2023 hyundai ioniq range review script

Love it or hate it, the automotive world is going electric, and few brands have made bigger strides in the transition than Hyundai. The giant Korean automaker recently announced its newest EV, the Ioniq 6, but I recently got a week of wheel time in the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5, an electric crossover that looks ripped right out of a 1980s sci-fi arcade game.

Strong electric performance

The Ioniq 5 comes standard with a 168-horsepower single-motor powertrain, but my test SUV came with the range-topping 320-horsepower dual-motor setup. It also provides 446 pound-feet of torque and all-wheel drive, and the range is limited to 266 miles.

Performance, while not mind-blowing, is strong and gives the Ioniq 5 a lively feel on the road. At the same time, the SUV is smooth and refined, and the silent electric powertrain gets a boost from a quiet interior and good road manners. The suspension system irons out road imperfections with ease, keeping things calm and collected at most times.

Charging the Hyundai Ioniq 5

Charging, which can be annoying in Maine due to the lack of infrastructure, was fine. The closest local charger to my house is a 50-kW unit at the supermarket. The Ioniq 5 can charge at up to 350kW, so the speeds were a bit disappointing, taking about 45 minutes to charge from 65 to 95% before a road trip. Your charging speeds will be much better if you live in a more up-to-date part of the country with faster charging available.

Upscale interior

The interior space and finishes are both top-notch, though I have some complaints about the front-seat layout. The gear shift lever is located on the steering column, and the twist-stalk gear selector reduces knee room for the driver. At six feet tall, I found that my most comfortable seating position left my right knee in contact with the shifter stalk and poked into the climate controls in the dash. It’s not super uncomfortable, and I got used to it over time, but it’s important to take a test drive before you settle on buying any vehicle.

The back seats are surprisingly roomy, and we had no issues installing a full-size rear-facing car seat for a friend’s young child. My two daughters’ booster seats fit easily, and the seatbelt locations make it easy for little hands to buckle themselves. The Ioniq 5’s funky exterior shape features a steeply sloped rear window, which cuts into cargo space and can make it hard to move taller items. Our (overweight) Goldendoodle could fit but had to duck inside the vehicle to allow the door to shut.

I’ve always loved Hyundai’s simple infotainment, and the Ioniq 5 is more of a good thing in that department. All models come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and more. My Limited test model came with the available Bose premium audio system, a head-up display, and wireless charging.

One colossal downside here is that Hyundai does not offer USB-C ports in the Ioniq 5. I can’t remember the last new mobile phone I saw with a USB-A port, so it’s an odd decision to leave the newer standard out of such a forward-looking vehicle. It also made it inconvenient to dig out an old phone cord to connect since wireless smartphone capability isn’t on the table.

Advanced safety

Most advanced safety tech comes standard, including blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane keep assist, lane departure alerts, safe exit assist, forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, and more. The top Limited trim adds a blind spot camera system that projects a video image into the gauge cluster when the turn signals are on.

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 earned a Top Safety Pick + award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which includes “Good” scores in all crash categories. The headlights earned “Good” or “Acceptable” scores, depending on the trim, and front crash prevention systems both earned “Superior” scores.

Final Thoughts

The Ioniq 5’s retro-futuristic styling, great tech, and solid electric performance are enough for me to say that it’d be at the top of my list if I were shopping for an electric crossover. The interior feels luxurious, and the tech is easy to use, making the Ioniq 5 a delight to live with on a daily basis. There are a few gripes – mainly with the front-cabin seating ergonomics and the lack of USB-C. Even so, a few minor complaints don’t detract from what is otherwise a fantastic electric vehicle.

As the Ioniq 5 just debuted last year, Hyundai makes subtle equipment changes, but enough to bump the car's EPA-rating higher in a few areas. All-wheel-drive models now get an EPA-estimated 266 miles of range, up from last year's 256-mile rating. They also now have slightly higher MPGe ratings. A battery heating system and preconditioning function are now standard on all models. Finally, on the chance you need tow something with the Ioniq 5, know that the maximum tow rating for SEL and Limited models is up to 2300 pounds.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The price of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 starts at $42,785 and goes up to $53,935 depending on the trim and options.

Going big will get you home when it comes to the 2023 Ioniq 5. That's why we'd recommend the rear-drive SEL trim, with an EPA-estimated 303 miles of range and 225 horsepower for well under $50,000. It comes standard with artificial leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, and more.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

The Ioniq 5 has an electric-only powertrain that's available in multiple potencies. The standard-range battery paired with a single, rear-mounted electric motor generates 168 horsepower. With the longer-range battery, the rear-drive configuration generates 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which Hyundai says will propel the Ioniq 5 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive version is much more powerful, with 320 horses and a substantial 446 pound-feet, and quicker too. It catapulted to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds at our test track. The Ioniq 5 we drove demonstrated its smoothness on a variety of road surfaces, and its wide-for-an-EV tires combined with a low center of gravity made it feel athletic going side to side. We only wish its steering provided more feedback and the suspension was a smidge firmer.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

