After having met her for the first time last March, having touched her with hand and waiting in this 2021, Hyundai Ioniq 5 has also arrived on the pages of techprincess. Thanks to its unique and original retro aesthetic, the really interesting on-board technology and mechanics and the premises on driving dynamics, Ioniq 5 immediately deserved our keen attention. Why? Because in my opinion it is one of the most interesting electric in recent years. Will he be able to confirm the expectations? Let’s find out if this Hyundai Ioniq 5 can really be the main anti-Tesla in ours first road test of the Ioniq 5 in the RWD 72.6 kWh Innovation version. Get ready, there will be nice surprises.
A recap on aesthetics: in 2021, is Hyundai Ioniq 5 among the most beautiful car on the market?
We have already told you exhaustively about his aesthetics in two articles, the world presentation and the Italian static one, which you can find below at the bottom of the page. Although we are therefore already accustomed to its forms, we cannot talk about Ioniq 5 without discussing its for a moment breaking design and totally original. Already in its photographic debut at the beginning of the year, the Ioniq 5 looked like an incredibly successful car. Retro without being cloying, original without being tacky, and never too bold.
But today, finally seeing her live in the real world, Ioniq 5 amazes ancnow more. Don’t be fooled by the photographs: Hyundai Ioniq 5 looks compact, but it really is a massive car, of substance. We are in fact facing a long car 4.64 meters, almost 1 meter 90 wide and 1.61 meters high. To put these numbers into perspective, the visually bulkier Hyundai Tucson stops at 4.50 meters in length, a whopping 14 less, and is only 3 cm taller.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 therefore, although it looks like a compact the size of a Golf, it is actually a C-segment crossover, a very atypical C-SUV. Why indeed here, traditionally, there is very little. The lines are almost on par with the concept 45 of 2019, which in turn was inspired by the Hyundai Pony Coupé of 1974, the first car produced by Hyundai. The lines are therefore retro but never cloying or too agée, in a perfect mix of past and future.
Between a successful design and meticulous details
The proportions make it look much smaller, but also the clean and decisive lines, the 70s Fastback-like tail and the very long wheelbase make it incredibly graceful and successful. Live, the Full LED headlights, with Matrix technology at the front, are striking Paramtetric Pixel. Up close, in fact, these “nuggets” of LEDs are reminiscent of the 8-bit video games of the 70s and 80s. Taking a look at the roof, then, the huge solar panel stands out, which helps power the on-board instruments on the sunniest days.
Few cars know how to make people say wow from an aesthetic point of view in this 2021 as Hyundai Ioniq 5. Every detail is crafted to perfection, like the front “mustache” chiseled with dozens and dozens of luminous carvings, the square and retro tail, the rod-shaped door handles. And again the chiseled and contrasting wheel arches, which visually reduce the side bodywork, or the indicator of the percentage of residual charge near the electrical socket, still Pixel-themed. Ioniq 5 is in fact one of the very few electric cars that everyone, electrophiles and petrol-fueled car lovers can agree on, and not by chance.
Finally, I want to point out how the guys from Hyundai gave us one for this test intermediate version, the Innovation. Both outside and inside, in fact, it is not over-equipped. The wheels are “only” 19-inch, and the interior is in recycled fabric. But not only is it an average Ioniq 5, but it is also the one that will probably be the most sold: the volume model, the one you will probably choose if you decide to buy it. And from an aesthetic point of view, it really lacks nothing. We will therefore not have all the amenities of the super-equipped versions, and we will be able to try a… popular version. A real real test: fantastic!
The interior of Hyundai Ioniq 5 2021: a minimal and relaxing living room. And how much space!
The theme of the intermediate version it also remains going up inside. Compared to the top-of-the-range Evolution versions, in fact, we do not have the fabric stitched on the dashboard and door panels, but rather simple plastic. The seats are not in leather, but in recycled fabric, as well as the mats made with Econyl, a 100% recycled nylon fiber made by Aquafil from thirty.
Despite the lack of all the fancy options or the most luxurious finishes, even our Ioniq 5 is a car that immediately puts you at ease. The dashboard lines are incredibly clean and minimal, and the seats are based on comfort and relaxation. As soon as you get on board, Ioniq 5 gives a feeling of tranquility and refinement. Hyundai calls the Ioniq 5 cockpit one smart living space, a definition that fits her perfectly. Nothing in the cabin is sporty or ostentatious. The steering wheel, with the central part that recalls the external pixel motif, invites you to drive quietly with its two spokes and generous dimensions. The central tunnel is quite original. There is room for the legs, and the bulky traditional tunnel is replaced by two very comfortable cup holders and a huge central compartment for charging smartphones, with and without wireless technology, and space for many objects.
