I drove Hyundai's new electric SUV that looks like a sci-fi spaceship. Take a full photo tour of the Ioniq 5.
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Tim LevinAug 12, 2022, 23:32 IST
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In 2022, Tesla is far from the only game in town. Ford, Volkswagen, and others have come out with popular and stylish electric alternatives to Elon Musk's vehicles.
One of the most exciting electric rides to hit streets recently is Hyundai's Ioniq 5.
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And I got to drive it.
The new SUV features futuristic looks, an ultra-comfy interior, and some ingenious features you can't get anywhere else.
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Here's a full tour of the Ioniq 5 and everything it has to offer.
The SUV has a sci-fi flair to it that sets it apart from anything else on the road.
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It has flush door handles that pop out when the car is unlocked.
And it's packed full of hard angles and edges, including dramatic creases running diagonally across its sides.
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In front and back, Hyundai gave the Ioniq 5 lights made up of arrays of little pixels. It's a fun touch that looks like it could be straight out of the 1980s.
The 2022 Ioniq 5 is available in three trim levels and starts at $39,700.
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Each model can be bought either with a single motor and rear-wheel drive or two motors and all-wheel-drive.
Rear-wheel drive gets you the most range: up to 303 miles with the optional larger battery pack.
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The fully-loaded, Limited AWD model that Hyundai lent me for a weekend came out to around $56,000, including a destination fee.
It was a joy to drive, providing quick acceleration that made passing slow-moving traffic or merging onto the highway effortless.
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All-wheel-drive models put out 320 horsepower and can sprint to 60 mph in a brisk five seconds, Hyundai says.
But powering two extra wheels knocks range down to an estimated 256 miles. Still good, but not great.
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There are a few driving settings to choose from. Eco mode disables the front motor to optimize efficiency, while Sport mode boosts performance.
In any mode, the SUV glides smoothly, quietly, and comfortably down the road.
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And after you deplete the Ioniq 5's battery pack, it charges up super quickly. It can use 350-kilowatt fast-charging stations, the most powerful type.
It can charge from 10%-80% in a claimed 18 minutes.
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Another neat feature in the Hyundai: It has bidirectional charging capability.
Stick an included adapter into the charging port, and you can plug in a laptop, microwave, stereo system, or whatever else your heart desires. (So long as it doesn't draw too much power.)
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Slip inside the Ioniq 5 and you're greeted by an interior that feels way roomier than you'd expect from a relatively compact SUV.
The cabin is sparse and uncluttered without feeling lifeless.
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Hyundai built a brand-new electric platform for the Ioniq 5. And it took the opportunity to optimize interior space in clever ways.
The SUV has a completely flat floor. And since there's no bulky transmission tunnel between the driver and front-seat passenger, Hyundai left some open space for a handbag or backpack.
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There's also a big open space below the armrest for more cargo.
The center console slides forward and backward to free up floor space as needed.
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That's something you won't see anywhere else.
Up front, the SUV has two 12.3-inch screens on a simple, rectangular panel.
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The driver-facing screen shows the car's speed, battery percentage, range, and cruise-control settings.
The main display is home to the media player, navigation, charging settings, and other apps.
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Since it's extra wide, you can run two apps side-by-side. I found it responsive to the touch and easy to use.
Below the screen, there's a row of shortcut buttons and tap-sensitive controls for the A/C and heating. Unlike in a Tesla, you don't need to use the touchscreen for every little thing.
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But you do need to use the screen to activate the heated and ventilated seats, which I found annoying to do while driving.
My tester also had a nifty head-up display, which projects important things like one's speed and blind-spot status onto the windshield.
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One of my favorite parts of the Ioniq 5 is its blind-spot cameras. When you flick the turn signal, a view of your blind spot pops up on the screen in front of you.
All over the interior, you'll see a motif of little squares that mirror the headlights and taillights. Instead of a Hyundai logo on the steering wheel: squares.
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On the doors: squares.
On the seats: more squares.
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Glance at the main screen, and your battery level is represented in, you guessed it, more squares.
Behind the rear seats, the Ioniq 5 offers 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space.
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With the seats folded, volume increases to 59.3 cubic feet.
One flaw in the Ioniq 5: there isn't a proper frunk.
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Lots of EVs have an extra cargo compartment where an engine would normally be. But in the Ioniq 5, you get a puny plastic box that could fit a portable charging cord and not much else.