Shock price for Hyundai's Ioniq 5

Hyundai has surprised pretty much everyone with some ‘bold’ pricing for its new Ioniq 5. Despite appearing to be similar in size to a Nissan Leaf or VW ID.3, the new Korean contender is actually 4,635 mm long – that's bigger than an Ariya or ID.4, and not much smaller than the Tesla Model Y’s 4,775mm.

On reflection, the Ioniq is bigger than it looks

It comes with a big price tag too – the first models to go on sale in the UK this July are expected to cost a whopping £45,000. This is a far cry from the bargain-basement Hyundai Pony, which inspired the design of the Ioniq 5. 

In its defence, the Ioniq 5 has some pretty ground breaking tech, which helps it achieve an official range of 292 miles for the version with a 72.6-kWh battery. These innovations include a solar panel on the roof which is said to improve the range by 9% in sunny weather. The 5 also has 800v charging capability, something which has previously only been seen on the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

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The styling harks back to the original Hyundai Pony

This allows much faster charging so a 350-kW rapid point can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 18 minutes. A five-minute stop will add 60 miles of range, rivalling the time it takes to refuel a conventional petrol car. 

At the top of the range is an all-wheel drive model paired with the 72.6-kWh battery, producing a power output of 302bhp from two motors. This version can go from 0-62 in 5.2 seconds, just a fraction of a second behind the fastest Nissan Ariya.

Charging times can almost rival a petrol car's refuelling speeds

The single-motor layout with 168bhp rear motor is the slowest in the range when mated to a 58kWh battery, with the 0-62 taking 8.5 seconds.

Many customers will find the Ioniq’s towing capacity more interesting than the acceleration. The 5 could finally offer caravaners and trailer fans an all-electric option, with a hefty 1,600kg towing capacity. 

Fans of outdoor activities such as camping will also love the Ioniq’s ‘V2L’ function, which turns the car into a mobile mains power source. The car features a socket in the rear passenger compartment, which can be used while the car is driving, and another in the external charge port for when it is parked. This is enough to power a kettle and microwave at the same time.

If you don't want to sleep in the car, the Ioniq can tow a caravan

Hyundai is also very proud of the 5’s interior. As the wheels of the car have been pushed far into the corners, the inside is unusually spacious. Like the Ariya, the 5 also features a flat floor and sliding centre console. This can be moved back so the rear passengers can use the wireless charging pads and other features. 

The first models available in the UK will be a limited edition ‘Project 45’ versions which come loaded with equipment including the solar roof, 20-inch wheels and the Advanced Head-Up Display with augmented reality functions. Hyundai is also offering each “Project 45” customer a free two-year subscription to the IONITY charging network.

Hyundai is proud of the huge interior and flat floor