2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Yearlong Review Verdict: Love-Hate Situation
When it’s charged and ready to roll, the Ioniq 5 is terrific. “When” is the operative word here.0:00 / 0:00
I had stints in all sorts of vehicles during our yearlong review of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV. Whether I got time with a track-ready sports car or opulent luxury SUV, returning to the all-electric Ioniq 5 always felt like a delight. Often, it was even more delightful driving the Ioniq 5 again after some other EV crossover. Those typically demonstrate why our 2023 SUV of the Year remains a benchmark—rivals still have catching up to do. But I won't entirely miss having the Ioniq 5 as my swanky, speedy, spacious daily driver.
Hard to Hate On
Our long-term review loans typically last 12 months, but unusual circumstances let us keep the Ioniq 5 for 18 months. Tough for me to complain—it drove and functioned so well all through 26,002 miles.
Our Hyundai’s deceptively long wheelbase contributed to those aspects. That length put distance between bumps in the road and added to the confident, settled way the Ioniq 5 cruised along. Even if the wheelbase somewhat dulled agility, it simultaneously enhanced stability, as I found running with sports cars in spirited driving excursions. Short overhangs benefited intuitive handling for weaving through a canyon or wedging into a parking space.
The stretch also made the cabin unexpectedly roomy. Passengers consistently commended their legroom, even sitting behind the driver’s seat adjusted for your 6-foot-10 author—as if more proof was needed beyond how well I fit there in the first place. Cargo capacity was never a concern. Space with all the seats upright was enough to carry provisions with a load of friends, and folding the second row allowed me to slide my huge bike inside.
Design-driven details prevailed to enhance the experience. Bemusement about how to close the doors turned to amusement when I realized the entire armrest functioned as a grab handle. Our range-topping Ioniq 5 Limited came equipped with a glass roof—not uncommon among upscale EVs, but its power-operated shade is an obvious inclusion that other automakers somehow miss. The magnet board beside the steering wheel was used only for an in-car gardening experiment, but its mere presence indicated Hyundai’s whimsical yet function-focused approach to arranging the Ioniq 5.
A Few Gripes
In some areas, however, Hyundai let aesthetics take precedent to frustrating effect. Occasionally, I’d unintentionally switch off the headlights by catching my finger on the control knob at the tip of the turn signal stalk. The wireless charging pad, located low in the center console, was in such an awkward position that I never used it. Most concerning was the lack of a wiper for the rear window. Airflow streamed past that glass, leaving precipitation in place and severely compromising visibility in rainy weather. Fortunately, a rear wiper will be offered on the 2025 Ioniq 5.
Running on dual 12.3-inch digital displays, the infotainment merely sufficed. The user interface was generally intuitive, but screen responsiveness and resolution weren't excellent. Features and functionality pertaining to crucial EV factors, such as finding nearby chargers, planning charging along a navigation route, or detailed information about a charge session weren’t robust enough to ease electric living. Expect upgraded infotainment in the 2025 model.
Maintaining our Ioniq 5’s hardware was a breeze. With Hyundai offering three years/36,000 miles of free maintenance, we paid $0 maintaining our EV over three services. That matches the zero we paid for Volkswagen ID4 over its long-term loan, and it’s jarringly less than the $318.28 we spent on upkeep for our Kia EV6, which is essentially identical to the Ioniq 5. At Hyundai, service visits entailed tire rotations, inspections, and in one instance, installation of a new charging control module fuse and noise-reducing washers in the tailgate as recall remedies. Other than an annoyingly persistent headliner creak that developed over time, the Ioniq 5 showed solid mechanical fortitude. Because we spent a few months rolling on Hankook iON tires provided as part of a content project, there was no need to replace the factory Michelin Primacy Tour rubber.
Maintaining our Ioniq 5’s software was comparatively challenging. Even though basic updates arrived over the air, more extensive updates required me to download software from my computer to an external hard drive then plug that drive into the car. Another necessitated visiting a dealership. Hopefully, the technicians there today know Hyundai’s software-defined vehicles better than they did a year or so ago.
