Category Archives: Hyundai

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is Esquire’s Car of the Year

December 13, 2022Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 is like an eight-bit fever dream that will make you wonder why all everyman cars can’t

It’s just the sad truth: many cars look the same these days. Handsome enough but, you know, just another collection of artful swoops on wheels.

Which is why when you roll down the street ina Hyundai Ioniq 5, people do a double take as if they were seeing a glitch in the matrix. It’s one of the most delightfully distinctive everyman cars on the road today. Whereas most electric vehicles tend to resemble an inflated dolphin or a frog that’s swallowed another frog, Hyundai’s $42,745 electric vehicle is unabashedly angular; it wouldn’t look out of place in the Roblox metaverse. The playful shape harks back to sporty hatchbacks from influential Italian design maestro Giorgetto Giugiaro—in particular, the Lancia Delta Integrale and the Hyundai Pony, one of the first South Korean cars made for export.

That rare combination of utility and original design in a car made for the masses is the reason we designated the Hyundai Ioniq 5 our Car of the Year. And while it exudes small-car styling, the Ioniq 5 is actually longer than the Hyundai Palisade SUV, which means plenty of trunk space as well as massive legroom and headroom for all passengers. It’s extremely quiet even at high speeds, and it has the impeccable build quality and driver-assistance technology usually reserved for cars at a steeper price. Yet this is not a luxury vehicle. The Ioniq 5 embraces clean design and simplicity over opulence in a world where many cars seem to have gone through a maximalist design-by-committee machine. It feels just right.

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IT’S COMING OHM I travelled around Qatar in an electric car – where the chargers are free but nobody uses them

December 6, 2022Away From Home, Charging, Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

“I HAD David Beckham in the car a few weeks ago,” says our guide Manu, as we buzz past Qatar’s Lusail stadium.

“To be honest I am not a big football fan, so we talked about our families instead.”

This quietly spoken IT engineer has a job for the next few weeks chaperoning the stars of the beautiful game around Doha in a fleet of Hyundai Ioniq 5s.

Spilling the beans on his celebrity clientele would not go down well so he discreetly refuses to spill Beckham’s beans.

We agree Lusail is an impressive stadium, but our favourite is the one close to Doha airport, through which 1.2million fans will pass over the next a month and a half.

The stadium we like most is 974, a structure made from 973 shipping containers. The 974th sits out front as a gate guardian.

From 974 to Lusail is 18 miles. The furthest any two of the eight stadia are apart is 25 miles. It is the most compact World Cup ever.

Qatar, the UK’s second-largest supplier of natural gas, is still wedded to gas-guzzling V8s

The immaculate streets of Doha are populated with Toyota Land Cruisers, V8 Land Rover Defenders and giant Chevy Escalades made popular by Hollywood’s red-carpet brigade.

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MG ZS EV vs Hyundai Kona Electric: 2022 twin test review

October 6, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, MG, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

Entry-level electric SUVs from MG and Hyundai are put through their paces to find the penny-pinching champion

The words “budget” and “electric” seem to sit a little awkwardly beside each other in the new-car world at the moment. While the cost of batteries has tumbled significantly since the early mass-market EVs from as little as 10 years ago, in many cases electric models cost more than their fossil-fuelled alternatives. This forces many brands to pitch their EVs as high-spec premium models, pushing costs up even further.

However, dig a little deeper and you’ll find some fantastic exceptions to the trend, and we’ve got two of them here. The new arrival comes in the form of the refreshed MG ZS EV, which has received a wide-ranging update focusing on both style and substance.

It’s going up against the Hyundai Kona Electric, a car which sits at the more affordable end of the EV spectrum and is also among the cheapest to run, while being highly rated by owners. So does the updated MG have what it takes to overcome the Hyundai in this test?

The current MG line-up is quickly gaining a reputation for delivering affordable yet accomplished performance, and its EVs are spearheading the charge. Our Standard Range Trophy test car costs £31,995, which rises by £545 to £32,540 when you add Monument Silver paint.

