Goodbye
Never mind how it drives or how it looks – the Ioniq 5 cabin is brilliantly user-friendly.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Namsan Edition 77.4kWh RWD
Month 6
Fancy edition of stylish Hyundai EV; even better inside than out
+ Roomy, techy and user-friendly -Not as dynamic as it looks
Price £54,150 (£54,150 as tested) Performance 77.4kWh battery, e-motor, 225bhp, 7.3sec 0-62mph, 114mph Efficiency 3.45 miles per kWh (official), 3.4 miles per kWh (tested), 0g/km CO2 Range 295 miles (official), 251 miles (tested) Energy cost 8.1p per mile Miles this month 828 Total miles 6516
All the excitement about the new N version of the Ioniq 5 inspired me to have another go with Sport mode in my regular 5. I’d previously tried it a few times and decided it was mostly smoke and mirrors, in that the dials would change colour but not much else would happen.
Trying it again, after several weeks of driving in my default combination – Normal mode and i-Pedal braking – Ifound that Sport did make a bit of difference. Slightly livelier throttle response, slightly harsher suspension, slightly more direct steering.
But the bigger difference came from dialling the braking right down to zero regen, so that when you lift your right foot you coast rather than slow. It’s more extreme than coasting in a combustion car, because that involves engine braking; it’s like bunging a combustion car into neutral.
Trying to drive the Ioniq 5 like it’s a hot hatch emphasises its dynamic weaknesses, its vague steering, its easily flustered suspension. Much better to dial yourself down 20 per cent, chill out, and enjoy the calm and comfort.
As the weather has warmed up, efficiency has improved, and I’m now frequently getting close to the official figure. There are precious few ultra-rapid 350kW chargers in my life (potentially it can top up from 10 to 80 per cent in 18-36 minutes), but I’ve made good use of its efficiency at 50kW fast chargers: 10 to 80 per cent in an hour is very handy.
And then there’s the question of the mirrors. I’ve seen plenty of other Ioniq 5s out on the road, but not spotted any others with the digital camera/screen combo that’s standard on my Namsan edition and optional on others. I’ve pretty much got used to them, but still fail to see the point.
Anyone who’s driven a car with conventional
