2023 IONIQ5 Epiq VS 2023 Genesis GV70 Electrified IS ONE BETTER?

Our two cars come from the Hyundai group (which also includes Kia): Hyundai Ioniq5 and Genesis electric GV70, or to give it its proper name, GV70 Electrified.

Electrified is a term I dislike, as the moniker is also shackled to hybrid models, like an albatross the size of Tasmania. That aside, although IONIQ5 and GV870 are sisters, one of them is from another mister. Why? The Genesis shares its frock with a full-petrol version that burns old bits of dinosaur like drunken sailors with a rumbo.

This year, the IONIQ5 range got a shiny new topper called the EIPQ, and it is, in bucketloads. The handsome brut mashes performance and comfort into one big techy ball of loveliness. The extra power gets it to 100 in 5.1 seconds. While that used to be blistering, now it’s just a bad case of sunburn. The GV70 is almost a second faster, at 4.2 for the same dash.

Both have AWD with electric motors front and back, and a big whack of batteries down under. 77.4kwh’s worth gets over 445kms in each. As always it depends on the weight of the driver’s loafer. If you keep burying it into the Axminster the range plummets

The Looks:

As much as I adore the gym-fit butchness of the IONIQ5, the slinky voluptuousness of GV70’s gracious exterior floats my boat, albeit for an extra 40 grand. Both cars have LED lighting, the convenience of SUV-like bodies, and wheels that fill the arches to their brims.

The Genesis GV70 is adorned with a beautiful matte copper shield, while our IONIQ5 was dark and brooding in its glossy black cloak. The light plays of each, but in different ways, just as their designers intended. Whether buyers notice is almost irrelevant, the passersby certainly will.

See our 2023 IONIQ5 upgrades story here.

Video Review: 2023 IONIQ5 Epiq VS 2023 Genesis GV70 Electrified IS ONE BETTER?

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ABOVE: IONIQ5 Epiq and Genesis GV70 Electrified (and Petrol version for comparison)

The Cabin:

Each has delicious design at its core, but is executed as differently as is the metalwork outside. The flowing GV70 extends the fluidity to sweeps and curves across the dash and doors. Mood lighting has a colour for every occasion, some of it hidden in crevices and creases, but please take note of the armrests with beautifully faceted panels that give the interior a feel of an expensive and exclusive club.

VG70 shares its platform dinosaur burners, so lacks the flat floor of IONIQ5’s pure EV design. This is the biggest difference, and one that marks the delineation between a regular car fitted with an EV driveline, and one that was designed only for an EV driveline. It makes much better use of space, both inside and out. IONIQ5 EPIQ has a 3000mm wheelbase, the same as the gargantuan Palisade SUV, and has considerably more rear legroom than the GV70, which is considerably longer overall.

The dash still has the large LCD screens, but the touch controls for climate sit within the luscious curve of an oval-shaped panel. The centre console has 2 large dials, one for gears and another to augment the centre touch screen. Don’t get them confused, or undesirable things will ensue.

The feature you’ll want to use often is the enormous “BOOST” button at the centre bottom of the steering wheel, but more about that later.

In short, the Genesis GV70 looks and feels luxurious. Controversially, I prefer it to either Mercedes Benz or BMW, for its clean lines and better equipment for the money. Hyundai group cars consistently rate at the top of the J.D.Power surveys of owner satisfaction. If something is broken, it will be fixed, and no one is going to need counselling afterwards. That’s more than we can say about some of the Germans (and Brits).

IONIQ5 EPIQ is considerably “cleaner”, with its ground-up EV platform allowing for the capaciousness of at least 2 of Lady Bracknell’s best bags. Outlets allow household electric appliances to be used inside, while an adaptor allows them to plug in to the charging port outside. Campers, gay or otherwise, can plug things in to their heart’s content, and the car is smart enough to limit the output, avoiding an embarrassing road-club-call situation.

Fabrics and materials used have an eco-bent. The leather is eco-tanned, and eco-fake leather and other fitments, use recycled material.

The floating centre console has space for large objects to be stashed, and the seats can be adjusted to relax during charging, or other things. We’ll leave the latter right there thanks very much. You’re all a bunch of dirty articles!

Genesis GV70 Electrified Brochure HERE: Electrified-GV70-Brochure-Aug-2022

IONIQ5 Brochure HERE: ioniq5-catalog-eng

The Drive:

The experience is far from chalk’n’cheese.

The extra 40grand for the GV70 gets the driver a smoother, quieter, faster drive. The steering and ride is set for a luxurious, yet responsive experience. The boost button dials up the full 360kw/700Nm (320 without boost) for a 0-100 4.2 seconds, a figure those old V8’s would be proud of.

IONIQ5 EPIQ has 239kw/605Nm for a more leisurely 5.1second dash. And before you get all hot under the collar, yes, the “leisurely” was a snarky comment. 5.2 is plenty. It feels just a smidge more in contact with the road, and the slippery low rolling resistance tyres make for the odd code-brown moment.

Even in eco mode, both have oodles for daily driving. The softer the pedal, the longer the range. Both are loaded with gear including smart climate control that fettles all heating and cooling, including seats and steering wheel.

Cornering is frisky to say the least. Although IONIQ5 has been retuned, you can feel the batteries should you encounter a bump during enthusiastic cornering. One thing I didn’t like was the digital review side cameras. They give a clearer view alongside, but the large LCD screens look like a bit of a carbuncle. I’d rather save the few thousand and do without.

Other than that, the pair is the same idea, executed by the same company in 2 different ways.

Genesis is sold as an alternative the Germans, and IONIQ5 EPIQ is meant to conjure images or a modern driver resting comfortably in ways not normally associated with a vehicle. You can lay back, footrest extended, and enjoy a movie while the car is charging. You can turn the air conditioning on while charging too. Above all, the Korean’s reliability leaves the Germans with sauerkraut on their faces.

Both have an HUD, and augmented reality navigation. They’ll also precondition the battery for charging faster, as long as you let the car know what you’re doing, by navigating to the nearest charger. It gets a bit bossy with warnings at hither and yon, so I turn the red-light and speed camera warnings off.

I’ve come to the conclusion that EV driving is about having a different driving experience to that in an ICE powered punt, and that’s all there is to it. Readers demand an EV be exactly like an ICE powered rocket, but that will not be the case. So, get over it.

Instead of lamenting EVs for what they aren’t, the experience is better enjoyed for what it is. Most of us spend most of our time driving around town, commuting 50-100km a day, and EV’s do it in blissful silence.

The Result:

We haven’t gone into the huge amount of technology in this brief comparison review. It is simply to find out which of the 2 cars represented the preferred transport. David Brown preferred IONIQ5 for its space and modern design, and I liked the luxurious look and feel of the frisky Genesis GV70 Electrified.

As always it is horses for courses.

Price

Car	2023 Hyundai IONIQ5 EPIQ	2023 Genesis GV70 Electrified
Price	$85,000	$127,800
Engine	2 motor (1 front, 1 rear)	2 motor (1 front, 1 rear)
Battery	77.4kWh	77.4kWh
Power	239kw/705Nm	360kw/700Nm (with boost)
Range	454km	445km
Transmission	1sp reduction gear	1sp reduction gear
Battery Type	Lithium Ion	Lithium Ion
Drive Wheels	AWD	AWD
Kerb Weight	2125kg	2310kg