Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Review 2024

If you're ready to swap for an electric car but don't want to lose a sense of fun, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a great choice. There isn't any other electric car on the market that'll make you smile like the Ioniq 5 N, while being based on one of the most successful electric SUVs means it's also a surprisingly practical and user-friendly choice.

If you've already decided to buy a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N over the standard car, the choice is limited to what colour you'd like and whether you want a panoramic glass sunroof. We'd go Performance Blue and 'yes', but they're entirely personal preferences.

The closest competitor is probably the Kia EV6 GT. That's a fine electric car with impressive performance, although it doesn't have quite the sense of fun provided by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. You're also likely to be looking at electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and BMW iX2, while it's no exaggeration to say the Ioniq 5 N could tempt buyers away from the Porsche Taycan (especially if they want a little more practicality).

While there are a few extra 'N' bits compared to the standard car, the Ioniq 5 N doesn't feel massively different. We quite like the regular Ioniq 5's cabin, so that's not necessarily a big deal, but some buyers might expect something that feels a little bit more upmarket - especially as it's pitched as a genuine competitor to the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT. A few hard finishes reflect the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N's lower price tag, though, and we suspect it'll stand up to day-to-day life very well indeed.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N's infotainment offering is made up of a 12.3-inch central touchscreen display, which sits alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. We like this system - again, it's not that different to a regular Hyundai Ioniq 5 - although there are a few more screens to cater for the various N features.

There's also a head-up display as standard in the Ioniq 5 N, projecting key information onto the windscreen. This includes a clever augmented reality mode, using navigation data to point in the direction you need to drive.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included, allowing you to connect your phone and use your favourite apps on the move. There's also a wireless phone charger.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N excels not only in driving performance but also in practicality, rivaling most electric SUVs. Its generous dimensions of 4715mm in length, 1940mm in width, and 1585mm in height contribute to an impressively roomy cabin.

A flat floor and long wheelbase (that's the space between the front and rear wheels) contribute to lots of space for passengers, while the rear seats slide backwards and forwards to optimise either cargo space of legroom.

With a boot capacity of 480 litres, it matches the Kia EV6 and surpasses the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Both the Skoda Enyaq iV and Tesla Model Y are slightly more spacious inside, but neither offer anywhere near the amount of fun the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N does.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N produces the kind of performance figures we're used to from sports cars like the Porsche 911 - never mind electric family SUVs. Its two electric motors combine to produce 609PS and 740Nm of torque, while pressing the 'N Grin Boost' button increases these figures to 650PS and 770Nm for up to 10 seconds. As a result, it'll accelerate to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds, while top speed is 162mph.

With its chunky 84kWh battery pack, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has an official electric range of up to 278 miles. The real-world range of the Ioniq 5 N will vary depending on everything from the weather conditions to your driving style. We'd expect it to see comfortably more than 200 miles under most conditions, though, which will be plenty for most drivers.

If you wish to travel further between charges, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range can travel up to 315 miles, while a Tesla Model Y Long Range is good for up to 331 miles. While these figures are impressive, we reckon the extra fun offered by the Ioniq 5 N is worth the small sacrifice in range.

One of the most impressive things about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is its Jekyll-and-Hyde character. It can be as noisy and antisocial as you want it to be, but it also has the ability to calm down and waft you to your destination in near-silence when necessary. Engage Eco or Normal mode and it'll drive just like a regular Ioniq 5, with only the slightest roar from the tyres and very little noticeable wind noise. It can be an exceptionally refined motorway companion.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N shares an extensive list of safety and driver-assistance features with the regular Ioniq 5. These include Surround View Monitor (SVM), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) and Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 (RSPA 2). Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2) is also standard, combining adapative cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane-assist features. This means it can keep the Ioniq 5 N within its lane on the motorway, maintaining a safe distance from other traffic and even coming to a complete halt when necessary.

The Ioniq 5 N hasn't been crash-tested by Euro NCAP. The regular car scored a full five stars for safety, though.

We wouldn't have any concerns about the reliability of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Hyundai has been selling very dependable electric cars for a number of years now and, while there is a lot of tech that could go wrong, it's a lot simpler than a combustion-engined performance car. To put your mind at rest, all Hyundais come with a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. The high-voltage used in electric Hyundai models is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Insurance groups are yet to be confirmed but we wouldn't be surprised if the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is quite expensive to insure - it's quite a complex vehicle and could also be very desirable to car thieves. Shop around for quotes before handing over any cash.

Just like all premium electric vehicles, you'll probably end up paying more than you'd expect in road tax for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. From April 2025, all EVs will be charged the same rate as petrol and diesel cars - that's currently £180/year (after the first year), plus an additional £570/year for cars with a list price of more than £40,000 when new.

Standard equipment on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N includes front and rear parking sensors, electronic control suspension, an e-LSD and high performance dampers. Rear privacy glass is standard, as well as LED projection headlights, high beam assist, LED daytime running lights, LED rear lights and a rear spoiler with integrated LED brake light. The electric folding door mirrors are finished in gloss black, while the Ioniq 5 N comes with 21-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres and a temporary mobility kit (rather than a spare wheel).

Inside, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N comes with manually adjustable seats, 60:40 split folding rear seats, a rear armrest with cupholders, Alcantara bucket seats with illuminated N emblem, heated and ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats. There's 64-colour ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump, head-up display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. There's a wireless phone charger, electric tailgate, vehicle-to-load adapter, 12.3-inch navigation system and Bose premium sound system.

Driver-assistance tech include Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Lane Keep Assist (LKA) - Line and Road Edge, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Individual Tyre Pressure Warning, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), Manual Speed Limit Assist, Forward Collision Assist - Level 2 (FCA), Remote Smart Park Assist - Level 2 (RSPA), Surround View Monitor (SVM), Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Highway Drive Assist - Level 2 (HDA2), Automatic Windscreen Wipers with Rain Sensor and a Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM).