All New Hyundai IONIQ 5 Full Review

Fun Fun Fun, til your daddy takes your T-bird away, but a T-Bird is nowhere near the fun of driving a Hyundai IONIQ 5.

There is oodles of power, in either a rear or AWD setup. IONIQ 5 is Hyundai’s most modern electric car, and it looks it.  The electric SUV, built on the E-GMP platform, allows the exterior design to reflect the compact nature of electric motoring.

The long wheelbase and short overhangs give the paltry dimensions a deceiving impression, because the cabin feels TARDIS-ly capacious. 72.6Kwh worth of battery forms a totally flat floor on which the cossetted occupants can arrange the furniture as they do in their lounge room.

The cutting-edge front end is punctuated by pixelated LED lights, with a bumper that has a secret hidden array that only comes on at night.

The design is an instant classic, and is one sure to be faked. So as other brands sit slavishly at their Singers, stitching each and every pixel, Hyundai will continue to sell every IONIQ 5 it can get a hold of. The first 240 were lassoed by lucky lads and lassies in only 2 hours. Buyers late off the mark will have to wait until next year.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 full specification: Hyundai IONIQ 5 Specifications and Price

Above: This Week – Hyundai IONIQ 5 Electric SUV Review

Above: WIN A NAVMAN DASHCAM by watching This Video (email answer to gaycarboys@outlook.com) finishes 31/10/2021

Above: Answer to the Navman question is in THIS VIDEO (email answer to gaycarboys@outlook.com) finishes 31/10/2021

GayCarboys Subscribe to our channel

Help Support Gay Car Boys Subscribe to our Youtube Channel 

ABOVE: Hyundai IONIQ 5

The Cabin:

The cabin is an absolute triumph. This temple to modernity was created without sacrificing practicality on the altar of design.

Everything has a purpose, and everything has a place. Materials are recycled, or able to be recycled. No cows were harmed in the making of IONIQ 5, with their hides being tanned in an “eco-friendly” way, whatever that means, they still had to die right? To compliment the white leather, is a white linen-look fabric that would match perfectly to a Panama hat and cigar.

Both rows of seats are electric, and with a flat floor and sliding centre console, passengers can sashay away to the either side, to alight. The clean, green, well thought out design, gives users choice as to how they want their journey to unfold.

Sure, there is every possible gizmo a modern driver could want, but all the driver and safety aids are crucial to a 5-Star rating. It isn’t all just froth and bubble. What’s more, the tech is easy to use. It doesn’t need big hugs every time you need it.

Compared to the industry heavyweight Tesla, the Hyundai cabin feels lighter, and more spacious. In particular, the infotainment displays aren’t weird, and unlike Tesla, there is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Hyundai is far less pompous, and far more useable. It is better made, with a longer warranty, and bits of it don’t fall off willy nilly.

Considering the cheapest Tesla costs many more shekels, IONIQ 5 has just kicked the American’s ass.

This is a car that acknowledges passengers are as important as the driver. All seats are heated and electrically adjusted, and the front seats add cooling as well. Finally, as well as 2 memory slots for the driver, there are 3 memories controlling all 5 seats. You can relax while you charge, by raising the ottoman on either or both of the front seats, turning them in to chaise-lounges. It is tres chic et .

It is all white and virginal, like me.

Exterior Dimensions
Length 4635 mm
Width 1890 mm
Height 1605 mm
Wheelbase 3000 mm
Min. ground clearance 160 mm

Charging:

It would be churlish to move on without mentioning the elephant in the room, the inevitable trek to the bowser. It is just that instead of petrol, this thing is pumping out electron thingies.

I know EV motoring is in the pupal stages, but bad service is bad service. Let me explain:

The local shopping centre has a cornucopia of chargers. There are free 15w chargers, a range of Tesla destination chargers, and some newly installed Chargefox 50w and 350w chargers.

It was easy enough to set up my Chargefox account. They aren’t really interested in anything more than your money, so after putting in my first and last name, and credit card, the job was done.

For an hour I faffed about, following the instructions. I went from charger to glove box and back again. My patience evaporated a little more, each time I connected the cable and pressed start on the app. The process began and ended in seconds telling me no power was dispensed and no charge was added to my account.

Clearly something had gone awry,, and after 20 tries, I was getting a little up-stage-and-off-centre. I was eager to test out my “World first patented ultra-fast 400V and 800V multi-charging technology,” and all I was getting was grief.

