The Hyundai Ioniq 5 made its global debut last year as an all-electric compact SUV. As the South Korean automaker's very first EV Hyundai shifted 17,000 units of the Ioniq 5 in the U.S. last year. Now, those are some pretty impressive sales numbers for a vehicle that hasn't been in production for long.

Clearly then, the Ioniq 5 is off to a phenomenal start, and I was eager to get my hands on one. Thankfully, I was able to get an example on test for a week. As with any Hyundai, I hold every model to a high standard and the Ioniq 5 is no exception to my harsh judgment. What are my impressions about the Ioniq 5? Well, let me tell you all about it.

Exterior Styling

The exterior styling of the Ioniq 5 I can describe in one word - edgy. There are next to no curves that round out this Hyundai and every line comes to a point. While the front fascia and rear are like pyramids, the body consists of lines that make it look like a cube. The most prominent line pattern that the Ioniq 5 has, is on the side profile. It creates yet another triangle of obtuse proportions.

The design of the headlights goes along with the rest of the styling of the edgy body. It reminds me of cars designed in the 80s when automakers made the headlights squarish. As for the taillights, their design of individual blocks lights up as brake lights, reverse lights, and turn signals, respectively. Overall, the rear end reminds me of something out of a robot sci-fi movie.

Out on the road, the Ioniq 5 managed to turn a lot of heads. I can see why, because there aren't many cars out there that look quite like it. Competing models on the market today have become dull. The Ioniq 5 meanwhile, is a breath of fresh air bringing something original to the table. Coming to the size, the Ioniq 5 is 183 inches long, 74 inches wide, and 63 inches tall. It has a wheelbase of 118.1 inches.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior Design

The interior design of the Ioniq 5 reminds me of the white hallways of the Kamino planet in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The primary color of white trim and leather with blue hues of ambient light and dark accents take me back to those scenes.

Now although the interior reminds me of a sci-fi movie, that doesn't mean it isn't nice to gaze upon. The leather, plastic, and metal create a pleasant environment with the ambient lighting adding to this effect. Also, Hyundai has gone untraditional with the design of the steering wheel and gear selector placement. This layout also allows for more space.

Speaking of space, there is plenty of it, thanks to that long wheelbase. With no transmission tunnel on this EV, Hyundai even created a few cubby holes for storing many things in the Ioniq 5. Coming to the seats, I can sit my 6-foot 2-inch frame with ease in every seat. The seats themselves offer quite the comfort and support for even long drives.

The legroom space in the front offers up to 41.7 inches of space. The rear seat legroom offers up to 39.4 inches of space. Cargo capacity in the trunk with the seats up offers 27.2 cubic feet of space. With the seats down, the Ioniq 5 offers up to 59.3 cubic feet of space.

Cargo Room

Comfort and Convenience Features That Stand Out

- "Vision" panoramic fixed-glass sunroof with power sunshade

- Multiple USB outlets for charging

- 12.3-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible)

- Sat-nav

- Bose premium sound system

- AM/FM/Sirius XM radio

- Heated and ventilated powered front seats

- Heated telescoping and tilt steering wheel

- Ambient lighting

- Wireless device charging

Performance

The Ioniq 5 boasts a 74kW+165kW dual electric motor that produces an instant 320 horsepower and 446-pound feet of torque. The power goes through the single-speed reduction gear. Then this power goes to the HTRAC all-wheel drive system. Acceleration is quick and smooth without jarring anything to become uncomfortable. 0-60mph takes a mere 4.4 seconds. That's faster than some supercars. And it is all quiet and stealthy.

As for ride comfort, the Ioniq 5 holds its own on the treacherous New Jersey roads. The suspension keeps everything from falling apart and hugs the road when going into corners. The steering is light and, with great ease, controlled like a forklift. Feedback from the tires is as responsive as a rock on an ECG machine. The i-Pedal for braking on the Ioniq 5, if used right, helps restore the juice back into the battery and come to an appropriate stop. But when needed, the Ioniq 5 stops from 60-0mpg in only 123 feet.

