More and more fully electric cars are coming to Australia, and they are starting to have longer range than ever before. With fuel prices going up and some state governments adding rebate incentives to buy EV, it is beginning to become the norm to be shopping for an electric car.
Hyundai has been on an electric car offensive with the Ioniq and Kona Electric since 2018, and with the release of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor AWD, the brand has stepped up their game.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor AWD is their most expensive car locally, so it was going to be a slighter harder test for this car to see if it is really worth the expense.
There are two models in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 range. The starting point is the Dynamiq 2WD model that starts at $75,766 driveaway and the model we tested, the range topping Techniq all-wheel drive which is $82,906 driveaway.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor all-wheel drive is equipped with a 72.6kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack that’s mounted underneath the floor and has a motor on each axle for a combined 239kW of power and 605Nm of torque. Surprisingly, given the Ioniq 5’s 2,100kg heft, the acceleration is brisk and instant and it’s enough to push you back into your seat. It has an impressive 5.2 second 0-100km/h sprint time with the mid-range acceleration also more impressive than other EVs meaning you are not lagging when overtaking.
Hyundai claims energy consumption of 19kWh/100km to deliver a 454km range and while we achieved close to these numbers, we were not going to go far over 400km.
The Ioniq 5 can be charged with 400- and 800-volt fast charging, which is something that its rivals don’t offer. Charging the Ioniq 5 with a 350kW DC ultra-fast charger means topping the battery up from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes, which makes range anxiety a thing of the past. Even with a 50kW DC charger, a charge up to 80 per cent takes just over an hour, which is more than convenient enough for most buyers.
The interior is very futuristic and modern and is something different to most other vehicles out there. Finally, an interior that doesn’t look like everything else.
Being an electric, there is no drivetrain which means more space in the front of the cabin. It is spacious a This makes the Ioniq 5 feel spacious and the design leaves plenty of places for adequate storage.
There is a large centre console, an unusual drawer glove box, two cupholders in the centre console, a tray between the two front seats for a wallet or keys, door bins with built in bottle holders and under the bonnet there is also a handy cubby to store the vehicles charging cable.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen is a joy to use because there is never any lag and the software intuitive and easy to navigate. The screen is responsive and there are also shortcut buttons underneath the screen to help navigate between different menus. The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display is also high end and does everything needed.
The leather seats are very comfortable even if they lack a bit of support. Once parked, the front seats can be put into what Hyundai calls ‘relaxation mode’. This reclines them and extends the leg rest into a nearly laying down position, this is handy for laying down while waiting for the Ioniq 5 to charge. The front seats are heated and cooled, while the driver’s seat also has memory.
The rear room has been masterfully done as you get plenty of knee, leg and headroom with a host of amenities such as air vents in the B-pillars, coat hooks, manual rear sunshades, four-way powered seats, a centre armrest with cup holders, ambient lighting in the rear doors and two USB-A charging ports.
Standard equipment for the Ioniq 5 includes large 20-inch alloy wheels, all-LED exterior lighting, auto lights and wipers, heated and auto-folding exterior mirrors, keyless entry and start, remote start with the ability to move the car from the key, electrically adjustable leather front seats with driver’s memory and lounge functionality, heated and cooled seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, wireless charging, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, ambient lighting, drive mode selection and a glass roof.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is loaded with safety kit, including seven airbags (including a front centre unit), auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian cyclist and intersection assist, rear auto braking, lane keep assist with lane trace assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitoring, speed sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, a 360-degree parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, an alarm and tyre pressure monitoring.
Like all other Hyundai products, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Looking at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor AWD simply as an electric car and not getting all emotional about us being car people and missing the sound and feel of an engine, it is a top-quality car.
While the range is always going to be subject of an argument, and what distance will be enough to satisfy people, it will suit most people in larger towns and cities. There are more and more charging stations being built right across the country and this will help in EVs being able to travel further.
It is fast and fun to drive and impressive power in the 0-130km/h range which is really all most people need anyway. The look is something that is different but it’s still good looking and the interior is good.
While the price is high, the quality of the build and overall feel of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Dual Motor AWD is well worth the investment if you want to go full electric.