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The best electric cars on sale today

September 15, 2022e-Golf, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

If you’re thinking of making the switch to an electric car, our award winners are the ideal choices to help you make the move…

The winners of the What Car? Electric Car Awards for 2022 were announced on Wednesday.

Held in association with OVO Energy, these are held every year to celebrate the finest cars in this emerging class of car which will from 2030 be the only type of car you’ll be legally allowed to buy new.

They now come in all shapes and sizes. So, to help you choose, we’re not only naming the best new models, but also our favourite used options. Let’s dive in:

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If We Want More EV Acceptance, Manufacturers Have to Think Small

August 3, 2022Electric Cars, Kona Electric, Leaf, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

If manufacturers are truly serious about widening the appeal of electric vehicles, the market could use more Nissan LEAF and Hyundai Kona electrics. Remember, our current dependence on the automobile was built on the back of everyman’s Ford Model T and not the wealthy’s Cadillac.

Many of the makers committing themselves to a major shift toward electric vehicles are mostly luxury brands. And, as we’ve so far seen, volume manufacturers introducing electrics seem to be skewing their efforts toward a more well-heeled clientele. Given the higher costs of current electric vehicle technology, it’s understandable.

Still, within recent launches of high-dollar electric cars, trucks and SUVs are echoes of the large, flashy cars with big fins and massive chrome bumpers that marked the end of the 1950s. It wasn’t until an imported air-cooled economy car called the Volkswagen Beetle with an ad tagline suggesting that we “Think Small” that affordability took center stage. Perhaps manufacturers need to take a step back and think small to provide electric alternatives for average car buyers.

The key to affordability is to get over the relentless push to increase range to 600 miles or more on a charge. Unlike a traditional car, where you can make a tank bigger at minimal costs (in fact, on gas cars it’s more a question of space than cost), increasing range from bigger batteries comes at a huge cost in electric vehicles.

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Hyundai Ioniq 5 tow car of the year 2022

June 29, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been named ANWB Tow Car of the Year 2022. A first, because it is the first time that a fully electric car has received this award. The Ioniq 5 takes over from the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid that was crowned the best caravan tractor in the Netherlands last year.

The battery-electric Ioniq 5 competed against the Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi Plug-in Hybrid, the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, the Lynk & Co 01, the Peugeot 308 Hybrid 225 and the SsangYong Korando e-Motion. Specialists from the KampeerKampioen and ANWB Experts selected the six finalists. Attention was paid to, among other things, technical innovation, importance for the market, permitted towing weight (minimum 1,350 kg based on the ANWB towing vehicle advice) and pricing (based on the basic version).

According to the jury of the 2022 Trek Car of the Year election, the Ioniq 5 owes its victory mainly to its great driving characteristics and smart gadgets for (caravan) campers. The selection committee is referring, among other things, to the Vehicle to Load technology (V2L) with which the electric Hyundai can supply power, for example for camping in the wild. The Ioniq 5 can supply 220 volts to the caravan.

The Ioniq 5 is available with a choice of two battery packs and rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. There are four versions in total: Style, Connect, Connect+ and Lounge. In the standard Style version, the IONIQ 5 (with 58 kWh battery) is already very richly equipped.

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Tell your friends about EVs: Study suggests automakers still aren’t getting the word out

June 2, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

Electric vehicles make a lot of sense for the pragmatic aspects: their ownership costs and environmental advantages. But once you’re in one, everything changes.

As results from J.D. Power’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study indicate, a lot of American consumers still need to simply get a ride in an EV.

The firm, in the study released Thursday, found that among those who had no personal experience with EVs, just 11% said they were “very likely” to consider one. For those who had merely been a passenger in an EV, the portion “very likely” doubled to 24%; and for those who had driven an EV, it rose to 34%.

