An electric vehicle with the soul of a sportscar is something many enthusiasts have been waiting for, but also something others believe will never exist. Could the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N be the closest any car company has come to achieve this accomplishment?
IONIQ 5 N’s body, cooling architecture, friction and regenerative braking systems, axle design and geometry are all thoroughly reworked from the standard Hyundai IONIQ 5 with the IONIQ 5 N being 80mm longer, 50mm wider and 20mm lower than IONIQ 5.
Wheel arch mouldings are extended by 50mm compared with IONIQ 5 to accommodate the wider front and rear tracks, and feature additional air guides at the rear for optimal aerodynamics. IONIQ 5 N’s side profile is underpinned by N-exclusive, lightweight 21-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in high-performance 275/35R21 Pirelli P-Zero HN tyres, which are 20mm wider than those of IONIQ 5. The Australian-tuned suspension aims deliver a balance between sportiness and everyday comfort, but in reality, I found the ride was very stiff ride and this exacerbated the rattles in the rear seat area.
The E-GMP 800V platform under the skin of this Soultronic Orange IONIQ 5 N incorporates the 485.7kg 84.0kWh Lithium-Ion battery high-density battery, which is manufactured in China. The claimed WLTP combined driving range is 448 km with a WLTP combined efficiency of 212Wh/km. For my week I used 233Wh/km or 23.3kW/100km giving me a maximum range of 360km, which is impressive considering the performance on offer.
The drive modes available include Eco, Comfort, Sport, and there are also two custom N modes that allow you to adjust motor, steering, suspension, e-LSD, ESC, head-up display, and exhaust sound. The N button on the right-hand side instantly engages the N drive modes and considering this is a performance EV I spent the majority of my time in these performance modes. But for maximum fun you press NGB button at the top of the steering that stands for the aptly named N Grin Boost.
N mode also allows you to turn on N Race and N Battery, two functions that are specifically for track driving. N Race manages output to suit the driver’s needs on track with Sprint mode, a sprint-racing mode with NGB deployed and no limit to output, and Endurance mode, a long-distance racing mode that optimally reduces power and torque output to balance with battery consumption. N Battery Preconditioning optimises the battery temperature in advance to suit the specific style of performance driving. Drag mode delivers maximum output for short bursts, such as a drag race or track time attack. Track mode maintains maximum output over a long period, to suit continuous track driving.
The IONIQ 5 N’s high-power drive system features an efficient integrated-type motor-speed reducer-inverter and combined the front and rear motors delivers 448kW of power and 740Nm of torque, which increases to 478kW/770Nm with N Grin Boost deployed. The performance is giggle worthy and when combined with the grip from the all-wheel drive, it’s mind-blowing, and the low centre of gravity gives the feeling of a go-cart through corners. Officially the IONIQ 5 N will do 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds or 3.4 seconds with N Grin Boost and has a maximum speed of 260 km/h.
Amazing straight-line speed is something all performance EVs deliver and where the IONIQ 5 N elevates the driving experience with N e-Shift and N-Active Sound+ delivering a more traditional and immersive driving experience with virtual gear-shifting feel and simulated sound. These features are unique among performance EV’s and deliver more involvement and engagement to the enthusiast driver.
You change the sound using the N button on the left-hand side of the steering wheel and my favourite engine sound was the deep exhaust style. This IONIQ 5 N feature was easy to locate and engage, the N e-Shift on the other hand was a multiple step process that will only work if all of the parameters are met and for me this took away from the enjoyment of doing so.
On track the IONIQ 5 N would most likely supply even more trills, but I did not have the opportunity to experience these on this occasion. N Drift Optimizer, N Pedal and N Launch Control deliver a uniquely fun circuit driving experience, while N-exclusive features such as N Torque Distribution also support track driving. Within the sub menus of the infotainment system the IONIQ 5 N has a lap timer and Australian race tracks are built in.
A multi-charging system allows IONIQ 5 N to plug into both 800V and 400V infrastructure for 50kW/100kW fast-charging (400V) or 350kW ultra-fast charging (800V) capability. A DC 350kW charger can complete a 10 – 80% in approximately 18 minutes and this increased to approximately 1 hour 10 minutes using a DC 50kW charger. A 10 – 100% charge using an AC 7kW charger takes approximately 10 hours 50 minutes.
The charge port is located on driver’s side at the rear of the vehicle and when you plug the cord in the car says “start charging” and the lights next to the port flash to indicate that charging is occurring and the light bars indicated the progress. On the digital dash there is also a graphic that shows the battery percentage and how long the charging has to go.
