The feeling of normalcy continues with standard dashboard controls that are intuitive and within easy reach of the driver.īut unlike Kia's platform-sharing Niro, the Ioniq's ride height – that of a typical compact sedan – lacks the sweeping views of crossovers, interior room – especially for rear seat occupants – fails to match either the Nissan Leaf or the Toyota Prius, while the sloping roofline further limits passenger comfort in back.Īt the same time, the lower ride height means that even up front, ingress and egress can be challenging for taller drivers, while the electric's push-button transmission isn't nearly as intuitive – or positive - as both hybrid model's traditional shifters, and the expanse of hard plastics – especially down low - looks out of place on any vehicle with a starting price north of $30,000.įinally, the Ioniq's understated design may be a bit too sedate for eco-conscious buyers with a predisposition to flaunt their green cred. It's also takes advantage of the inherent versatility of hatchbacks, boasting 23.8 cubic feet of cargo volume – eclipsing both the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Ford C-Max Energi. The seats are well-bolstered, a set of buttons and a controller replace the conventional shift and parking brake levers of the hybrid and plug-in models, and there are ample storage bins and nooks. That slick exterior – which proves a vehicle doesn't have to look like it stepped out of a piece of cubist artwork to be energy-efficient – is wrapped around a restrained interior with plenty of soft-touch surfaces that places an emphasis on comfort for those sitting up front. The windshield is raked back, and Hyundai claims a 0.24 drag coefficient – among the lowest of any production vehicle. Along the sides, an accent line that begins just aft of the front wheel well continues along the length of the vehicle just above the door handles, terminating at the conventional taillights. Up front the trapezoidal faux grill is centered between swept-back enclosures containing LED headlights. ![]() The fact that Hyundai has managed to hide its high-tailed hatchback shape that, of necessity, is shared with other ultra-efficient cars means that, by design, the Ioniq will probably go unnoticed as it silently cruises around town. Like the hybrid and plug-in models, the fuel efficiency star of the lineup breaks with many of its rivals' Buck Rodgers-inspired designs. And while it's one of three models – the other two being the Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid - that share the same body, the electric version differentiates itself with unique exterior and interior touches. Since making its debut in 2017, the Hyundai Ioniq has battled it out in the compact EV segment with rivals from Chevrolet (Bolt), Volkswagen (e-Golf), Nissan (Leaf) and, to a lesser extent, BMW (i3). I'm not certain why Hyundai would omit a rear wiper on this crossover, especially when many other crossovers and hatchbacks - including those thousands of dollars less than the base IONIQ 5 - have such a useful tool.Slightly more than half the range of the Chevy Bolt The rear heater didn't fix the problem, either. I managed a final average of 3.5 miles per kWh, which is around 118 MPGe. The only other issue I experienced while on the road is the lack of a rear window wiper, which is not a good thing during a rainstorm or coming straight out of the car wash. The ride was comfortable and quiet, the rushing wind providing the main soundtrack on the interstates. Overall, the IONIQ 5 handled the highways and streets quite well. There's also a Normal Mode, which splits the difference between Sport and Eco, and Snow Mode for properly planting the power onto the fresh powder of winter. Eco was what helped me make it to Bristol for the single charging stop on the way into Arden, as well as the second stop on the way back. ![]() When not passing those aforementioned big rigs between my home and North Carolina, I made the most of Eco Mode, which cuts power to the front motor entirely to deliver the most range.
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