10 Things: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE
I spent a day in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE, here are 10 things I think you should know...
I finally got a chance to test the retro-looking Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV in SE trim. Here are the 10 things I think you should know.
This thing is a head-turner
Even though Ioniq 5’s have been on the road for about a year now, they’re still a pretty rare sight (although I did see more than I expected in Orange County, one of the more progressive regions for EV adoption). Being in it felt like I was driving something out of the future. It feels quirky and cool but still attractive and practical. I remember back in 2007 I was one of the early adopters of the iPhone and everyone would ask about it at work. This car is very much “first iPhone” status…at least for a little while longer. Knowing that gays like to be first adopters, they should really consider this car.
The non-base SE had a surprising amount of power
I was a bit confused doing the research for this car because there are two versions of the SE trim. One is the SE with standard range, a tuned-down version of the car that provides 220 miles of electric range, 168 horsepower, and 258 pound-feet of torque for about $41,500. Then they have the regular SE starting at $45,500 which you can get in RWD or AWD (my car was an SE with AWD). The RWD provides better range (303 miles) while the more-powerful AWD has a range of 266 miles. You have the exact same range breakdowns on the higher-end SEL and Limited trims too - it’s just a matter of what options you want on the car. As far as power, the AWD offers 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. These are surprisingly aggressive numbers for a car that looks like a cute option for running errands in the city. For a rough comparison, the Audi SQ5 SUV has 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque and starts at around $58K. I was very pleased with the power in the Ioniq 5 and didn’t expect it to be so fun to drive.
The standard twin 12.3” media screens were plenty big
While I didn’t love the white surround on the media screens (which made them look smaller than they are), I thought that they were a perfect size and it’s great that they come standard on every trim. I do question the square design on the digital dash, though, because it’s tricky to position the steering wheel in a way that’s comfortable for the driver without blocking any of the information on the screen. Bonus points for the unbranded steering wheel with four dots (which represents an “H” for Hyundai in morse code). Fun quirks like that make this car a conversation piece.
The minimal design on the interior was refreshing
The interior on this car felt streamlined and high-end (for a Hyundai). While it didn’t feel like I was in an Audi or Mercedes, the minimalism was reminiscent of a Tesla without being overly minimal. For instance, you have physical buttons for your climate control and volume which are always convenient. The media screen in the center is a touch screen, which isn’t my favorite because it’s hard for me to reach it with my seat in a comfortable position (I’m tall). I also liked the flat floor which provided plenty of storage options. If you’re not a fan of this interior design, you should consider the Ioniq 5’s “twin” - the Kia EV6 - which has more of a flashy and sporty design aesthetic that might feel more luxurious.
Even the base car’s exterior design feels upgraded
With 19” black wheels, pixelated LED headlights and taillights, and flush auto-retracting door handles all standard on this car, it was nice to feel like you were driving something luxurious and futuristic even at the base trim. I hate when brands make the base models of their cars look cheap with smaller rims and downgraded features. Considering even the base model of the Ioniq 5 starts in the $40’s, I think Hyundai made the right move by making all models feel fancy.
The car was very spacious
This is where the pseudo-SUV proportions help out what would otherwise be a cramped hatchback - it felt roomy in every part of this car. It could be due to the flat floors, the generous roof line, or the wheelbase (which is actually longer than the full-size Hyundai Palisade SUV), but you could easily fit four adults in here without too many complaints. Compared to something like a Hyundai Kona (which is what I traditionally consider a small SUV), the Ioniq 5 is a small SUV of huge proportions. There was also plenty of cargo room in back.
The base sound system was just that…basic
One of my biggest disappointments with this car was the base sound system. Unfortunately, you need to upgrade to the highest trim (Limited) to get a premium Bose sound system. That’s unfortunate because I think a $40K car deserves better than a 4-speaker system. It’s fine for the average person, but if sound quality is important to you, you might want to go ahead and opt for the Limited trim or search for a car that offers better sound in affordable models. For what it’s worth, the $52,600 Limited trim will also get you a vision roof, ventilated front seats, a driver’s seat with relaxation function (which adjusts the seat to a zero gravity position perfect for a nap while charging), a heads-up display with augmented reality, remote smart parking assist, surround view monitor, and a blind spot view monitor.
The self-driving and safety tech was some of the best I’ve tested
Hyundai continues to do an amazing job with its autonomous driving technology, all of which come standard on every trim of the Ioniq 5. This includes forward collision avoidance, highway driving assist, blind spot collision avoidance, lane following assist, lane keeping assist, and driver attention warning. The lane-keeping assist is a feature many brands will exclude from base trims but every Ioniq 5 has it and it did a really good job keeping the car centered even on major highway and road curves. The system also did a good job of centering the vehicle even where only one side of the road had lane markings. I was really impressed overall and it’s a great value to get this entire bundle of safety systems in the base trim.
Regenerative braking helps a bit with range anxiety
I drove about 70 miles during my afternoon testing the Ioniq 5, however, I only depleted 55 miles of electric driving range. This is largely due to regenerative braking, which takes energy from when the car slows down and pumps it back into your battery to extend your range. This works very well during city driving with lots of stop-and-go (which is typically the most annoying and least efficient part of driving a gas car). The car also comes standard with paddle shifters which also support regenerative braking. This concept is something to consider with EVs - your range isn’t absolute and it might be better than you think.
Charging was an adventure
Hyundai says that the Ioniq 5 is capable of rapid charging in 18 minutes using a 250 kW charger. I believe that to be true, however, good luck finding a 250 kW charger (or any available fast charger) in popular areas of California where a lot more people are driving EVs these days. I’ve said it before about Tesla chargers in LA (where you frequently see long lines to charge cars). That’s beginning to happen at the relatively few fast chargers I found in OC as more people have non-Tesla EVs that need juice. And the annoying thing is that unlike at a gas station, you might be waiting, 20-40+ minutes for EV owners to take their car off of the charger for your turn. I think if you’re interested in getting an EV in 2023, you should make sure you have consistent charging access at your home or workplace so you don’t have to deal with the annoyances of public charging. While more fast chargers will be built in coming years, it was a struggle to find an available option nearby. The fast charger I ultimately found was only 50kW and charged the car much more slowly than the scenario Hyundai advertises. For what it’s worth, a level 2 charger will get the Ioniq 5 from 10-100% in 5 -7 hours, perfect for overnight charging at home.