Reader Review: Hyundai IONIQ 5
GOAUTO recently reviewed the Hyundai IONIQ 5 – an all-electric model that was launched on these shores in the latter half of 2021. While our hardened road testers saw through the PR spin – not to mention the overwhelming novelty of this funky new EV – and cut quickly to the core of the futuristic five-door hatch, we were curious to know: Would our readers do the same?
Which got us to thinking: what if we grabbed four readers – who fit the EV-buying demographic – and got them to sample the car? It’s a great way to get a fresh viewpoint on an emerging technology, as well as an unscripted opinion on the pros and cons of Hyundai’s latest.
Before we start, we should point out that links to our complete 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Review are available at the bottom on this page, along with full pricing and specification information.
Our “plainclothes journos” all drive late-model cars in the $35,000 to $70,000 range and work in a variety of professional occupations. All are based in the suburbs of Melbourne and are aged between 35 and 55 years. Each is nearly at the end of lease with their current novated vehicle and looking to upgrade within the next 12 months.
Most of them say they have not considered buying an electric vehicle… at least until now.
Dylan, 51 – Sales Manager
What do you drive currently?
I’m currently driving a 2019 Peugeot 308 GT Line.
What do you like about it?
I like the build quality, the quietness of the car on the road and the fuel economy. It’s a three-cylinder turbo-petrol, and whether it’s commuting or taking longer trips, I’m impressed with how efficient it is. It’s also a lovely car to drive and quite punchy. It’s just very refined for a small hatch.
When will you likely replace your current car?
This is a company car and, typically, I change cars every three years. So, it’s almost time for this one to go, unfortunately.
Would you consider replacing your current car with an electric vehicle?
I’d never really considered it before, to be honest. I don’t really know enough about them, and from what I do know, they’re expensive to purchase compared with an equivalent petrol car. I guess, if I had the money, I would. But given the price, it probably won’t be this time around.
What did you like about the IONIQ 5?
It’s easy to drive and the screens and the graphics are simple and easy to understand. It’s just a gem, really. It’s quieter than a petrol-powered car and I think, in a lot of ways, and for me as a commuter, it just makes more sense.
The technology is far superior to my car – especially the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems – and very effective; I feel comfortable adjusting to and using everything, even after just one drive. I also love the styling. It’s a little bit futuristic, but not over the top.
What didn’t you like about the IONIQ 5?
Nothing, really. Well, maybe the price. I could rattle off a hundred things I do like!
I think maybe the controls take a little getting used to. The steering is light, and the brake pedal is a little too sensitive at first, but you grow accustomed to it rather quickly. So, I would say that there really isn’t anything I didn’t like about the car.
Has driving the IONIQ 5 changed your views on electric vehicles?
Absolutely! After driving this I’d have no hesitations or qualms whatsoever about buying an electric car – if I could afford to, I mean.
Yvette, 54 – Retail Partnership Manager
What do you drive currently?
I’m currently in a 2019 Audi Q2 35 TFSI design.
What do you like about it?
Oh, gosh. Everything. I love it because it’s small enough that I can park it anywhere, yet it’s got a huge load bay, which is important for my work. It has all the extras I want, it’s easy to drive, it’s quite compact… I love the leather upholstery and the comfort of the seats.
I also like that it’s economical but has enough power for city driving and I think it’s quite sexy. Style is very important to me.
When will you likely replace your current car?
I used to replace my cars every three years, but to be honest, with everything that’s happened with Covid-19 and so on, it has put the brakes on things a little bit. That said, I think I will replace it within the next two years.
Would you consider replacing your current car with an electric vehicle?
If the price was right. The range considerations don’t worry me too much because I use my car to commute and visit clients, which means I’m well within the range an electric car can provide.
I’d also probably only need to charge the car at home, based on my current driving needs, and that appeals to me too.
What did you like about the IONIQ 5?
I loved the look, the ride comfort and the gadgets. I especially like the wide dashboard screen and the “forward thinking” that’s been applied to the look of everything – inside and out. The ventilated seats are great, as are the 360-degree cameras (for changing lanes and parking).
I think the level of power it offers is very good, and I got used to the regenerative braking pretty quickly as well. The quietness of the car is also really appealing, and, while I know it’s a small thing, I think the drawer-type glovebox is a brilliant idea. I like how clever the door handle is – it only pops out when required – and I really loved the styling of the alloy wheels.
The “frunk” is a nifty storage solution, especially for those things you don’t need all the time.
What didn’t you like about the IONIQ 5?
I think the graphics on the screens looked a bit bland and dull. What’ more, I don’t see the point of the fixed glass roof. I’d prefer a traditional sunroof, but that’s just me, I guess.
But the biggest issue for me is the IONIQ’s price. It’s a beautiful car, but when you combine the price with the fact that I would potentially also need to pay to modify my garage at home, you know, to power it up, then that’s a bit of a sticking point, I think.
I’d also be keen to learn more about servicing an electric vehicle, and the associated costs, before I would make any change.
Has driving the IONIQ 5 changed your views on electric vehicles?
Absolutely, yes. I don’t know why, but I expected it to be very plain, and a bit sluggish... don’t ask me why. But it’s really a luxurious car in many ways, and the styling is beautiful, in my opinion.
Yes, I’d absolutely consider an electric vehicle after this.
Eddie, 53 – Detective
What do you drive currently?
At the moment I’m driving a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited.
What do you like about it?
For me, the Grand Cherokee ticks many boxes. We like to get out and drive fire trails on the weekend, get into rougher parts of the country and go camping or diving, etc. But, at the same time, it has the creature comforts we appreciate around town – which is where 95 per cent of my driving is done.
