Used Hyundai Ioniq 5 2021-present review

Hear the name 'Hyundai Ioniq 5' for the first time and you might assume it's some kind of alien spacecraft from Star Wars. See it on the street and your assumption could remain intact. It screams sci-fi when, in fact, it's a very real electric SUV.

It isn't just its design that's imposing, either, because it's physically larger than photos tend to suggest. For instance, there's three metres between the front and rear axles; you'll find that matches an Audi A8 limo. This length allows for vast amounts of passenger space; it also helps Hyundai fit a 77kWh (usable capacity) battery beneath its floor.

Specifications: A smaller battery is available, mind you. The entry-level RWD 170 variant has a 58kWh one, with a 168bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels. Performance is respectable, but if that won't cut it, consider the RWD 217; it has a 73kWh battery and 214bhp. It was later replaced by the RWD 228, with its 77kWh battery and 225bhp, in April 2022. Both of these variants are rear-wheel drive.

If a pair of extra driven wheels sounds ideal, there's the AWD 305. It received the same 73kWh battery as the RWD 217, yet gained a second electric motor for four-wheel drive and a grand total of 301bhp. In April 2022, this version was replaced by the 321bhp AWD 325, which also gets the upgraded, 77kWh battery.

You might also sway towards the larger batteries due to their longer ranges. The RWD 170's 238-mile official range is beaten by the RWD 217's 298-mile figure and RWD 228's 315 miles; going for the AWD 305 or AWD 325 knocks around 15 miles off those last two ranges respectively. Do keep in mind that it's difficult to reach official range figures in real-world driving.

Trims and equipment: Decide on an Ioniq 5 in SE Connect trim – the cheapest trim from new – and you'll be limited to the smaller battery. You might also find it lacking in luxuries, although it does get climate control, heated door mirrors and sat-nav.

Premium trim gives you much more, including dual LED projector headlights, a powered tailgate, four-way electric driver’s seat adjustment and heating for the steering wheel and both front seats. Step up to Ultimate for leather upholstery, privacy glass, fully electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Bose premium sound system and a head-up display.

The Namsan Edition bleeds into excess (both in kit and price), but if that's your thing, you'll enjoy its fully digital side mirrors and door handles that pop out as you walk up to the car. It also gets 'relaxation' front seats (an optional extra on Ultimate trim when new), meaning the seats are eight-way adjustable and can be fully reclined, plus they have a massage function.

Ride and handling: It all sounds very plush, right? Well, the Ioniq 5's driving experience follows a similar theme, with soft suspension making for a comfy ride. On 19in alloy wheels, the car wafts along, smothering most bumps really well. It’s only on faster, undulating roads that things can get bouncy. The 20in alloys found on some Ultimate and Namsan Edition cars don't do comfort any favours, causing the car to thump more noticeably over potholes.

The trade-off of its laid-back ride is that handling is far from sharp. It has been improved thanks to suspension updates in 2022 when the upgraded battery arrived, but the car's nose still doesn’t respond all that quickly to steering inputs, and when the car does agree to change direction, there’s plenty of body lean. That said, there's always plenty of grip on offer and the steering is accurate enough to allow you to position the car with confidence at all speeds. The AWD versions have more traction, so they feel more stable and planted when you're accelerating hard out of corners, especially in the wet.

Nonetheless, the closely related Kia EV6 handles better, with superior agility and composure. That car also gets a higher-quality interior; inside, the Ioniq 5 appears modern and stylish, but that's not matched by the quality of its materials. Some plastics aren’t especially tactile – including those used on the passenger’s side of the dashboard and the lower doors – and a few bits even wobble when you prod them.

Interior and practicality: On the plus side, the 12.3in infotainment touchscreen is responsive and the graphics are sharp. Even though some of the icons are a little small and fiddly to use on the move, you do at least get some helpful physical shortcut buttons along the bottom of the screen, plus voice control and simple switches on the steering wheel.

There’s lots of space in the front of the Ioniq 5. You’d have to be incredibly tall to have any problem with leg or head room, while the wide interior adds to the sense of spaciousness. Rear leg room is ridiculously generous; even with a 6ft-plus driver up front, a passenger of the same size can sit behind and stretch out.

The rear seats split in a 60/40 arrangement (rather than the more practical 40/20/40 way that lets you fold down each of the seatbacks individually). They can also slide back and forth, not to mention recline.

The generous passenger space doesn’t come at the expense of a practical boot, either. We managed to slot seven carry-on suitcases below the load cover. The Ioniq 5 has only a tiny amount of storage space under its bonnet, with even less on four-wheel-drive versions. There’s just enough underfloor space in the main boot to stow a charging cable, but it remains a rather shallow space.

If you're interested in finding a used Ioniq 5 or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

On the used market, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 goes for upwards of £25,000. Fortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean a 58kWh SE Connect car, because 73kWh Premium models – of the RWD 217 variety – are available for less than a grand more. Spend between £25,000 and £28,000 on a 2022 car and upwards of £28,000 on a 2023 model.

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Examples with the 73kWh or 77kWh battery can theoretically get a 10-80% charge in around 18 minutes (using a rapid charger). The same 10-80% charge takes a similar time with the smaller (58kWh) battery, because the peak charging speed this version can handle is lower.

With the larger two batteries, a 0-100% charge at home using a 7kW charger should take around 12 hours, while the smaller one comes in at around nine hours.

Road tax (VED)

All Ioniq 5 models have zero emissions and will pay zero tax under the current VED scheme. Being a fully electric car, it’s also exempt from the supplementary luxury car tax that conventionally powered cars costing more than £40,000 new have to pay.

Insurance and servicing

Insurance groups range from 29 to 40 – about average for this kind of car. As of writing, even if you buy the oldest Ioniq 5, you'll have a few years left on the five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty it received from new. Hyundai also covers the battery for eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first), so you'll have whatever is left of that as well.

An easy call: it's the RWD 217 in Premium trim. As we referenced earlier, it's among the cheapest Hyundai Ioniq 5 versions to buy used, yet it gets more power and range than the RWD 170, plus plenty more kit than SE Connect. Sure, the newer RWD 225 model is objectively better, but right now they're too pricey to recommend.

Our favourite Hyundai Ioniq 5: 73kWh RWD 217 Premium

The Hyundai Ioniq 5's arch rival is our 2022 What Car? Car of the Year, the Kia EV6. The pair actually share a mechanical basis (due to Hyundai being Kia's parent company), but the EV6 offers a better interior and driving experience. The only catch is you'll have to pay at least £7000 more for a used one.

If a prestigious badge and sub-£30,000 used prices appeal to you – and why wouldn't they? – consider a 2018-present Jaguar I-Pace. It's also entertaining yet comfortable to drive, while its interior is suitably premium. Beware of sketchy reliability, though; it ranked 13th out of 14 electric cars featured in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey.

If you're interested in finding a used Ioniq 5 or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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