Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N is right here to problem every thing you as soon as considered electrical vehicles.
Boring, silent, and soulless? No extra.
Right here’s an EV with driver engagement at its very core, and the primary really convincing providing that would rework petrolheads into electronheads.
Following Hyundai’s triumphant i30N and i20N scorching hatches – true phase shakers – the model wasn’t going to sling an N badge on its Ioniq 5 calmly. It needed to conform to the N model’s three core ideas: have racetrack functionality, function an on a regular basis sportscar and be a Nook Rascal.
I’m joyful to report there’s three large ticks awarded.
A lot has been achieved via fakery – ‘petrol’ engine word and kit shifts included – however there’s been no purpose to cover this. It’s an enormous problem to create a efficiency EV to tug on the coronary heart strings of fanatic drivers, however via unimaginable tech and engineering Hyundai’s cracked it.
We examined the brand new 448kW/740Nm (!) burbling extrovert on Korean roads and its F1 race observe to see if it actually can carry emotional involvement to the EV expertise.
What does the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N value and what options do you get?
Simply the only Ioniq 5 N mannequin from launch (first deliveries are anticipated in early 2024), priced at $111,000 plus on-roads, or roughly $120,000 drive-away.
That’s over $10,000 greater than a Kia EV6 GT, $26,000 greater than Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 AWD Epiq and, for you combustion followers, a chunky $61,800 over what’s requested for the thrill-bringing Hyundai 130N Premium scorching hatch.
However as our European correspondent John Carey urged, it’s lower than half the value of a Porsche Taycan GTS ($248,300) and, having observe examined each, can verify the cheaper Hyundai’s a extra thrilling observe machine.
Solely choices are a Imaginative and prescient Roof (panoramic glass) costing $2000, and matte paint for $1000. Color alternative is pleasingly diversified, with extra extrovert Soultronic Orange, Gravity Gold matte and signature N Efficiency Blue the standouts.
We’ll not know the complete specification till simply forward of launch, however these are the knowns:
166kW/350Nm entrance motor
282kW/390Nm rear motor
N Grin Increase mode for 478kW/770Nm (mixed) for ten seconds
84kWh battery with preconditioning
Automobile-To-Load (V2L)
21-inch cast aluminium wheels
Pirelli P-Zero HN 275/35R21 tyres
N Masks graphic fascia with air curtain and air flap apertures
Roof mounted rear spoiler
Rear diffuser
Lip spoiler
EV N Luminous Orange physique highlights
Digital management suspension with repeatedly variable damping
400mm entrance brake rotors with four-piston calipers
360mm rear brake rotors
Digital restricted slip differential on rear axle
N e-shift and regenerative management steering wheel paddle shifters
N Energetic Sound +
N Drift Optimiser
N Pedal
N Race
N Brake Regen
N Torque distribution
N Launch management
Light-weight N bucket seats (entrance)
Alcantara trim
Alcantara sports activities steering wheel
Knee pads and shin help
Metallic pedals
Twin 12.3-inch digital screens
Wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Wi-fi telephone charging
Bluelink linked companies
Over-The-Air (OTA) software program updates
Positively, and in contrast to the Ioniq 5 Epiq, no digital aspect mirrors for this hottest of Ioniqs.
What’s powering the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N?
Not solely is the Ioniq 5 N the most costly Hyundai ever, it’s additionally essentially the most highly effective by some margin.
Its twin motors provide 166kW/350Nm up entrance and 282kW/390Nm at rear, combining for a mighty 448kW/740Nm: it has virtually twice the kW of a traditional (and never precisely gradual) AWD Ioniq 5.
An N Grin Increase (sure, actually) mode provides an additional 30kW and 30Nm for a ten second burst, pumping these figures to an unholy 478kW/770Nm mixed. Identical energy, by the way, as a Porsche 911 Turbo S.
Result’s, when participating launch management, a 0-100km/h time of three.4 seconds – correct supercar stuff. And for these taking it to tracks with lengthy straights, relaxation assured it gained’t halt till you nudge 260km/h.
A wise cooling system, superior battery thermal administration and an ‘Endurance’ mode – the place peak efficiency is barely pegged – will prolong observe time. We’re assured it’ll lap the Nürburgring twice (42km) at sub-8 minute tempo with out efficiency loss. Handle that, and also you’ll haven’t any complaints coming in to relaxation the automotive and your wits.