Even the gear selector, with a retro taste and positioned on the steering column, offers a quiet and relaxed environment. Too bad that our specimen lacked the self-propelled console, the Universal Island, and the domestic socket under the rear sofa. These two details would have made it a true self-propelled office. Even so, however, relaxing and working is very easy, and the space, however, is endless, both in front and above all behind. The step of 3 meters and the totally flat floor allow di also comfortably accommodate 5 people. The trunkfinally, it is quite capacious with 527 liters of capacity (arriving at well 1.587 with the rear seats folded down), with a regular shape and well usable. If that’s not enough, then under the front hood there is an additional luggage compartment, gives 57 liters on our rear-wheel drive version. Perfect for storing charging cables.
The technology is elegant and discreet, but of an excellent standard
The star is, of course, the star central screen. The large white panel gives whiteness and brightness, and incorporates three very interesting things. The first is the magnetic panel on the left of the instrument panel. This small piece allows you to fix notes, post-its, memo or photo of your family with small magnets, a romantic and truly original idea. To catalyze the attention, however, are the two 12-inch screens for digital instrument cluster and infotainment. The first is always very easy to consult, super clear and full of useful information. The second, on the other hand, is surprising for the responsiveness and speed of the system.
Both entering destinations and using the onboard functions are fast, fluid and intuitive, and the proprietary navigator works very well. Do you think that we have not felt the need to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay: a symptom of a really well made system. The climate controls and all buttons on the steering wheel except the cruise control lever are soft touch, but they have me amazed by the ease of use and immediacy. This means that it is possible to make well-made touch controls, you just need to know how to do them well …
Just the buttons on the steering wheel they like them because they include all the main features. Braking regeneration, driving mode, Cruise Control speed, media management, gear selector: everything is always at hand.
Silence, you drive: in the city and outside, silence and relaxation cradle you at the wheel of Hyundai Ioniq 5
After so many preambles, the time has finally come try what lies behind this pretty face. We drove a lot of electric cars this year: more urban, more sporty, more multifaceted and capable of taking on long journeys. Where is it going to fit into the framework of this 2021 Hyundai Ioniq 5? From the first kilometers we understand immediately what this Korean is very good at: giving a feeling of relaxation and comfort. At Hyundai they tried to create an electric car that was not aseptic, but could convey emotions, sensations to the driver.
At the wheel of our Ioniq 5, equipped with the 218 HP rear engine only coupled to the larger 72.6 kWh battery, the comfort is excellent. The suspensions are soft but never too wobbly or yielding, the noise is really low and every command is smooth, easy and regular. THE brakes, for example, they are well modulated, with a 5-position adjustable braking regeneration, from Level 0 to i-Pedal mode. The slowdown in driving with a single pedal is vigorous, but never abrupt, and is perfectly coupled to the engine and the character of the car. Thanks to the regulation of the regenerative braking through the paddles on the steering wheel, it is then immediately possible to adjust the perfect setting according to the situation.
The engine delivers 218 CV and 350 Nm, and he must carry one with him mass of 1985 kg. On paper it might seem like a weak motorization, but actually driving the Ioniq 5 amazes. The engine is docile for the first half of the race, avoiding those too abrupt accelerations of some rivals. However, if you ask for more from the engine, the 218 HP pushes well, allowing you to get out of the way in the city but also to overcome without difficulty on state roads or at motorway speeds. In the city, then, theexcellent turning radius, aided by the absence of a front engine. Despite the step of 3 meters (higher than that of a Range Rover!), even in the narrow streets Ioniq 5 moves like a small i20.
Recharge and autonomy: our Hyundai Ioniq 5 easily reaches 440 km, and recharges up to 200 kW
Let’s address this issue for a moment recharge and autonomy. Having tried the version with the best combination, i.e. rear motor and larger battery, autonomy is really good. In city, it’s easy exceed 500 km without effort: each percentage point of the battery lasts several km, and with regeneration you can really go a long way.
In my test about 100 km, i consumed 20% battery without using white gloves. With my style of …