Driving the latest Hyundai Ioniq 5: is it better than a Tesla Model Y?

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 caused quite a stir when it was first revealed, mostly thanks to its bold styling. It offers a unique blend of retro touches and modern design features. The blocky pixel taillights look like something out of an 80’s video game, so it certainly stands out in a supermarket car park.

Step inside and things aren’t quite so outlandish, but it’s still a stylish cabin. The lack of a centre console makes it feel airy and spacious up front, something which is helped by the light materials. It may not be as well-made as something like an Audi Q4 e-tron, but it’s easily a match for the Tesla Model Y.

The infotainment system isn’t quite as impressive as the Tesla’s, although it’s still good enough. You get a pair of 12.3-inch screens, with a central touchscreen and a digital driver’s display (something the Model Y does without). The graphics are clear and the screen is pretty responsive, it’s just not quite as slick or easy to use as the Tesla’s system.

In the back there’s loads of head and legroom for passengers to get comfy, it’s about on par with the Model Y in this respect. The rear seats recline as well, which is perfect for napping on the go. The only slight drawback is the high floor, which can make you feel like you’re sitting with your knees around your ears.

With a 520-litre boot, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 lags behind some alternatives in terms of carrying capacity. A Skoda Enyaq offers 585 litres of space, and the Model Y has a whopping 854 litres on offer. Despite its smaller size though, the Ioniq 5’s boot is still a useful square shape and there’s not a big lip to lift stuff over.

When the time comes to hit the road the first thing you’ll notice is that the Ioniq 5 is a doddle to drive. You sit up nice and high and there’s plenty of glass around you, so visibility is great and the light steering makes easy work of tight parking spaces.

The suspension is set up for comfort more than sportiness, unless you go for the hot Ioniq 5 N, and generally it does a good job of ironing out bumps in the road. It feels more comfortable over speedbumps and potholes than the Model Y, although smaller imperfections can cause it to jitter about a bit.

Things remain nice and refined at motorway speeds as well, where you get minimal road noise in the cabin. A touch of wind whistle from around the door mirrors is the only thing disturbing the peace. If you cover a lot of miles in a day, you’ll want the larger of the two batteries which can return up to 354 miles of range. That’s just shy of a Tesla Model Y Long Range, but only by around 12 miles.

If you’re after an electric SUV which stands out from the crowd while offering impressive tech and decent practicality, the Ioniq 5 is well worth considering over the Tesla Model Y. The boot may not be as big, and the Tesla’s infotainment system is a cut above, but this is balanced out by the fact the Hyundai is around £7,000 cheaper.

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