To deserve its ‘N’ badge and show itself as race observe appropriate, engineers ensured the Ioniq 5 N might sort out a 20 minute observe session then are available in for 20 minutes fast charging earlier than heading again out once more.
This may be typical of most observe classes with a petroleum efficiency automotive, actually. Downside is, for an EV, is getting quick chargers put in at race tracks.
The Ioniq 5 N’s constructed utilizing 800V structure, permits for fast charging. Quoted cost pace is 350kW, however our earlier checks recommend underneath 250kW is extra life like.
Battery is a large 84kWh unit, and though unconfirmed, Hyundai reckons the WLTP vary is 448km.
Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 N will go from 10 to 80 p.c charged in simply 18 minutes when plugged into an ultra-fast charger.
How sensible is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N?
Very. There’s nothing radical inside to compromise the superb practicality seen with all Ioniq 5s, and that features for rear passengers. Yep, a correct family-fit electrical efficiency weapon, plus a hatchback rear providing 527L area.
Its 3000mm wheelbase – longer than a Hyundai Palisade’s – brings glorious legroom for these within the again. These chairs are extensive and reclinable, and even with the glass roof there’s ample headroom for six-footers. Center seat’s agency, however completely useable.
Up entrance, the gear shifter’s steering column mounted, releasing up area for giant and deep centre console storage, plus there’s an abundance of USB-C ports.
Whereas there’s wi-fi telephone charging, you could plug-in to make use of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The Ioniq 5 N accepts Over-The-Air updates, so hopefully wi-fi smartphone mirroring gained’t be distant.
There’s a wonderful racy really feel for the driving force, headlined by an Alcantara-coated steering wheel. Nothing says efficiency playtime fairly like one in all these.
Seats pin you low, are correct buckets and are additionally coated in Alcantara. Identical for the door rests, though the too-thin recycled materials door playing cards really feel too low-cost for this worth automotive. Low down you rating knee padding for enthusiastic observe outings.
The sprint format’s typical wise Hyundai, albeit with buttons and menus that require loads of studying. A brace of 12.3-inch screens look glorious in a single panoramic show, whereas local weather controls are a mixture of contact pads and correct bodily buttons.
What’s the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N prefer to drive?
It’s an utter riot.
Bloody quick, vastly competent, noisy, and wealthy with suggestions and visceral pleasure. Okay, a lot of it’s synthetically enhanced, however when it delivers such pleasure you care not a jot.
Eight inside and two exterior audio system emit a alternative of digital sounds utilizing RPM, pace and torque information. Two of those sounds are futuristic cartoony EV noises, however one – the one one you must use – mimics a four-cylinder turbo petrol with a splash of racecar.
In assault mode, it’s totally convincing. Elevate off the throttle and it’ll give popping backfires too.
It really works in unison with Hyundai’s N e-Shift, there to ape an eight-speed twin clutch transmission.
Steering wheel paddles faucet via the faux cogs, it ‘revs’ to an imaginary 8000rpm, and should you overlook to alter up it’ll even bounce you off a pretend rev limiter. Brake right into a nook and have interaction downshifts and little throttle blips fill your cabin. It’s totally addictive.
The gear shifts themselves are surprisingly brutal. However in a great way. It feels virtually like a racing paddle shift gearbox if you’re in full N mode, your physique jolting ahead with every keen upshift.
You could learn all this in horror believing it to be insupportable fakery. However it simply works. It’s involving, participating and so very cleverly tuned.
Oh, and it’s actually rattling quick. Like Lamborghini Huracan quick. Throttle response is otherworldly, and rolling acceleration makes it really feel even quicker than its bonkers 0-100km/h 3.4 seconds time.
An ‘N Pedal’ engages the strongest regenerative braking I’ve ever examined – as much as 0.6 G deceleration in most power. On the observe, as an alternative of braking right into a nook, you merely raise off and the automotive dives whereas quickly slowing, a lot so you’ll be able to handle one-pedal driving whereas nonetheless aiming for lap information.
It’s really neck-draggingly sturdy, a lot so you actually should re-train your mind that such deceleration’s coming earlier than you contact the brake pedal. If you do, mighty 400mm entrance rotors be a part of the anchors social gathering and good grief this factor pulls up in a rush. There’s even respectable brake really feel, fortunately.