With the standard 58.0-kWh battery pack, the Ioniq 5 is estimated to provide 220 miles of range. The larger 77.4-kWh pack is rated at 266 miles with dual motors and 303 miles with a single motor. The dual-motor model went 210 miles on a full charge on our 75-mph real-world range test. When it comes to charging, Hyundai says the larger battery can be replenished from 10 to 80 percent in around 18 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charger. They also said it can add 68 miles in about five minutes. We tested this claim and confirmed that the Ioniq 5 can indeed be charged this quickly.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

The Ioniq 5 with the long-range battery and rear-wheel drive has a combined EPA rating of 114 MPGe. Adding all-wheel drive drops that estimate to 101 MPGe (up from 98 last year). With rear-wheel drive and the standard-range battery, the battery-electric SUV is expected to get 113 MPGe combined. The dual-motor Ioniq 5 we tested on our 75-mph highway route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, went 210 miles on a single charge. For more information on the Ioniq 5's fuel economy, visit the EPA website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

While not as artsy as the cabin teased by the Hyundai 45 Concept, the Ioniq 5's interior boasts a tech-savvy space with a digitized dashboard and a heavy dose of eco-friendly materials. A head-up display with augmented reality that can project navigation directions on the windshield is just one fanciful feature. The compact crossover also takes advantage of its all-electric packaging, with a completely flat floor for maximum passenger and cargo space. The front seats also recline and incorporate footrests, which will let folks relax while the Ioniq is charging. With a wheelbase that's longer than the three-row Hyundai Palisade, the 5 has ample front- and rear-seat passenger room. Its large center console has lots of storage space, and on top-spec Limited trims, it slides back and forth between the front seats. We also managed to fit six carry-on bags behind the back seats; 20 with the seatbacks stowed. For reference, the hybrid Hyundai Tucson compact SUV maxed out at 22.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Hyundai says the Ioniq subbrand emphasizes connected living, and the Ioniq 5 has a host of innovative infotainment and connectivity features. A 12.0-inch touchscreen shares a panel on the dash with a 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster, but the former acts as a hub for all things entertainment. This includes advanced voice-recognition software, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unfortunately, Apple and Android's smartphone integration requires wires.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

A suite of driver-assistance technology is standard on every model, but the Ioniq 5 can also be had with more advanced tech, including an adaptive cruise control system with a lane-centering feature. For more information about the Ioniq 5's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Available adaptive cruise control with a lane-centering feature

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Hyundai provides one of the best warranty plans in the industry. Likewise, it comes with an impressive amount of complimentary scheduled maintenance.

• Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
• Battery is covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for three years or 36,000 miles

Specifications

Specifications

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE Base/As Tested: $48,745/$57,245 Options: Limited trim (20-inch wheels, sunroof, power passenger seat, ventilated front seats, Bose audio, head-up display, highway driving assist 2, Smart Park, 360-degree camera view, evasive steering assist, rain-sensing wipers, hands-free liftgate), $7500; Shooting Star paint, $1000

POWERTRAIN Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 99 hp Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 221 hp Combined Power: 320 hp Combined Torque: 446 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 77.4 kWh Onboard Charger: 10.9 kW Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive

CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 12.8-in vented disc/12.8-in disc Tires: Michelin Primacy Tour A/S 255/45R-20 105V M+S GOE

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 118.1 in Length: 182.5 in Width: 74.4 in Height: 63.0 in Passenger Volume: 103 ft3 Cargo Volume: 28 ft3 Curb Weight: 4687 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 4.5 sec 100 mph: 12.6 sec 1/4-Mile: 13.2 sec @ 102 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.8 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.9 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 117 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 179 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g

EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 98/110/87 MPGe Range: 256 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs

Shopping Tools

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Car and Driver values are calculated from the same Black Book® data dealers use to appraise vehicles.

What is the range of the 2023 Ioniq?

Range, Charging, and Battery Life With the standard 58.0-kWh battery pack, the Ioniq 5 is estimated to provide 220 miles of range. The larger 77.4-kWh pack is rated at 266 miles with dual motors and 303 miles with a single motor. The dual-motor model went 210 miles on a full charge on our 75-mph real-world range test.

What is the real range of Hyundai Ioniq 5 long range?

Real Range Estimation between 265 - 545 km.

What is the range of the 2023 Ioniq 5 preferred AWD long range?

Charge at home, then drive all day with an incredible range of up to 488 km. Choose between the 58 kWh battery with up to 354 km all-electric driving range^, and available 77.4 kWh battery with up to 488 km all-electric driving range^.

What is the longest range of the Hyundai Ioniq?

The RWD version has an official range of 338 miles, while Hyundai says the AWD version can cover up to 322 miles before the battery is out of juice. Those figures are a long way off the 391-mile range of the updated Tesla Model 3 Long Range, or the 406 miles you can cover in Long Range Single Motor Polestar 2.