We can’t tell you how much time we waste debating what makes an SUV an SUV. Days of meetings, countless so-called social hours, painful minutes — none of this comes back to us. The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one SUV model that has been hotly debated recently. Of course, about our annual SUV competition, we stop arguing and just let the automakers tell us what they’re selling. If they say it’s an SUV, fine. We will test it now. It turns out that whatever you want to call it, the Ioniq 5 is pretty damn good.
The success of the Ioniq 5 starts with its foundation. Like the related Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60, the Ioniq 5 is one of the first vehicles on the manufacturer’s most advanced modular E-GMP EV platform. The Ioniq 5s costs $42,745 and comes with a 58.0 kWh battery and a single rear-mounted electric motor that delivers 168 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque along with an EPA-estimated 220 miles of range. The $46,795 SE goes even further, including a 77.4 kWh battery pack and optional dual-motor 4WD ($3,500). Rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 5s with the big battery make 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, while the all-wheel-drive variant makes up to 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. The all-wheel-drive 2023 Ioniq 5s can now go 266 miles per charge, up 10 miles from before, while the single-engine variant can go an impressive 303 miles between charges.
Even better, the E-GMP is an 800-volt platform, which means EVs at any price point are among the few EVs that can take advantage of a 350kW Level 3 DC fast charger. In its current state, the Ioniq 5 can be charged from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes, but Hyundai says its ultimate goal of continuous improvements to the 5 is to reduce that time to an average gas station-only time.
Numbers aside, the Ioniq 5 is subjectively good. “One of the most visual electric vehicles in the group,” said guest judge and former Ford vice president of design Moray Callum. “Slightly retro Volkswagen Golf with a DeLorean feel, the exterior details bring the Ioniq 5 cleanly into the 21st century. This matches the latest lighting technology and a consistent graphic theme, making it a complete design statement, very Hard to like it.”
The modern driving experience is also hard to like. “It’s fun to whip this thing around the corner; it definitely sticks through,” says editor-in-chief Aaron Gold. Digital director Erik Johnson agrees, adding: “The cushioning is excellent, it not only controls the weight of the battery pack, but it absorbs bumps without wobbling or chattering. This is a luxury-level chassis tuning in a mainstream EV. While we’re still reluctant to take the Ioniq anywhere more extreme than dirt roads, Hyundai does its best to defend its SUV label, happily navigating the same off-road course that the competing EV6 ran aground on.
defect? Of course, the Ioniq 5 has some. For one, the cabin is functional and roomy, but lacks some of the exterior charm. We’d love to see the 8-bit cyberpunk-inspired pop up in a mid-cycle update. Additionally, the Ioniq 5’s infotainment suite can’t plan routes like competing systems in the Ford Mustang Mach E or Tesla Model Y, forcing drivers to guess or use third-party apps to find the most efficient one to determine charging strategies on the highway travel. Given Hyundai’s embrace of connected cars, we believe this can be fixed with a software update. As far as we’ve seen, the only real gain is convincing buyers that this Hyundai is an SUV and not a hatchback. At this point, we’ll leave it in the eye of the beholder.
Connor Mason is a passionate automotive journalist and the author behind the popular website motonews.info. With years of experience in the automotive industry, Connor is well-versed in all things related to cars and motorcycles.