There’s extra. By the touchscreen you’ll be able to ship torque to wherever you need and no matter proportion. All to the entrance? Yep. 50-50? Okay. Full rear-wheel drive with 100 per cent to the again finish? All good, mate.
In our (too brief) 5 laps round Korea’s Yeongam Grand Prix circuit, with the ability to shortly change the entire character of the automotive – front-drive to full rear-drive – was brain-bending. Turned out I used to be within the temper for a rear drive automotive, so locked in 100 per cent to the rear and embraced slidey oversteer for so long as they’d let me.
“The problem has been making a 2.2-tonne elephant dance,” stated Albert Biermann – N’s government technical adviser and former BMW M Division boss – and so they’ve cracked it.
The Ioniq 5 N feels nothing like that mass because it darts into fast course modifications; there’s a delightful degree of physique roll to speak what’s happening, and the rear finish rotates in a predictable, full-feedback option to give unimaginable confidence to go fast. Actually fast. Steering, too, has strong weight in N mode.
There are 5 completely different drive modes – Eco, Regular, Sport, N and N1/N2 particular person settings. Every alters motor, steering, adjustable suspension, stability management and the digital LSD to swimsuit, when you can go full customized within the N1/N2 modes to arrange precisely the way you’d like.
It wants a critical deep dive, and traditionalists who simply wish to get right into a efficiency automotive and drive might discover all of it a bit overwhelming. To get essentially the most out of it, a sim racer’s obsession for customising and tweaking would show useful.
There’s even a Drift Optimiser mode which we sampled with restricted success. There’s simply a lot torque and mass it feels a bridge too far. I’d simply focus on going fast on a race observe.
Moreover, with not-cheap 275/35R21 Pirelli P-Zero tyres wrapping 21-inch cast aluminium wheels, I’d be in no rush to burn them up.
So good is it as a observe device, I used to be involved its on-road manners can be fairly insupportable.
Right here’s the place the adjustable damping actually shines, regardless of its big 21-inch rims and thin tyres.
Highway bumps are soaked up with respectable competence, with solely harsh ones troubling the backbone. However after driving the Ioniq 5 N via the town, over again roads after which a 400km freeway blast – with 4 adults on board – it proved simpler to reside with than some other N automotive I’ve examined.
Every day driver? No downside. You may sling it in Eco or Regular and pootle alongside in silence and luxury.
Discover a respectable again highway and you’ll prod the steering wheel buttons to interact no matter toys you need – engine noise, these fake gear shifts, throttle sensitivity and the way agency you need the steering and suspension.
It masks its weight on winding roads too, and may actually really feel fairly small and playful. Okay, not like a Caterham, however there’s much less of the cumbersomeness I skilled when getting eager with the Kia EV6 GT or Porsche Taycan GTS.
You simply have to look at your pace. When planting it out of corners – revelling within the on the spot torque smash – that subsequent nook arrives far faster than your mind first imagines.
What’s the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N‘s battery and car guarantee?
The Ioniq N is roofed by the model’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, however the battery and the car’s high-voltage gear is roofed for eight years or 160,000kms.
Hyundai’s glorious initiative for overlaying non-timed observe use applies additionally.
Service prices haven’t but been revealed, however a traditional Ioniq 5 AWD requires serviced each two years or 30,000km. First and third companies are $570, whereas the second is a chunkier $1090. Count on the Ioniq 5 N to value related.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N verdict:
A benchmark automotive.
Historical past ought to word the Ioniq 5 N was the turning level when EVs started convincing petrolheads that there’s life (and enjoyable) after combustion engines.
Partaking, enjoyable, fantastically engineered and, when you settle for the fakery, an emotionally involving sports activities automotive.
The actual fact it additionally serves as a sensible day by day driver due to a number of personalities strengthens its attraction additional.
Different efficiency EV manufacturers should absolutely take word: it is a driver’s automotive par excellence.
Rating 9/10
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Value: $111,000 plus on-road prices
Fundamentals: EV, 5 seats, 5 doorways, crossover SUV, AWD
Vary: 448km estimated (WLTP)
Battery capability: 84kWh
Battery guarantee: 8 years/160,000km
Vitality consumption: 18.8kWh/100km (estimated)
Motors: 1 entrance 166kW/350Nm and 1 rear 282kW/390Nm, whole output 448kW/740Nm (enhance mode 478kW/770Nm)
AC charging: 10.5kW, Sort 2 plug
DC charging: 350kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: 3.4 seconds