2023 Hyunda Ioniq Review, Road Test

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the brand’s first EV made on a brand-new platform to take on the likes of heavy weights like Tesla. The company did have other EV’s but it wasn’t able to get it right in many ways but did in some too. The new platform changed the game entirely as it made Hyundai climb the charts worldwide when it comes to sales. Tesla only competition now remains from Hyundai as its new models gain traction with every launch.

The Ioniq 5 started it all and as always, with Hyundai’s meticulous outlook towards the present and the future it has succeeded. The brand knows a thing or two about luxury as well and mixing it in the right way with environmental friendly procedures and materials, it has made things attractive for customers. Needless to say, the radical approach is seen in the design as well which is the big talking point of the car. How good is it? We finally drive it in India, where it is locally assembled and has so much sense suddenly that a lot of things from other manufacturers don’t. The fine print, then? Let’s find out!

On the outside, the SUV is not so high on length and width. The design elements of the car make it stand out. The no grille look but a large LED light running from headlight to the other makes the car futuristic! The LED DRL pattern looks great and the way it illuminates when you start the car is amazing. The silhouette of the car from some angles can look crossover more and less SUV. However, this design might not age well as car with more character lines looks good but might not do so well in the near future.

The good-looking 20-inch wheels at the side and the unique tail lamps with LED DRL and LED Bar at the rear make it look premium and futuristic. The digital headlights were tested entirely by us for the first time and we have come back beyond impressed with its illumination, spread, and throw! The build quality on the outside seems and sounds excellent and as we know, Ioniq 5 does well in crash test.

On the inside, the build, and quality are exceptional, and so is the expansive feature list. The car is made with a lot of recycle material, make its green cred stand quite high. With an electric parking brake, cruise control, a large panoramic sunroof, parking sensors all around, and much more is on offer. Wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto continue to be a miss. The interior layout is great with lower floorboard is flat at the front and rear. The centre console moves front and rear to make way for more convince on a daily basis which does require some muscle. Ventilated and power seats are now on offer as well as optional extras! The 12.3 inch touch screen works great as it is similar to Hyundai’s that we have seen till date. Something new would been ideal, but it is on the way with the next update and it will be a big change! Lots of storage space, charging points and a large glovebox keeps things well in check when it comes to ease of living with the cabin.

The ADAS features also worked well and easier to on and off given our tough situation of traffic in India. Space is good with excellent Leg and headroom along with shoulder and knee room. The boot space is good by segment standards. Road and wind noise inside the cabin is also well-controlled and it is a pleasant place to be. Bose sound system is good with internally stored sounds of nature making things even more calming for people looking for borderline serenity in the chaos of Indian traffic. The safety kit continues to be high with electronic stability control and Hill Hold Assist is on offer. ABS and EBD with six airbags come as standard. Traction control and electronic stability is on offer.

The battery-powered Ioniq 5 is low on NVH as expected and may be a little too much. Good thing you have an outright brilliant sound system always makes us really appreciate the quality and it also helps keep things loud in the cabin helping you from falling asleep. Low and mid-range are good and top-end is brilliant too on the Ioniq 5. It keeps pushing all the way from 0 to 160 km/hr like how powerful EV should and a bit more. The 72.6 kWh battery helps it do top speed is no time too. The 217 PS and 350 Nm makes it super quick and fast too! It can cruise easily at legal speeds. This makes the Ioniq 5 good enough for long highway duties as well!

Ioniq 5 is easy to drive in the city thanks to light steering, low turning radius despite big dimensions. All driving modes work according to their names. Eco-mode feels quite tamed, the sport mode can drive you wild as it is very addictive. In our drive, we could do 400 km max before we had to put it on charge. i-Pedal makes sure that you get enough regen and range does not drop. Mumbai is an ideal city for EV as you get enough traffic and open road balance to maintain a healthy range. The Ioniq 5 can take the biggest chargers you can find in India and use it as it supports till 350 kw. Meanwhile, India has 180 kw charger at premium luxury car manufacturer dealerships which are now open to use for other EV users as well.

The low to medium ride quality is stiff, but the high-speed ride is brilliant as it stays solid and is pliant enough to deal with anything at those speeds. As the suspension has been tuned the same way The body roll increases as speeds get higher while taking a corner or changing lanes at high speeds. Steering is precise and has good feedback on offer, which makes the car fun and confident but not at outright sportier because you do feel the weight of the battery pack if you start pushing it harder. The battery pack is lower hence the centre of gravity is low and great, the suspension behaves very differently and does not bob around at the limit at a pothole or a corner. The weight is well managed, suspension behaves well and the brakes are good too with and without regen. All this is it is why the Ioniq 5 inspires confidence at all times. Overall, a fun to drive by far SUV by Hyundai with exceptional comfort on offer with enough sporty credtionals.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq Review, Verdict

Our experience with the Ioniq 5 has told us a lot. No, we are not forgetting what all Hyundai has displayed in the Ioniq 5. We have already told you in the launch report what all the company has achieved with this EV. The design on the outside, the interior, the technology, the engineering progress, the innovations in so many areas, the driving, the powertrain, everything comes together so well that it impresses you. You also realize that the manufacturer has so much green process in use to make the Ioniq 5 that it actually is a green car and a EV car at the same time. All this and Hyundai India’s decision of making this car in India by assembling it puts it in a good spot against its cousin, if not its rivals. We think the Ioniq 5 is a sight on the road, a lesson for some and an icon in the future.