Automakers still aren’t effectively getting the word out about EVs to all would-be buyers. Power notes that nearly one-third of those who reject EVs simply cite a lack of information about them.

Across the survey, the “very likely” portion of shoppers rose to 24%, up from 20% a year ago.

The study is based on 10,300 responses from consumers from February through April 2022, and it looks at EV consideration “by geography; demographics; vehicle experience and use; lifestyle; and psychographics.”

There are also potential inroads for automakers in appealing to mass-market shoppers. J.D. Power found that 37% of those who own premium vehicles said that they’re “very likely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle, versus 21% for those who currently own mass-market models.

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Model update: Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD Ultimate

May 25, 2022Hyundai, Ioniq 5, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

We’re not alone in having been wowed by Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 EV since it made its debut late last year. However, until now we were yet to drive what should, based on price at any rate, be the range’s most impressive offering – the one with the most powerful, all-wheel drive powertrain. So, is this really the best of the bunch, or an unnecessary excess when the rear-wheel drive version is already so good?

Well, the all-wheel drive model certainly delivers when it comes to performance. Using an electric motor to power each axle, it has a total output of 305hp, which puts it in high-end hot hatch territory, and despite the heavy weight associated with EVs there’s acceleration to match. 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds is quoted, and from behind the wheel seems very realistic. The way the car gains speed is highly impressive and a little bit intoxicating, with the usual instant response of an EV to the accelerator pedal only adding to the sensation. And with very little audible accompaniment to the speed gain, other than a very faint whine, a keen eye needs to be kept on the speedometer to ensure continued legality.

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EVs dominate 2022 World Car Awards

May 6, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

In a nod to the assured arrival of the battery-electric age, electrified vehicles swept the World Car Awards presented at the New York Auto Show this week.

This year marks the first that EVs dominated the annual awards, which are presented at the show every spring. The awards, which are chosen by 102 jurors from 33 countries (including myself), underscore the industry’s acceleration toward electrification.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 took top honors, claiming three of the awards’ six categories: World Car of the Year, World Electric Car and World Car Design. Hyundai’s newest EV bested the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6 from its sister brand to earn the top title.

The crossover represents the automaker’s next-generation mobility strategy, with efficient powertrain technology, cutting-edge features and futuristic utilitarian design.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS, the futuristic, electrified version of the automaker’s S-Class executive sedan, was named World Luxury Car for its performance and premium cabin.

As World Performance Car, the Audi e-tron GT couples sporty performance with everyday usability. “Our big goal with the Audi e-tron GT was to reimagine the gran turismo philosophy for the electric age,” says Christiane Zorn, Audi’s head of product marketing.

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2022 World Car of the Year – top 3 finalists are all EVs

April 5, 2022Buying/Leasing, Charging, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Sales, UncategorizedRepost

The top three finalists in the running to be named as the 2022 World Car of the Year have been announced, and all are electric vehicles, rather symbolic of where things are heading. Whittled down from the previous round, the final showdown will see the Ford Mustang Mach-E duking it out with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the 2022 European Car of the Year winner, for the coveted title.

The Ioniq 5 is also in contention to grab wins in two other categories, the first being in the World Electric Vehicle of the Year segment, which is a new addition to the awards this year. Here, the Korean offering is going up against the Audi e-tron GT and the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

Hyundai IONIQ Electric 2020 (Image: Hyundai)

It’s also in the running to bag the World Car Design of the Year award, although it will have to edge out another two EVs, the Audi e-tron GT and Kia EV6, for the gong. Now, if you’re thinking that the tentacles of electrification end there, think again, because two of the three final competitors in the World Luxury Car category are also electrics – will either the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQS edge out the Genesis GV70 for that particular crown?

It doesn’t end there, because the Audi e-tron GT appears once more, this time in the World Performance Car category – challenging it for the win will be the BMW M3/M4 and Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ twins. As for the final three competing for the World Urban Car title, they are the Opel Mokka, Toyota Yaris Cross and Volkswagen Taigun.

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