IONIQ 5 N’s interior is upholstered in premium black Alcantara suede and natural leather and the IONIQ 5 N optimises occupants’ sense of connection to the road through a 19mm lower front seating position compared with IONIQ 5. The front seats are snug and grippy and both seats only have manual adjustment for recline, forward/back, and seat height adjustment. They are also heated and cooled, but the cooling does not work all that well.
The driver is presented with an N-exclusive semi-perforated leather steering wheel sized and sculpted for extended track use and its heated for when you’re not at the track. Further driver-focused design elements in IONIQ 5 N include an N-exclusive centre console featuring thigh support pads for high lateral-G driving, large and grippy N-exclusive metal pedals and footrests featuring chequered flag pixel cutouts, and N-exclusive door scuff plates.
I like that you have to press the start button on the IONIQ 5 N because I’m not a fan of ‘instant on’ EVs. Other notable interior features are the cool ambient lights around the speaker covers and along the door handle/arm rest area of all of the doors. The ‘Living Space’ cabin gives occupants plenty of storage space in the centre console thanks to the flip-out cup holders that can be tucked away when not in use. Plus, there’s a deep glove box, good-sized drink bottle storage in the front door cubbies, and my IONIQ 5 N had the optional ($2,000) Vision Roof that comes with a blind.
The 12.3″ infotainment screen has an N-specific menu that lets the driver access N customisation options, as well as customising the menu itself using widgets that delivers key data insights during track driving. While the high-performance N theme cluster displays key information during high-performance driving and even the Head-Up Display comes with an N theme. You can display charging station locations on the built-in sat nav and the information provided includes the types chargers and if they are available, but it also has a disclosure stating this information may not be correct.
Wireless phone projection comes as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which works well. At the front of centre console there is one USB-C port and one 12V outlet and above the wireless charging pad there are another two USB-C ports. There’s also dual digital temperature control, but the driver’s side adjustment using the touch controls was unresponsive at times.
The rear seats have manual adjustment for forward/back and recline and I found that there was plenty of leg room, but the headroom was tight for me. I would have also liked some more support under my thighs as well because my knees felt like they were sitting up high. For younger passengers there are two ISOfix/three rear tether child seat restraint points.
The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two rigid cup holders in the front of it and the drink bottle storage in the rear door cubbies is only suitable for slim medium sized drink bottles. There are two USB-C ports at the rear of the centre console and one 3-pronged plug below the centre seat. The rear vents are located on the B-pillars and I love the flat floor with one single mat across it and that the rear windows have manual blinds.
The powered boot can be open/closed using the button under the boot lid, on the key fob, and a button in the cabin. The IONIQ 5 N has a good-sized boot space with four plastic tie down points, one light and one 12V outlet. If more room is needed the rear seats have a 60:40 split fold mechanism with the release located on the side of the seats. The charge cord neatly stored under the boot floor and also here is a tyre repair kit and the cargo cover and you can prop the floor up so it doesn’t keep falling down while you are accessing these items.
In a Hyundai-first in Australia, the IONIQ 5 N is fitted with Highway Driving Assist (HDA2) brings enhancements that build on the Smart Cruise Control suite of features. The system can support the driver’s lane position and lane changes when activated on a highway. Other active driver assists features include Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance-Assist – Rear, Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a camera view in the driver’s dash when you indicate, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Rear Cross-traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist. The reversing camera incorporates a 360-degree view and standard view reversing camera and 3D view with ‘walk around’ functionality and has front and rear parking sensors. The IONIQ 5 N does not have an ANCAP safety rating.
All new Hyundai vehicles come with a 5 Year Unlimited km vehicle warranty and 8 Year 160,000km high-voltage battery warranty. Hyundai’s ‘N warranty’ covers the IONIQ 5 N for a limited range of track activities, but not for timed competition or racing, with the exclusions being “Defects arising where the vehicle has been used for racing, rallying, competition or speed / endurance trials or any kind.”
With Hyundai’s Lifetime Service Plan customers can enjoy exclusive service pricing with no hidden fees, and Premium Roadside Support Plan (two years with the IONIQ 5 N) and Sat Nav Update Plan while the vehicle is serviced by Hyundai. The service interval for the IONIQ 5 N is 24 months or 30,000km, whichever occurs first, and at present the cost of each service is $625.
The IONIQ 5 N does its best to replicate what a performance car feels like, but even so some of the internal combustion magic isn’t there, yet. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is priced from $111,000 excluding on-roads costs and as tested with the Vision Roof, my IONIQ 5 N was $113,000 plus on-road costs. You can Price your IONIQ 5 N online or visit your preferred Hyundai dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Giggle worthy acceleration | Driver’s side climate controls worked intermittently |
| Variable engine sounds available | The ride is very firm |
| The battery performance | The N e-Shift is complicated to engage |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.