We never feature anything related to Hyundai. There is an unfortunate reason why. A brief but unfortunate encounter with the rather rude Head of PR for Hyundai UK should have served as a warning. But we ignored the signs—the micro-aggressions—and persisted in our attempt to maintain professionalism until we realized we were being taken for fools.

But here at the DCBHQ, we’re good people. We care about the product and nevertheless, I’m a fair, balanced, and unbiased journalist… AHEM! Speaking of the product, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, is unlike anything Hyundai has done before. It prioritizes design above all, with brand-new EV architecture coming in a distant second. More on that later.

Trim And Prices

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available in five trim levels, with prices starting at £39,000 for the entry-level Advance and rising to a staggering £52,000 for the top-spec N Line. The high-performance Ioniq N costs an eye-watering £59,000.

Battery options range from 64 kWh to 84 kWh, RWD or AWD depending on model trim/spec, and fast charging is supported.

The Exterior

Hyundai has long been associated with an unsurpassed level of dullness—from its logo design and stiff-collared marketing to some of the most uninspired vehicle designs imaginable. The Ioniq 5, however, transforms that bland image. Its exterior design is so well-proportioned that the designers have brilliantly concealed its size, making it appear like a car two sizes smaller.

The Ioniq 5 is actually closer in size to an Audi A6 Avant. For me, design is crucial because great design requires immense thought and attention to detail, which often suggests the same level of care is applied to engineering. However, this isn’t always the case.

Design excellence alone is not enough to make me want to buy an Ioniq 5.

The Interior

The good design intentions are not fully realized in the interior. While the underlying design is well-conceived, it feels somewhat disjointed. From a driver’s perspective, the absence of a center console tunnel and the open footwell space make the Ioniq 5 feel more like a van than a car. The choice of materials doesn’t help either; the few soft-touch surfaces are overshadowed by cheap-feeling plastics.

Then there are the seats. The driver’s seat, though well-cushioned, seems to have been designed for a Smurf—I just couldn’t get comfortable at all. If I were a long-term owner, I would regret my decision to purchase the Ioniq 5 every single day.

There’s also the overall “ishness” of the Ioniq 5’s interior. Hyundai interiors have always had a depressive quality due to the use of low-calibre materials. Despite the Ioniq 5 blazing a new trail for the company’s image, the interior still feels unmistakably Hyundai-ish.

The Ultimate model variant I tested was near the top of the range and came with leather seats as standard. However, the leather felt… well, Hyundai-ish—yet another reason for me to avoid purchasing the Ioniq 5. To be fair, the Ioniq 5 is spacious and offers decent boot capacity whether the seats are up or down, but that’s not enough for me to recommend it.

The Infotainment System

The 12.3-inch infotainment system features a new generation of software and user interface. Hyundai has clearly moved on from the early days of low-resolution, Cartoon Network-style graphic design.

The controls are touch-sensitive, which is acceptable, but the control panel for the heating always feels too far away. Why is it positioned so low down? It impacts usability negatively.

The Chassis and Steering

I’m primarily interested in comfort, and to be fair, Hyundai’s engineers have done a good job in that regard—the Ioniq 5 is a comfortable car. However, the steering is problematic. Who approved this steering setup? The Ioniq 5 lacks steering feel; it’s too light and has too much play for my liking. During my drive, the steering annoyed the hell out of me. I couldn’t sense or know what the front wheels were doing.

With the steering as it is, I couldn’t live with this car long-term. I would constantly feel that I made a mistake. There’s no joy in driving the Ioniq 5, and while I’m not necessarily looking for joy, I am looking for basic competence. The Ioniq 5 lacks common sense.

The peer reviews I’ve read about the Ioniq 5 don’t align with my experience, so what’s going on? What are motoring journalists doing during these first drives? Are they actually reviewing the cars, or are they too busy reminiscing about the 5-star hospitality Hyundai showered upon them during the international launch at that luxury hotel?

The modern motoring journalist once seen as the embodiment of independent thought, has seamlessly merged their career aspirations with automotive companies who now occupy their writings, all while blissfully sleepwalking into a state of perpetual Stockholm Syndrome.

The Efficiency Guillotine

Range is the most crucial aspect of any electric car, and the Ioniq 5 falls short in this regard. With an efficiency of just 3.0 miles per kWh, the poor efficiency suggests that the underlying engineering and electric powertrain are not fully optimized. The Ioniq 5 is available in two battery capacities: 65 kWh and 85 kWh.

The variant I tested had the 85 kWh battery pack, which according to basic maths translates into a range of 255 miles, falling short of the 365-mile range claimed by Hyundai. In reality, during my test, the range was no better than 230 miles, even with conservative driving.

And that’s it—I’m done with this review. I’m done with the Hyundai Ioniq 5. If you’re looking for an electric car, just buy the Tesla Model 3. It’s a no-brainer.