New 2021 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric car: prices, details, pictures and on-sale date

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available to order now. You have a choice of two battery sizes, a 58kWh or a 73kWh unit, and either rear- or all-wheel drive.

The Ioniq 5 is the first car from the brand that has been designed from the ground up as an electric car. Starting at £36,995, the Ioniq 5 will sit above the Kona Electric and Ioniq Electric in the Hyundai range.

The Ioniq 5 will also be available in three trim levels: SE Connect, Premium and Ultimate. There was a Project 45 special edition to celebrate the car’s launch, however, all 3,000 of those examples have been sold.

Prices for the Ioniq 5 start at £36,995 for the entry-level rear-wheel drive, 58kWh battery variant - which is the only model available in SE Connect trim. The same powertrain in Premium trim starts at £39,295, and 58kWh, rear-wheel drive Ultimate model starts at £42,295. 

If you upgrade to the larger 73kWh battery, Premium models start at £41,945 and £42,295 in Ultimate trim. Then, there’s the top-of-the-range all-wheel drive, 73kWh powertrain which is also only available in Premium and Ultimate spec; they start at £45,145 and £48,145 respectively. 

It’s important to note that due to the recent reduction in the price threshold for the UK government’s plug-in car grant (PiCG) to £35,000, even the entry-level Ioniq 5 is not eligible for the £2,500 grant. However, the same is true of the Ioniq 5’s sister car, the Kia EV6.

Both the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 use the new E-GMP platform developed for electric cars, with the Ioniq 5 capable of up to 300 miles in rear-wheel drive form with the 73kWh battery. Plus, the Ioniq 5 can charge from 10-80% in just 18 minutes if you’re able to find a 350kW DC rapid charger to use.

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Hyundai Ioniq 5 range, battery, charging, motors and performance

Hyundai is offering Ioniq 5 buyers a choice of motor and battery configurations. Available battery sizes are 58kWh or 73kWh, while either a single-motor (rear-wheel-drive) or dual-motor (all-wheel-drive) setup can be specified, making for a total of four possible configurations.

The range-topping version will use the larger 73kWh battery and produce a combined 301bhp from the two electric motors for a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds. Hyundai claims this version will be capable of up to 287 miles on a single charge.

Below that will be the rear-drive, 73kWh Ioniq 5. This version will have a 214bhp motor, will be capable of 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds and is the model with the longest range - 300 miles. The entry-level Ioniq 5 will also be rear-drive but use a smaller 58kWh battery unit, with a 168bhp motor for an 8.5-second 0-62mph time.

Charging won't take very long – provided you can find a quick enough public rapid charging point. The Ioniq 5's 800v electric system allows for rapid charging at up to 220kW, which is enough for 10-80% top-up of the larger battery in just 18 minutes, or 60 miles of range in five minutes.

That matches the charging capability of the Kia EV6 and the considerably more expensive Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT. However, chargers that can replenish batteries as fast as that are few and far between for the moment. Ioniq 5 owners in the UK will have to make do with the 50-150kW speeds typical of public rapid chargers in this country for the time being.

Another unique feature of the Ioniq 5 is vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging. This allows the car itself to charge another electric vehicle or accessory, such as an e-scooter, electric bicycle or camping equipment, at speeds up to 3.6kW, drawing on the power in its battery. In an emergency, this function could also be used to rescue another electric car that had run out of charge or needed a top-up to make its destination.

However, vehicle-to-load charging is not available on the entry-level SE Connect Ioniq 5. It is a £365 optional extra if you choose the Premium trim, but comes standard on Ultimate models.

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Design and styling

At the front, the Ioniq 5 gets a clamshell bonnet with minimal panel gaps, which optimises its aerodynamics to boost range. The front bumper has an eye-catching 'V' shape and incorporates the car's daytime running lights (DRLs), made up of tiny pixel-like clusters. The Ioniq 5 also features 'aero-optimised' wheels, in sizes up to 20 inches, which are the largest ever fitted to an electric car from Hyundai.

Moving down the side of the car, the doorhandles lie flush with the surface – in similar fashion to the Tesla Model S – in another bid to optimise aerodynamic smoothness. The strong shape of the C-pillar recalls that of the Hyundai 45 concept car, which was itself inspired by the Hyundai Pony, the brand's first production model from 1975. Nine exterior colours are available to choose from.

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Interior and technology

The key feature of the Ioniq 5's interior is what Hyundai calls the 'Universal Island'. This is a moveable centre console that can slide back and forth by 140mm. When combined with the car's flat floor, this allows greater freedom of movement inside; the driver, for example, can easily slide into their seat from either side. There are three different interior colour themes.

The front seats are power-adjustable and their thickness was also reduced in order to free up more space for those sitting in the back. In common with other electric models like the Renault ZOE and Mazda MX-30, the Ioniq 5 uses many eco-friendly, sustainable materials as interior trim; these include recycled plastic bottles, plant-based yarns, natural wool yarns, eco-processed leather with plant-based extracts and 'bio paint' with plant extracts.

The boot offers 531 litres of capacity, which can be expanded to 1,591 litres with the second row of seats folded down. There’s also a small storage area beneath the bonnet that could be used for the charging cables; it measures 57 litres in single-motor versions and 24 litres in four-wheel-drive editions.

On the technology front, the Ioniq 5 features a configurable dual-screen cockpit with a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12-inch digital gauge cluster that can be customised to the driver's preference. There's also a head-up display with augmented reality (AR) functions; Hyundai says this "turns the windscreen into a display screen".

For safety, the Ioniq 5 is equipped with a suite of Hyundai's 'SmartSense' driver-assistance systems, including semi-autonomous driving capability, forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, speed-limit assistance, driver attention alerts and automatic high-beam headlights.

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Price, equipment and on-sale date

The entry-level rear-wheel drive, 58kWh Ioniq 5 is the only model available in SE Connect trim. These models will start at £36,995, and come equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto built in. There’s also a digital driver’s display, wireless smartphone charging, a rear-view camera and LED head and tail lights.

The Ioniq 5 also comes as standard with smart cruise control, highway drive assist and lane keep assist, as well as other safety systems.

From an extra £2,300, you can upgrade to the Premium trim (£39,295). This builds on the SE Connect trim by adding heated front seats and steering wheel, dual LED projector headlights, a power tailgate and extra safety systems like forward collision assist and blindspot collision avoidance.

If you opt for Premium trim, you can also upgrade to the larger 73kWh battery, which will cost you £41,945 or the larger battery unit and all-wheel drive for £45,145. You’ll also have to upgrade to the Premium trim for the option of vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging, which will cost you £365.

Finally, Ultimate trim sits at the top of the Ioniq 5 range. Starting at £42,295, for the 58kWh, rear-wheel drive model, the Ultimate trim includes 20-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, adjustable, vented front seats and heated rear seats. Plus, a BOSE sound system, an augmented reality head-up display and vehicle-to-load charging as standard.

Prices start at £44,945 for the larger 73kWh battery in Ultimate trim, £48,145 if you upgrade to all-wheel drive. Ultimate customers will also be able to add the Eco Pack for an additional £1,195, and the Tech Pack for £1,495.

The Eco Pack includes a heat pump and battery heating system, whilst the Tech Pack features ‘revelation premium’ seats, remote smart parking assist, surround view monitor and parking collision avoidance assist.