2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Quick Drive: Does It Still Have the Juice?

• We take a second look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5, two years after having first driven it.
• How does it hold up after so much competition has come along?
• Is it still as great as we remember?

This week, a new Ioniq 5 showed up in our garage — just as I'm nearing the two-year anniversary of my first drive. Reflecting on that initial impressive test, I wondered, "Does the Ioniq 5 still have that juice?"

In a word, heck yeah. OK, that's two words. Not the point. What I mean is that the Ioniq 5 still pulls off the same trick it did two years ago: It makes me want to put one in my driveway.

First, there's the way it looks. It's been two whole years since the Ioniq 5 launched and not one automaker that competes in this class has come up with anything as visually interesting. The Ioniq 5 might not be classically pretty or beautiful, but it certainly leaves an impression. The pixelated theme that defines the head- and taillights and carries on into the interior continues to have a concept-car-like wow factor. The short, squat proportions of the body over the wheels make it look no bigger than a hatchback in photos, and belie just how right-sized it is for a compact SUV. The Ioniq 5 is just so cool.

Then there's the way it drives. You might think that, since all EVs have the same general formula — batteries and motors mounted low in the chassis — they all drive largely the same. Wrong. The Ioniq 5 is the only car in its class that I genuinely enjoy driving. It's connected, responsive and intuitive. The steering isn't perfect or really all that full of feedback, but this car turns in quicker than most, if not all, of its competition. Dial in just a little bit of steering angle (or a lot), and the car turns exactly that amount — there's no miscommunication. The brake pedal feels just as dialed in; it's easy to modulate and come to a smooth stop. Plus, there are five different regenerative braking settings on offer, including a full one-pedal driving mode.

Range isn't an issue either. In the Edmunds EV Range Test, an Ioniq 5 Limited AWD outpaced its EPA estimate of 260 miles and tallied up 270 miles in total. I've even been able to coax a 300-plus-mile range estimate out of the car's onboard computer by driving like my grandmother's grandmother, but I can't keep in eco mode all the time.

Another huge selling factor is the Ioniq 5's simplicity. It is wonderfully easy to get the hang of — there's no startup gimmickry, no silly cost-cutting like the omission of a screen in front of the driver or only two buttons for four windows (à la the VW ID.4). The thing just works. If you've ever faffed around with a new iPhone for three hours before it functions the way you want it to, you know how frustrating "new" tech can be. So when you just need something to turn on so you can go somewhere, it's crucial that it just works the first time, every time. At Edmunds, we've been locked out of our long-term Lucid Air and our long-term Rivian R1T has recently straight up refused to move. The Ioniq 5? Never any problems. It just works like, you know, a car.

The Ioniq 5's tech is spot-on, too. Hyundai's adaptive cruise control features lane keeping and centering, follows closely to the car in front, speeds up and slows down smoothly, and is rarely caught out by road imperfections or faded lane lines. It's smart and makes the daily bump and grind a much less exhausting affair. The 360-degree view camera is also excellent, as is the Bose sound system, as are all the helpful infotainment pages that let you monitor efficiency and set a charge schedule. Added bonus: The Ioniq 5 has vehicle-to-load charging, where you can power accessories or charge larger devices straight from a household socket under the rear bench.

Is the Ioniq 5 perfect? Of course not. I don't like that the only data port in the car is located underneath the dashboard and would prefer one on the sliding center console. The omission of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also a long-standing Hyundai annoyance, but thankfully one that will be remedied soon. Lastly, the Ioniq 5 doesn't let you adjust regen settings while using adaptive cruise control, opting for its auto setting instead. Also, Hyundai, if you're reading this, throw in a rear window wiper, eh?

Those small issues aren't enough to tarnish my impression of the Ioniq 5 overall. If you're in the market for a great-looking, fun-driving, easy-to-use electric crossover, there's nothing else I'd sooner recommend.

Edmunds says

And what's even better is the high-performance Ioniq 5 N is, in our words, the first genuinely fun EV. Clearly Hyundai isn't going to stop refining its winning formula anytime soon.