Reflect on our progress – a standard 2.2-tonne family vehicle, which can rocket from zero to 100km/h in an astonishingly meagre 3.4 seconds. Such a concept should certainly make your eyes widen in disbelief.
It’s awe-inspiring to know that nearly three tons of iron and synthetic material can be thrust at the horizon, thanks to the remarkable propulsion offered by electric engines.
Evidently, with the driver’s seat as your vantage point, the whole experience seems quite straightforward. You perch atop a hefty platform, comfortably cloistered from the unforgiving road conditions.
Granted, these electric vehicles may flaunt opulent technologically advanced interiors with intricate drive mechanisms and cushioning systems. However, it might be likened to relishing a meal at Chapter One restaurant post-dental treatment where all the nuances of flavour are lost due to temporary numbness.
Indeed, electric vehicles that genuinely bring pleasure to driving can be enumerated on the fingers of a single hand. Fortunately, the Ioniq 5 N firmly belongs to that distinguished category, making the driving experience invigorating.
What’s more, you needn’t cannonball towards the horizon to savour the remarkable tactility of this Hyundai. All this car requires for showcasing its ability is a demanding route – Ireland is teeming with those, for better or worse.
The agility, communicative steering sense, and suspension arrangement that keeps you grounded yet sufficiently comfortable are the prime features making this vehicle a star.
The charm of the Ioniq 5 N lies in being a practical family vehicle, spacious enough to accommodate three adolescents, while simultaneously giving the driver the impressions of manoeuvring a genuine hot hatch. A compact, speedy projectile that undermines this EV’s hefty 4.7m length and 1.6m height.
Hyundai has proven its mettle in hot hatch territory by demonstrating prowess on international rally circuits, mirrored in models like the i20 N and i30 N.
Transferring that capability into the electric vehicle domain is a commendable achievement, as the paucity of competitors to this new N car represents.
The immense weight of electric vehicle (EV) batteries has always been problematic. Albert Biermann, often referred to as the godfather of N vehicles, describes his team’s effort to mitigate this problem metaphorically as making “the elephant dance”.
Biermann, taken from BMW’s distinguished M Division, once had the position of research & development leader at Hyundai. Despite now holding the title of executive technical advisor and being officially retired, many would argue that he still calls the shots.
To make their EV live up to the standards, the N adaptation is equipped with an array of preset electronic configurations and driving settings. To be honest, I believe there are too many.
One such feature is the imitation engine sound, which even imitates gear shifts like a finely-tuned eight-speed semi-automatic. This feature, making use of 10 speakers located inside and outside the car, produces the sound of a roaring petrol engine, based on the vehicle’s speed and throttle position. The early experiences are enjoyable, the feeling of changing gears through the steering paddles feels uncannily real.
However, in my opinion, the feature is purely gimmicky. Most of the engine roar is quite noticeable inside the cabin; however, from the outside, it sounds incredibly manufactured. It may be beneficial to alert pedestrians and cyclists to the car’s approach, but considering its likeness to a high-end arcade game simulator, it can come off as slightly ludicrous.
On the other hand, the N’s torque vectoring around bends, the electronically limited slip differential, the boost button for a quick burst of power and even the launch sequences, are features that are sure to bring a smile to every car enthusiast’s face.
The N car even boasts drifting capabilities, thanks to a Torque Kick Drift feature. This imitates the action of a rear-wheel-drive car’s clutch kick to initiate a tail slide, though we did not test this feature.
The vehicle’s settings may seem a tad overwhelming at first glance, but they serve to craft a car that blurs the line between high-performance vehicles and regular sports cars. This is accomplished by balancing the unique features of a performance car with the practicality of day-to-day use. The Ioniq 5 N is equally at home being calm on the street or going wild on the track.
Discussing the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N’s power setup, one can’t neglect the all-wheel propulsion – with pronounced power to the rear – which bolsters the vehicle’s control in bends. This revolutionary feature, which channels power to the accurate wheel, echoes the sort of thrilling edge work formerly beloved in icons like the Ford RS and the mighty Mitsubishi Evo, arguably placing the Hyundai in a similar league.
This car also exercises power in a practical way. For example, on a 200km trip, it was noted to generate an acceptable consumption rate of 24kWh/100km. While this statistic is remarkable for such a vehicle, when driven more vigorously, the energy usage climbs into the 30s or above, indicating how swiftly the 84kWh of available battery power could be depleted.
[Recognised as Europe’s Car of the Year for 2022 is the Kia EV6]
When scrutinising viable contenders, one should begin with its kin, the Kia EV6 GT, though this Hyundai outclasses it. The perpetuity of petrol car rivals – such as the VW Golf GTi – needs to be considered. However, the diverse performance spectrum and practicality of the Ioniq eclipse the German model.
The EV variant, pegged at €80,000, sets the bar higher on the price scale compared to its petrol counterparts, undeniably providing added value, both regarding performance and utility.
[Munich to Dublin in the BMW i5 Touring: the 1,200km electric car expedition]
Looking at the current pricing across various brands, the Ioniq 5 N’s price appears to be competitive given the prevailing automotive market conditions. When searching for a similar performance, the Hyundai seems competitively priced.
Hyundai has, once again, proven to be an agile responder to market needs, surprisingly beating the seasoned European brands in delivering an EV variant of a sports hatchback.
Description: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Default Power: 84kW energy set, providing power to two electric engines, yielding 641bhp and 740Nm of torque through an all-wheel-drive system.
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds
Range per charge: 448km (Based on WLTP)
Price: €79,995.
Final Say: At present, the ultimate enjoyment in motoring within an Electric Vehicle is unsurpassed.