen braking). It has one pedal driving which Hyundai calls i-Pedal. It has “regen on demand” which is the same as the regen on demand that is found in the Chevrolet Bolt & Volt. As you pull and hold on the left steering wheel paddle, it will provide maximum regen braking and will bring the car to a complete stop so long as you hold on that paddle. And finally there is Auto regen braking. This system detects the vehicle ahead along with the distance and speed and adjusts the regen braking mode automatically. So if the vehicle ahead is closer and you’re both going at higher speeds, it will provide a stronger regen braking mode. If it’s further away or there is no vehicle ahead, it will provide very little regen braking. This system works just fine but I found it a bit unsettling because it’s never consistent. Personally, I just stuck with level 3 regen braking or used the i-Pedal.
Handling – The driving dynamics are not this EV’s forte. The suspension is tuned to be soft and compliant over bumps. This in turn makes the car feel unsettled when traveling through a corner while hitting a particularly big bump. But at least the steering is direct and has a decent amount of heft as you begin to turn the steering wheel. However it won’t be going after the Mach-E’s handling crown anytime soon.
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Comfort
Ride Comfort – Due to the soft suspension, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is very comfortable around city streets. Even with the 20-inch wheels that this demo vehicle has, the ride is fantastic.
Further aiding to the ride comfort are the seats which are both supportive and soft. The driver’s seat also has a party piece. When parked, the seat can recline and a little footrest will extend. This only works when the car is in Park and the buttons get disabled when in Drive or Reverse.
Interior Space – While on the outside the Ioniq 5 may look like a hot hatch, it’s actually similar in size to a crossover SUV. As such, there is a lot of passenger space for both front and rear occupants.
In the front, there is no traditional center console and instead is a console that can slide forwards and backwards. There’s also a flat floor in front of the console and more storage just underneath the dashboard. In the back seats, I have about one inch of extra space for my legs behind my 6’4” driving position. The back seats are raised a bit in relation to the front but headroom is still good.
In the trunk, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has 770 L (27.2 cu-ft) of cargo space with the rear seats up and 1,680 L (59.3 cu-ft) with the seats folded. There’s a bit of storage space underneath the floor and the Ioniq 5 can be optioned with a hands-free power liftgate. Open up the front clamshell hood and you will also find a small compartment that can hold up to 24 L (0.84 cu-ft) of space.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Driving the Ioniq 5 on city streets is a peaceful experience. There is no engine noise to worry about and the interior is well insulated from outside noises. On highways you will hear a little bit of wind noise but it’s not overly intrusive.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 starts at $44,999 CAD ($43,650 USD, SE trim) for the Essential trim. This particular demo vehicle is the Preferred AWD long range trim with the Ultimate package and it has a price of $59,999 CAD ($54,500 USD, Limited AWD). Of course the Ioniq 5 is eligible for Government rebates.
Gadgets – For all that money, the 2022 Ioniq 5 is equipped with the usual crop of features such as heated & ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto (though not wireless), surround view cameras, Hyundai’s excellent highway driving assist, and a panoramic sunroof (that unfortunately does not open) among many other features.
Some unique features include a head-up display with augmented reality navigation directions. The arrows are superimposed onto the road surface when it comes time to take a turn. The leather upholstery is not leather and is instead leatherette that is made from recycled materials. However, it still feels like genuine leather. The infotainment system is the same one that is used in other Hyundai vehicles but it has a few unique pages for the Ioniq 5. These include charging and pre-departure schedules, battery range and charging stations.
Interior Design – The interior of the Ioniq 5 is, for the most part, a straightforward and nice place to be in. The dashboard consists of two 10.25” display screens; one for the infotainment system and one for the driver instrumentation. One design feature that I don’t like has to do with the climate controls. They are capacitive touch and there are no dedicated buttons for the heated and/or ventilated seats. You have to press the “Warmer” button to access the menu in the infotainment system. Also, the drive selector is a long rod that extends from the steering column. It reminds me a bit too much of a woman’s pleasure tool. There’s enough real estate just above the climate controls for “P, R, N, D” buttons. But the rest of the cabin is well laid out and uses a lot of sustainable materials through the dashboard, door panels, and as mentioned earlier, the seats.
Exterior Design – The 2022 Ioniq 5 looks like a retro-futuristic hot hatch from the 1970’s. Hyundai specifically says that it looks like a concept car from 1974. It looks like no other vehicle on the market today. There’s a lot of emphasis on sharp lines and squares. The LED daytime running lights are square in their design but if you look closely, the lights themselves have a square texture to them. The front also has a row of vertical LED lights that crosses from one side of the car to the other.
On the side, the door handles are flush with the body. The charge port is power operated but don’t worry if the battery is dead because there is a physical tab that you can pull from inside the trunk to open the charge port.
Around the back, the square theme continues with the taillights which are themselves made up of square LEDs. The spoiler has two slats in it to allow for better aerodynamics. One thing that you won’t find is a rear wiper blade. I’m not sure why Hyundai omitted one for the Ioniq 5 because when it is raining, the water sticks to the rear glass as a fine mist. It does obscure some of the rear vision but I guess you can put Rain-X on the rear glass to help some of the water slide off quickly.
Warranty – The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is covered by a 5 year / 100,000 km new vehicle limited warranty. The battery components warranty is 8 years / 160,000 km. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – Overall the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a fantastic electric crossover. It’s not the most engaging EV to drive but this car is more about commuting and having a relaxed driving experience. It is a bit on the expensive side once you get to the top trim but the Government rebates do help with that a little bit. I just don’t understand why here in Canada, AWD is limited to just the top-most trim level?
Thank you to Hyundai Canada for providing the vehicle. www.HyundaiCanada.com
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Gallery
