2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review: Family Motoring Redefined

Hyundai Motor Group quickly rose to prominence thanks to electrification. Before other mainstream brands took the technology seriously, Hyundai and Kia jumped ahead, developing electric vehicles in-house. This resulted in vehicles like the first-generation Soul EV, building the foundations for the future. Subsequent vehicles like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV took advantage of that momentum. Now we have the culmination of everything: the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, the EV that’s best described as a mic drop in a fast-growing segment.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Style, Space, and Premiumness

Think of the Ioniq 5 as a big retro-styled hatchback. Inspired by the Concept 45, which itself took cues from the 1970s Pony Coupe designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, this electric family car stands out. From its pixel LED lighting to its angular profile, you’re not mistaking this for anything else. Inside, you get a modern, minimalistic look complete with clever solutions like a movable center console, sliding and reclining rear seats, and a driver’s seat with a full-on lounge mode. Thanks to the 118.1-inch wheelbase, generous head- and legroom, and a flat floor, the Ioniq 5 fits five passengers comfortably. However, the raised floor results in an odd seating position that feels like you’re on top of the seats rather than in them. Additionally, the thigh extension for the driver’s seat lacks enough support because they fold up rather than extend out.

When it’s time to haul cargo, the Ioniq 5 offer plenty of space, especially with the rear seats folded. Unfortunately, the rear window cuts into the usable capacity with all seats up, preventing you from stacking your belongings. You also get underfloor storage and a front trunk but neither one has much space for anything but small items or your charging cable.

In typical Hyundai fashion, the Ioniq 5’s build quality punches way above its weight. The materials exude a premium aura and everything you touch wouldn’t be out of place in a luxury car. Nearly every surface has padding or soft materials that simply feel expensive, including the rear. Best of all, Hyundai didn’t skimp because this goodness extends to the rear. Combined with the car’s incredible levels of sound insulation, you get a wonderfully refined experience.

Class-Leading Tech Features

Leave it to Hyundai to offer some of the best infotainment systems so it’s no surprise that the Ioniq 5’s set up with two 12.3-inch displays leads the pack. Just like in its other vehicles, this iteration offers crisp graphics, quick responses, minimal submenus, and a straightforward layout. Even with additional climate control settings embedded into the main touchscreen, its intuitive nature remains. Additionally, you still retain physical buttons and knobs to keep things simple. However, the available Bose audio system could be better. While clear, the volume levels increase inconsistently and the speaker placement doesn’t result in good cabin coverage.

The Ioniq 5 wins back points thanks to the standard Smart Sense driver assistance suite. Every component works with impressive subtlety, meaning the car doesn’t feel like it’s trying to take over driving duties. Lane centering does a great job of keeping you from drifting out of your lane without jerking you all over the place. It’ll also help you take gentle turns at highway speeds. Highway Driving Assist II, on the other hand, proactively follows the flow of traffic. Combining the functions of adaptive cruise control, steering assist, and lane centering, it gives the Ioniq 5 semi-autonomous driving capabilities. This results in the car’s ability to react quickly based on what other vehicles are doing. As a result, it can slow the vehicle down to keep your set distance, execute automatic lane changes, and help you evade obstacles.

Hyundai jumped ahead and became one of the first automakers to offer bi-directional charging. Using the included adapter or the outlet below the rear seats, you can turn the Ioniq 5 into a mobile generator to run appliances or a home in case the power goes out, provided you have the right equipment.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Power and Comfort

Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform is dedicated to EVs and its benefits show in terms of performance and charging speeds. In the case of the former, you get a battery mounted flat under the passenger compartment. This dual-motor test car effectively has AWD since it has an electric motor on each axle for a healthy combined output of 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. As a result, you get effortless acceleration for all driving scenarios but the way it’s delivered varies. From a standstill, you get a smooth wave of power, highlighting the car’s refinement even in Sport mode. Do the same thing on the move and it’ll pin you into your seat as you accelerate to triple-digit speeds at an alarming rate.

Of the three E-GMP-based vehicles, the Ioniq 5 is the comfort-oriented one. Despite being tuned on the firm side, this crossover possesses a supremely compliant ride over broken pavement. Even with the Limited trim’s 20-inch alloy wheels, you get excellent cushioning thanks to tires with thick sidewalls. That doesn’t mean it’s floaty, though. The Ioniq 5 balances out the cushiness with surefooted handling and exceptional body control. This gives the car a confident demeanor, especially when combined with its quick, well-weighted steering. Having a more powerful rear electric motor helps too since that enables the vehicle to rotate naturally during spirited driving or induce controlled drifts.

Charge Up and Get on the Road

Backing the two electric motors is a 77.4-kWh battery that’s standard on all long-range variants of the Ioniq 5. That gets you an EPA-rated range of 256 miles in the dual-motor cars or 303 miles on the single-motor examples. You can also get a 58-kWh pack on the base SE grade rated at 220 miles. During my week with the dual-motor model, I averaged 270 miles, about 14 miles more than the EPA estimate. Once again, another Hyundai EV that meets or exceeds its official ratings.

Although the Ioniq 5’s range makes its road trip worthy, that’s only one part of the equation. This vehicle features an 800-volt charging architecture, enabling it to DC charge up to 235 kW. That means you can juice up the big battery from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 18 minutes! During my DC charging session at a 350 kW charger, the car hit 235 kW and stayed there for the first 5 percent. From there, it fluctuated between 200 and 235 kW even after 50 percent. It remained close to 200 kW even as it hit 80 percent, throttling down a few minutes after. Other vehicles with this charging speed wear expensive European or American badges.

The Ioniq 5 feature four levels of regenerative braking including full one-pedal driving. This gives you the ability to drive the vehicle like a conventional internal combustion model or maximize energy recuperation and not use the brake pedal as often. The latter gives you better control of the vehicle while helping preserve or recapture energy, especially when going downhill. Seamless transitions between regenerative and mechanical braking add to the Ioniq 5’s natural, intuitive feel.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: The New Benchmark?

Hyundai raised the bar with the Ioniq 5. Between its comfort, road manners, practicality, range, and charging speed, this EV checks all of the boxes. The best part? It retains Hyundai’s strong value proposition. Starting at $41,245, this slots at the heart of the compact electric crossover segment. Fully loaded in dual-motor configuration, the Ioniq 5 tops out at just over $57,000 before any local and state incentives and the $7,500 federal tax credit. The big issue preventing more consumers from buying the vehicle now is dealer markups. If Hyundai can get that under control and encourage its dealer to sell at sticker price, more consumers would have one in their driveway. Should you find one without those pesky up-charges, grab it immediately because you’ll have one of the best EVs available.