It’s also a very comfortable car. I find it quite manageable in urban driving, but also relaxing and sure-footed on the open road. For both those reasons I think it’s a very good option when you compare it with some other vehicles in its class. It’s one of the reasons I’ve kept it for so long.
When will you likely replace your current car?
I usually turn my cars over every three or so years. As I said, this one has just been such a good car that I’ve had no real reason to consider replacing it. But, given the mileage on it now, I’d say we’ll probably replace it within the next one or two years.
Would you consider replacing your current car with an electric vehicle?
For me, personally, I’m not sure that I would replace my car with an electric vehicle, primarily because I’m not convinced that the battery range is sufficient for my needs.
I also don’t think the infrastructure in Australia is where it needs to be to provide the kind of capacity I need, especially for long-distance driving and driving into more remote areas with a heavily loaded vehicle.
What did you like about the IONIQ 5?
It was a real eye opener for me, not just because of the electric drivetrain, but to see how cars have progressed in the time since I purchased my Jeep.
There’s so much advancement in technology here, especially in terms of the driver-assistance elements, which really surprised me. I didn’t think I’d like them, or find them of any benefit, but they made driving safer and more relaxed. I could see them being beneficial in combatting fatigue on long trips.
The other thing is that I didn’t think driving an electric vehicle would be any fun. I don’t know why, really. I just assumed it wouldn’t be quite the experience that it was. There is an element of fun to it. It has more power than I thought it would, plus it’s quite comfortable – and very quiet.
All those things combine to make a solid argument for considering an electric vehicle.
What didn’t you like about the IONIQ 5?
I found the dashboard a little busy. I’m usually all for gadgetry and things like that, and I know I’d get used to it over time. Those sorts of concerns usually dissipate pretty quickly. There wasn’t anything that stood out as a negative besides that. It’s hard to find fault with.
The range is an issue for my needs, but in general, electric vehicles do appeal to me. If you could magically transpose the electric driveline into my Jeep, and improve the range, I’d consider one.
However, I think I’d like to see the IONIQ 5’s asking price come down as well. I reckon that affordability and charging infrastructure are major considerations for a quite lot of people. Australia definitely doesn’t have the charging infrastructure it needs, and I think that might be something that would potentially limit the number of people who’d want to buy one.
Has driving the IONIQ 5 changed your views on electric vehicles?
It absolutely has. I enjoyed the quietness of it and there are a lot of fun aspects to driving it. I’d really like the chance to drive it more and really test it out, you know, to see how far it can go and things like that. Given the opportunity, I’d jump at the chance to drive one again.
Michelle, 37 – Project Coordinator
What do you drive currently?
I currently drive a 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti AWD.
What do you like about it?
As a mother of two young kids, I find it spacious and practical. It’s a good height for me to lift the kids in and out of and there’s plenty of space in the boot for all of the things that kids seem to need carried around. I feel comfortable driving it with the high driving position, especially when parking. It’s a roomy car for the whole family.
When will you likely replace your current car?
Probably within the next 12 to 24 months – unless we have more children before then. Then we might have to bring that timeline forward a little.
Would you consider replacing your current car with an electric vehicle?
I mean, I would if the pricing was a little closer to that of a petrol or diesel car. I think electric cars are still a little too expensive for my particular situation, especially considering there are no government-funded incentives to purchase one, or to contribute to the ongoing costs – like with the power bill and so on.
What did you like about the IONIQ 5?
I think it’s a nice-looking car, particularly on the outside. I really like the flush door handles; I think they make the car feel very premium. I also like how simple it is to operate, and how the buttons and controls are different to those of a standard car.
It might take a little getting used to, but I really like the quietness of the car as well, and how smoothly it accelerates. There are no gear changes or interruptions, it’s just all very seamless.
It speeds up rather quickly, too. I didn’t think it would be this fast, for some reason. But it’s quite zippy. I think I’d really need to keep one eye on the speedo while driving a car like this.
What didn’t you like about the IONIQ 5?
Well, there’s the price. I mean, if there was some sort of incentive it might be a different story, but I just can’t see the value in it at the moment. And, while I know it’s a matter of getting used to things, I also find the lane-change cameras and sensors quite intimidating; they made me a little nervous, to be completely honest. Obviously, they’re handy, but they can also be distracting.
The other issue for me is having a place to charge the vehicle. I live on an acreage, and, at the moment, we don’t have a garage where I could install a charger, so I’d be running an extension cord out to the carport. It would just be “one more thing” to have a home charger installed… and one more thing we’d need to budget for.
I also understand, based on what I’ve researched, that a using a home charger each night wouldn’t provide me the necessary range to get to and from work the following day, so some improvements would need to be made there before it was worthwhile, in my specific case.
Has driving the IONIQ 5 changed your views on electric vehicles?
It has, for sure. I think I would like to get one if I could afford it. Until now, I really didn’t know that other car companies were making electric cars – I mean, you only really hear of Tesla.
I’ve driven a Model 3 and I quite like that, but in any case, the prices of electric vehicles will have to come down, or be in some way incentivised, before we were to consider one as our next car.
The last word…
While most of our readers were overwhelmingly positive about their time with the Hyundai IONIQ 5, there were some consistent threads to their opinions.
Pricing was a point of contention for all four candidates, and range anxiety was a factor for at least two. The majority found the technology shift from their current vehicle quite confronting, although, from my side of the car at least, they all adapted to the experience very quickly.
Interestingly, not one found the car too small or disapproved of the styling. There was an acceptance of the technology that seems to reveal that Australian buyers are ready to plug in to an electric vehicle future.
Our testers all said they believed EV ownership was now a matter of “when” and not “if”, but that without a significant leg-up from the government – and without a marked improvement in EV charging infrastructure – an electric car would, for now, remain just shy of reach.
