Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review: outstanding in every way except one

I absolutely love the look of the Hyundai Ioniq 5. And I think it drives as well as the best EVs I’ve driven, and I’ve driven a bloody lot of them. But holy crap the price is almost outrageous.

While I don’t remember year 12 economics that well, there’s something about Supply and Demand that allows you to set prices based on the level of demand vs the amount of supply of said goods.

In this case, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a limited edition beast. A few hundred that will be delivered to buyers this year are already sold, and the ten thousand others who expressed at least an interest will have to wait, and I’d bet that barely a tenth of them will get the chance to buy the car in 2022.

All that perhaps justifies the $70,000+ price tag. Perhaps.

But for me, I don’t see it.

The vehicle looks like a hatchback, and no, it’s not anything small like an i30, it’s more and frankly utterly similar in exterior dimensions to the Hyundai Tucson. On the inside it’s far roomier thanks to the lack of transmission tunnel.

However, lift that hatch and you’ve got bugger all space compared to most mid-sized or small SUVs, and under the bonnet because it’s an EV there’s no engine, however Hyundai have, in their wisdom, chosen to pack it full of “stuff” and left a small compartment worthy of a few documents and a lunch box. No overnight bag going in here. Maybe your toiletries bag.

So for me the size is a balance. Great personal space, but not great space for “stuff”.

If the top notch Highlander Tucson is $51,000 then how the hell do you justify to the wife an extra twenty-thousand dollars on the Ioniq 5? You’d wanna have solar panels so the cost of running it is near to $0, and she’d best be a member of the greens.

That Petrol to EV price disparity is a huge issue, and while car companies seem to think the Government should help bridge that gap, I call BS and say the car companies need to scale up production and get the prices down.

With all that said – Damn, this is one fine EV.

I see little reason to choose a Tesla over the Ioniq here, especially given the Ioniq turns as many if not more heads, so people will know you’re driving an EV. There’d be more Model 3’s in most suburbs where Ioniqs are going to be owned than there will be all other EVs combined, so for the unique future looking approach, this is a big win.

Range is perfectly adequate at well over 400km, and it’s driving modes are well placed and differentiated to give you the kick from Sport if you want it, but the simplicity of ECO around town.

I love that Hyundai have gone to an iPedal one foot drive on the highest regeneration setting, though I wish with all my being that it would be set as default, or at least allow me to do that.

A fully digital instrument cluster is designed well, and it sits within what wreaks of the Mercedes “side by side’ screen layout with the infotainment right beside it.

That fantastic Hyundai/Kia group infotainment software is there, and it’s great, but they just can’t let go of the fact that some people just don’t care for the fancy software they’ve built. And they won’t allow Wireless Apple CarPlay in this operating system, even though it exists on their cars.

Come on, this is childish, just let Apple be default and move on. You cannot put a wireless charger up front and not wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. This really bothers me.

The ride and handling were smooth, a really refined drive, but for the rattle that persisted in the headliner which I’m putting down to this being an evaluation model.

At a pure and simple drive performance level, this is a top notch EV worth of your consideration.

When it comes to space and comfort, ticks all round.

The design is stunning, while also polarising, as any good design should be.

But the price is extraordinary, and I’d be buying the kitted out family legend that is the Santa Fe with that money. Sit in both and you’ll feel more luxurious in the Santa Fe.

Interesting to see where Kia lands with EV6 pricing, which could make this look cheap, but please, can we move toward a day when this is a $50,000 car and there’s something smaller still for $30-35k?