I loathe ringing helpdesks, but as a last resort, I rang the Chargefox help line. I may as well have been asking for a ticket on Bezzo’s next moon-blaster.

The agent put me on hold several times, then told me someone else had difficulty with an IONIQ 5. “Thanks for that,” I said. The agent then triumphantly declared the problem was that the IONIQ 5 could not take a fast charge. “Cobblers,” I uttered. I knew this was a load of dingo’s kidneys. I informed him that I have my “World first patented ultra-fast 400V and 800V multi-charging technology” on board, and that he was speaking in tongues.

I sat soporifically in the rarefied, eco-friendly air of the IONIQ 5. What to do?

“Hey Siri,” I said. “Call Hyundai,” and in a flash, Hyundai was on the Dog and Bone. “Ah. Yes, well another journo had the same issue. Why does everyone want to go to Zetland?” Because, it is the only fast charger south of the bridge. People in Sydney don’t cross the bridge if they can help it.

It transpired that after much buggering around, the Hyundai people found that if you held the charger firmly into the plug while starting the app with the other hand, the magnetic lock would then grip properly and charging will begin.

I then rather helpfully called Chargefox back, and an even less helpful agent answered. I told them the screen wasn’t working on the machine, and that the cords weren’t working properly. This very car had charged happily at other ultra-fast outlets. The agent didn’t seem to know much, and cared even less, and in the end, nor did I. I rang off and left her to her day.

Chargefox assistance is completely and utterly useless.

The Drive

The inconvenient charge rang up around 450 CO2-free kilometres. All Chargefox stations use power created with whisps of wind and ancient rays from the sun.

First, there are buttons to get the chair where you want it. They are firm but extremely cosy.

A stab of the “ON” button, brings the dash to life. The 12” infotainment screen is crystal clear, and has all the usual accoutrements. It works smoothly first time every time, and if you can work an iPhone, the IONIQ 5 is a doddle. Every menu makes sense.

In front of the driver is a second 12” screen in the same bleached-white theme. It adds the crispness of a winter’s morning, and somehow, that is incredibly comforting.

A twist of the gear stalk, and IONIQ 5 is ready to be commanded forth, and with i-peddle switched on, the brake is rarely needed. Our rear-wheel-drive version had a mere 160kw and 350Nm, which isn’t a lot, but more than enough get the old girl up to highway speed in 7.4 seconds.

The ride is smooth, though tight mountain bends soon showed up the heft in the batteries. You could feel it moving under you, and even thought the centre of gravity is low, you can’t work miracles with hundreds of kilos trying to pull you sideways.

Active steering is used by the Lane Keep Assist, Lane Trace Assist, and the remote parking assistant. The latter will park the car for you after you get out. You’ll never use it, but it will keep neighbourhood kids amused. It goes without saying the accident prevention system will try to avoid a crash, or throw out the anchors if something unfortunate is imminent.

It was then that I realised there is no way to accurately convey what it was like to be looking out from inside, at any speed.

As I cruised down the highway, I couldn’t help feeling slightly smug. The eco credentials of IONIQ 5 extend to eco paint, to match the eco leather. You can charge the batteries at home, when it is cheap, and the trip is in complete silence. The Bose sound system is excellent, and the car is watching over you like a nervous nanny taking baby to the park for the first time.

Conclusion:

There is way too much about IONIQ 5 to mention here.

Get the full specification HERE: Hyundai IONIQ 5 Specifications and Price

I love the shape, which is surely an instant classic. The cabin lives up to the claim of being truly beautiful, while being both comfortable and practical. There are clever gizmos, a great 5 year warranty, 12 month servicing at only $220 each ($804 for the 48mnth/60,000km service), and an excellent build quality. Hyundai and Genesis frequently top the JD Power surveys.

It trumps Tesla in every way possible.

Price: $71,900 RWD, $75,900 AWD

Motor: Electric with 1 Reduction gear Transmission

Power: 160kw/350Nm (RWD), 225kw/605Nm (AWD)

Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive or AWD

More GayCarBoys Stories:

Tags:

Genesis, Hyundai, gay Hyundai, Hyundai ioniq 5 electric suv, ioniq 5 review, electric car charging, favourite electric SUV review, tesla, jd power, Hyundai awards