Hyundai Ioniq 5 reveal reactions

I think the basic design and execution are great, as good as can be expected based on the concept really - certainly better than many end up. My only issues on that front are Hyundai's love of silver/grey plastic - always cheapens the look of exterior trim and interior buttons, just about gets away with it here, clutters the lower rear portion just a little too much though. The main screens could also do with a black glass option as well as the light grey I think, so it looks more like one cohesive piece. I'll certainly be replacing my BMWi3 lease with it if prices aren't stratospheric when it's due in November!

 

I don't like the minimalist look of the interior. Looks cheap. That alone could drive away my interest in this car. Not just about what the car can do, but I also need to feel good when inside.

 

I share this sentiment. I have to say that the interior may well put me off on purchasing, even though I have been highly looking forward to this car (just see my post history!). To me, there's a weird dichotomy between the exterior and the interior. The retro and sharp angular look of the exterior is bold, aggressive, sporty. Think Lancia Delta Integrale, early Lotus Espirit, and the iconic DMC12. In contrast, the interior is like a design spread straight out of Architecture Digest. It's like an entirely different car inside, as if the interior designers were a completely different group from the exterior designers. I would have liked the interior to be more driver oriented rather than passenger oriented. All of the emphasis in the presentation of the interior is on the rearrangeable seat configurations and sliding center console plus the reclining chairs, none of which the driver would be utilizing while actually driving. The Hyundai designers actually talked about moving away from a "cockpit" feel, but I guess I actually prefer a driver's cockpit rather than a room away from home.

I'm disappointed, to be honest, because I absolutely LOVE the exterior. But the interior is what I will be experiencing most when I'm actually using the car.

It's also clear that the launch is all about Europe and Asia right now, with barely any details on US spec (esp. pricing and availability).

Let's see what Kia brings with the EV5; hopefully something a bit more "traditional" for the interior.

EDIT: There's even a felt board area on the dash for putting up family photos, for crying out loud!

 

I'm surprised considering the flat floor available in ground-up designed EV's that we haven't seen a return to the front bench seat - if it's getting away from the cockpit they're aiming at then surely a 6-seat option like that would be an interesting selling point? (maybe with small fold-down armrests to separate the driver and passengers) Agreed the aesthetic doesn't quite gel here, my i3 is an 8 year old design now but it did a similar kind of thing with the interior, arguably executed a little better.*

*Was supposed to be a reply to Kendalf...

 

I do like the towing capacity, as we have a 3500 lb boat. And we have a lake cabin that is off grid, so that 3.5 kW power is interesting, too. It will need good ground clearance, though, for our rough cabin road. If so, maybe it could replace our Subaru... But that interior,... ugh!

 

Like others I'm not fond of the interior, which is too bad because the rest of the features are attractive. It will have significantly more usable interior space than the Kona, whose trunk is smaller than I'd like. But: a 77.4 kWh battery with 800 V charging capability, optional 4wd, 0-100 km/h in 5.2 s. and better range than the Kona it's definitely interesting. Canadian release is said to be in the fall as a 2022 model.

 

No, the interior is not a "cockpit" but it reminds me when I went from flying narrow body aircrafts to flying widebody aircrafts....didn't like it at first but later fell in love with all the extra space. I was more refresh at the end of the day compared to being in a tight cockpit. Something to keep in mind.

 

I'm probably in the minority, but I wish the RWD models had a little more power. I'd prefer pure RWD to AWD. As it is, the small battery, AWD model is my pick. I don't mind the dash, and I actually like the interior layout. So many details still to be seen!

 

The interior isn’t as nice as the outside but I would like to see it in person before making judgement. The currently 3 other EVs in this segment have simple interiors . The Mach E has the nicest interiors out of them. I have sat in a 3 by the way.

Price is a concern since I am more interested in the ID.4 price point then the Mach E GT price point.

The seat layout is really interesting but not sure if I would be willing to pay a premium for something I would rarely use. It charges really fast is a lazy boy chair really required?

One thing I really like about this car is charging speed. I know right now there isn’t a lot of 350 kw chargers but over the life of the car more will be added. In a way it future proofs the car.

Look forward to seeing more info on the US spec’d one.

Hopefully Hyundai will have a tour of the Ioniq 5 this summer so we can see it in person. Both Ford and VW did that.

 

It's definitely something it's hard to go back from - I went from a huge Volvo S90 which felt almost cramped in the cosseting "cockpit" to an i3 which feels very open and relaxing in comparison (despite being far smaller), after which having a lift in a colleague's 2011 C-class felt positively claustrophobic!

 

Definitely a step for Hyundai however before I put any reservation, there are a few questions I would require to be answered.
(1) Who makes the battery pack and what chemistry (there have been references to various manufactures ie LG and or SK, I want to know which one applicable for the car I order)
(2) Heat pump included?
(3) Maintenance schedule and cost (2nd video shows the blue coolant)
(4) Waveform from inverter (V2L) can it handle an inductive load (like my fridge or fireplace fan during an outage) - video only shows resistive small appliances.
(5) Do the rear seats fold flat (can the risers be removed like Kona)
Other questions will arise, but for now I feel those are most pertinent.
What I like are
(1) DC charging speed
(2) Additional parking sensors (12)
(3) Augmented reality HUD
(4) Flush door handles
(5) Towing capability
What I dislike are
(1) Low P,R,D shifter on steering column (looks like a target for my knee)
(2)Electronic positioning rear seats (overkill)
(3) The crease down the side of the vehicle on the doors (was that really necessary?)
(4) No sunroof (most of my vehicles have one and I use it year round)
Other minor questions include :
(1) Is the VTL converter optional and cost ( the one that plugs into the charge port and is ICCB capable)
(2) Why is the Aux Battery saver an enabled option once again (see 10:04 of the 2nd video) - will it go away again? or is it strictly to enable optional solar roof charging of the 12V)
(3) What is included in the towing package (harness for trailer lights, brakes etc... or is it an option - cost?)
Sorry to ramble on, but I feel I will need to try/test the vehicle first and see reviews before making a commitment

 

YES^ Please at least offer optional heat pump!

In US, ID.4 and Mach-E both eschewed it to my irritation. They aren't on my list for this reason. (I'm in a northern climate)

 

In regards to the battery, I've seen several sources that indicate that the IONIQ 5 uses SK Innovation NCM 811 cells.
https://aju.news/en/what-is-the-risk-of-fire-for-hyundaiioniq-5with-sk-innoshigh-nickel-battery.html

This is why there is the concern about how the SK battery ban in the US will impact the delivery of the IONIQ 5 here.

 

The ITC only has 1. exclusion and 2. C&D for remedies at its disposal. So they couldn't just fine SKI or order some other kind of compliance. Very esoteric. I fully expect the battery suppliers to reach a quiet agreement in due course. The President can also overturn the ITC decision (and then CAFC appeal) within 60 days so watch for that too.

 

Thanks for the reference ; hopefully the improved ceramic coated separators (CCS) are durable and do what they are supposed to. Not sure if the SK thing is going to affect Canada, time will tell.

 

@Domenick - Just so you can update your info, I didn't take a screenshot but remember seeing "Base Price Model=£40,000" & "45 Special Edition = £48,000"
(these will be the On-the-road prices for the UK including the 20% VAT), but I'm guessing that they don't take account of the UK EV grant (currently £3000 to be deducted from these prices)

 

When I bought my Kona it was never a passionate choice, I picked it because it was the smartest choice, small, efficient and fully featured. This new Hyundai is damn sexy, love it. I even like the interior but will withhold judgement on it until I can see it for myself.