Hyundai unveiled its first model under the IONIQ electric sub-brand, the IONIQ 5, in February 2021. And now the South Korean carmaker has revealed the EV’s specifications along with the UK pricing. It is the company’s first car to be based on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The IONIQ 5 is designed to spearhead a renewed push into electrification for the Korean brand. The e-SUV will be available in three trims with a choice of two battery sizes. The car will be offered in nine colour options and go on sale with a starting price of £36,995.
The IONIQ 5 flaunts a futuristic yet classic European design with clean lines and minimalistic structures. The EV borrows its design from Hyundai’s 45 EV concept car displayed at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, and some might even find its styling retro-inspired. It has a clamshell hood, dual-LED projector headlamps, pop-out door handles, and a powered tailgate. It is flanked by charging ports on both the sides, chromed moldings, and 20-inch aero-optimized alloy wheels. The car is available in nine shades: Atlas White, Digital Teal Green, Phantom Black, Cyber Grey, Galactic Grey, Gravity Gold, Lucid Blue, Mystic Olive Green, and Shooting Star Grey.
The EV is underpinned by Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular platform (E-GMP) architecture which enables it to have unique proportions on an elongated wheelbase. The vehicle will be available in three trims – SE Connect, Premium, and Ultimate offering different battery and drive types. If I am being frank, the car could potentially sell a lot considering the pricing. This kind of design at that pricing means it is better to look at than many other competitors available in the segment. Offers a premium appeal to the buyers at a not so expensive price for an EV. Although, the Tesla Model 3 will still offer you more car for your money. And will have better autonomous tech and range so… meh!
The base model, SE Connect has a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and is powered with a 58kWh battery and a single electric motor that delivers an output of 168hp with 350Nm of torque.
The mid-tier IONIQ 5 Premium comes in four trims depending on the combination – 58kWh RWD, 58 kWh AWD, 73kWh RWD and 73kWh AWD. The 58kWh RWD Premium trim offers the same power output as the SE Connect but comes with added luxuries like heated driver and front passenger seats and steering wheel. These features are standard on all Premium trims along with boosted safety factors like Highway Drive-Assist Level 2 with automatic lane change function.
The 58kWh all-wheel-drive (AWD) Premium model packs in two motors, a 71hp-255Nm on the front and a 161hp-350Nm on the rear. This powertrain generates 232hp with 605Nm of torque. The 73kWh RWD variant churns out a maximum power of 215hp and a peak torque of 350Nm.
The 73kWh AWD model also has the same two-motor arrangement producing 94hp/255Nm from the front motor and 208hp/350Nm from the rear one. The combined output is 302hp/605Nm.
The range-topping IONIQ 5 Ultimate has the same 73kWh RWD and 73kWh AWD combinations as the highest Premium tier, meaning they produce the same figures on all fronts. The Ultimate trims packs in all the bells and whistles of the IONIQ Premium along with additional high-spec features such as solar and privacy glass, BOSE premium sound system, heads up display with augmented reality, standard Vehicle 2 Load (V2L), sliding center console and alloy pedals. Another distinctive feature between Premium and Ultimate trims is the rim size. While the Premiums have 19″ alloys, the Ultimate flaunts 20” rims. So naturally, goodbye ride comfort.
According to Hyundai UK, the IONIQ 5’s 73kWh battery pack offers a range of up to 482km with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or 461km with all-wheel-drive (AWD). The claimed top speed stands at 185km/h. The EV’s strong performance has been mated with ultra-fast charging capabilities which allows a charge up to 80% in 18 minutes via a 350kW fast charger. The car delivers 100km of range with only five minutes of charging.
The company offers 800V charging as standard, but the system also supports both domestic wall box charging and mainstream public 400V high-speed charging, using the motor and the inverter to convert the voltage from 400V to 800V for optimised charge times whenever possible. The EV comes with an onboard 11kW AC charger.
The IONIQ 5 has a spacious cabin with advanced connectivity and driver assistance features that will offer the ultimate in-car experience. It gets heated front seats along with a heated steering wheel. The seats are also super flexible and the four-way electrically adjustable front seats can even fold almost flat. The flat floor architecture allows the central console to move front and back by up to 140mm. By doing so, rear-seat passengers can benefit from fast wireless phone charging housed in the console.
As per Hyundai’s claims, sustainable materials have been used on the inside. The major touchpoints, such as seats and door armrests, are made out of sustainable materials such as recycled plastic bottles, wool or leather processed with vegetable oil. Polyurethane paint used on the doors is derived from vegetable oil, while some of the door trim panels are made of ‘paperette’, a recyclable material that feels a bit like paper.
Coming to the dashboard it packs two co-joined 12.0-inch screens for the driver’s display and infotainment console featuring Hyundai’s BlueLink connected-car tech. It also gets a head-up display with augmented reality (AR) support. The IONIQ 5 also packs in the much talked about Vehicle 2 Load pack (V2L), which allows for charging high-power electric equipment, consumer electronics or even another electric vehicle supplying power of up to 3.6 kW. On the top of the electric car, there’s a beautiful single glass solar roof that collects energy and transfers it to the battery unit, providing an additional driving range. Hyundai has also equipped the EV with regenerative braking.
The IONIC 5 has seven airbags, auto-dimming rearview mirror, level 2 autonomous driving with automatic lane change function, blindspot collision-avoidance assist, safe exit exist with child lock, Highway Drive Assist Level 2 (HDA II) and Forward Collision Assist with Junction function (FCA JX) ensuring a high level of safety.
In the UK, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 starts at £36,995 (roughly Rs. 38.2 lakh) for the 58kWh RWD SE Connect model and goes up to £48,145 (approximately Rs. 49.7 lakh) for the Ultimate 73kWh AWD variant. It will be offered in nine-colour options – Atlas White, Gravity Gold, Lucid Blue, Mystic Olive Green, Digital Teal Green, Phantom Black, Cyber Grey, Galactic Grey, and Shooting Star Grey. On launch it will compete against the likes of Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla Model 3. Hyundai may also release an N avatar of the IONIQ 5 in the future against VW ID.4 GTX, Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6 GT, to lure the performance enthusiasts.
As of now, Hyundai has not indicated any signs of the IONIC 5 launch in India. The only EV on offer from the South Korean automakers in India is the Kona Electric, which is currently priced at Rs 23.76-23.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The all-electric crossover features a 136hp motor at the front axle and packs in a 39.2kWh battery pack that is capable of delivering a claimed range of 452km.
