Third report: Our 2024 Car of the Year is a near-perfect fit for the city.
There’s little doubt the Hyundai Ioniq 5, our 2024 Car of the Year, is one of the best cars Hyundai has put to market in recent times. Part of this is because it breaks new ground and seamlessly integrates modern EV tech into regular everyday motoring.
Using the Ioniq 5 for the past couple of months has literally been transformative. The large 72.6kWh battery and good efficiency of 5.5-6.0km per kWh in Eco mode allow me to charge the battery once a week at work (six hours at 11kW). What makes the Ioniq 5 experience even more seamless is that it is such a comfortable and easy car to live with.
It gives between 440km and 460km on a full charge when driven in Mumbai traffic.
Sure, it’s wide, and that does take some getting used to in congested Mumbai traffic, but what gets the corners of my mouth to curl up is that it does such a good job almost everywhere else. Take the supple and absorbent ride for instance – near perfect for Mumbai’s lunar roads; the superb sound insulation that creates a hush inside the cabin despite a wedding procession outside, the very comfortable and almost armchair-like seats, which can be adjusted at the front and rear, or the fact that even in Eco mode, the Ioniq 5 has enough zip. And Eco also gives me a range between 420km and 440km on a single charge.
It’s big and wide, so squeezing into tight parking slots isn’t always easy.
On sections where there are multiple speed cameras, I use the ADAS, which works great so long as the cameras can see the lane markings clearly. It even drives the tight corner inside the Coastal Road tunnel perfectly, slows down for slower traffic ahead, comes to a full stop, and starts up again without any input from the driver. You have to hold the steering wheel, of course; otherwise, the car puts out a warning.
You can have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but only if you carry a wire.
What I do miss is having wireless Apple CarPlay, a definite pain point as I use Google Maps every day for route selection. The faster route is 15-20 minutes quicker, at times. Other pet peeves include the dull fascia and the lack of a spare tyre, and when you really begin to enjoy driving this rear-wheel-drive version with its sharpish front end and direct steering, the long-travel, soft rear suspension lets you down. I do like the fact that the centre console slides back and allows the driver to exit from the left door quite easily; this helps when you need to park this really wide EV. The best bit is that it’s an EV that is both characterful and charming.
Good-quality rubber helps deliver both direct steering and a comfy ride.
Also See:
Hyundai Ioniq 5 long term review, 19,500km report
Hyundai Ioniq 5 long term review, 15,900km report