With my driving habits, I was able to cover 165 miles with 98 miles left in the range and the battery at 38%. All I could hear was the whine and whir of the motors from inside the cabin. Unfortunately, I didn't really get a chance to try out charging up the Ioniq 5 as my tester was fully charged when I received it.

But for context, the Ioniq 5 has a leg up on the competition as it supports 350 kW DC fast charging which will take the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. This of course depends on the availability of one of these high-speed chargers close by, which is thankfully growing. But even on a level II home charger, you should be able to top up the Ioniq 5 (depending on the variant and battery size) in five to seven hours tops.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Specifications

Safety Features That Stand Out

- Forward collision avoidance assist

- Blind-spot monitoring

- Lane-keep assist/lane-following assist

- Rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist

- Parking collision avoidance assist/reverse

- Front and rear parking sensors

- Driver attention warning

- Rear-occupant alert / safe-exit assist

- Surround view monitor/blind view monitor

- Smart cruise control with Stop and Go

Key Issues I Had With The Ioniq 5

As much as I enjoyed the Ioniq 5, I found a few things wrong with it that I could not pass on without saying. I found issues with the secureness of the trim/seats. I also found an issue with the material quality of the sunshade. The last gripe I had with the Ioniq 5 was how easy it was to deplete the battery range.

My first issue with the Ioniq 5 is the "looseness" of the trim and seats. Every time I went over a bump or imperfection in the road, the seats and trim on the door/dashboard shuddered like wind hitting shutters on a house. This tells me something isn't secured properly. Either way, it doesn't sit well with me.

My second complaint with the Ioniq 5 is the quality of the material used for the sunshade. It is comparable to that of the pull-down sunshades for windows used in houses. While cruising with the windows down, any wind or air that happens to get in the Ioniq 5 upsets this material and causes it to flap like a flag in a hurricane.

My last complaint with the Ioniq 5 is how easily and upsetting it is to see the range deplete as fast as food hitting the ground of a high school locker room. Without having anything switched ON, the range was 230 miles on a full charge. With every increase in fan speed of the A/C, the Ioniq 5 lost significant range. Fan speed 2 would deplete 15 miles of range while fan speed 5 depleted almost 60 miles. That is outrageous.

Pricing, Warranties, and Competition

So, how much does this Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD? With the only option of $195 carpeted floor mats and $1,225 freight and handling on an MSRP of $54,500, the total price of the Ioniq 5 as tested comes to $55,920. The SE Standard Range Ioniq 5 starts at $39,950. That is almost a $16,000 difference in price with the tested model. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE starts at $44,000.

That is almost a $12,000 price difference between the tested model. The SEL Ioniq 5 starts at $46,250. That is close to being a $10,000 price difference with the tested model. Here's our detailed buyer's guide to the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Price

The warranties offered by Hyundai on the Ioniq 5 are quite pleasing. Hyundai offers a 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle warranty. The Ioniq 5 comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and electric vehicle system warranty. Last but not least, the Ioniq 5 comes with a 7-year/Unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty.

As for competition, The Ioniq 5 is in contention with the VW ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and the Nissan Ariya. The Volkswagen ID.4 starts at $37,495. The Ford Mustang Mach-E starts at $43,895 and the Nissan Ariya starts at $46,000. Between these cars, I'd choose the Hyundai Ioniq 5 over the competition thanks to its warranties.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Competition Prices

Conclusion

So, what is the impression I have about the Ioniq 5? Well, I do not like it enough to want to buy it. The biggest issue I had was with the seats and trim bouncing around while going over flawed roads. I cannot justify buying a car like the Ioniq 5 at its price and have those issues. The only reason I would ever get one is due to the Ioniq 5 having the best warranties on the market by a long shot.

For now, if I had to buy an EV due to whatever circumstance, I would go with the Chevrolet Bolt EV. It has such great range on a single charge and has lots of character. It left that good of an impression on me. Plus it was almost $20,000 cheaper than this Ioniq 5.

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