At Just $45K, Sporty, Sophisticated…and Safe.
You’ve gotta’ love Hyundai. The success of their gas-powered cars has changed the industry. Now, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has grabbed the Top Safety Pick Plus designation (for models built after December 2021) from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It’s a lovable EV.
Hyundai IONIQ 5: Why we love it
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 price starts at $44K for the base model SE (the SE Standard Range model runs $39,950). It’s not an entry-level price but you’re not getting an entry-level SUV. The Ioniq 5 comes with two different battery packs, the basic a 58-kWh battery pack that powers one motor to the rear wheels. This gets 168 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque in the base model SE, though higher trim levels get 225 hp.
There’s also a 77.4-kWh battery pack, and the option for either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with the addition of an extra motor. The all-wheel drive version of the Ioniq 5 makes 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque.
Inside, the Ioniq 5 sportd a clean, comfortable cabin, loaded with tech and extremely well designed. The Ioniq 5 offers advanced driver-assist features including adaptive cruise control and hands-on lane centering down to a stop. The SEL and Limited models also offer Hyundai’s Highway Drive Assist II — a Level 2 semi-autonomous system for lane positioning and smart cruise control.
The downside: Yes, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an innovative, beautifully engineered EV, but it cannot match the range of other EVs in its category, most notably the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. But overall, this is one of the bright new all-electric SUVs for the mass market.
Hyundai IONIQ 5: Charging and technology
The Ioniq 5 SE comes with DC fast-charging capability, keyless entry and push-button start, and a digital instrument panel. There’s also a power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seat, and a navigation system. The Ioniq 5 also has a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker sound system, and compatibility with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are also five USB ports.
Hyundai IONIQ 5: The Safety Rating explained
To qualify for the agency’s Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick Plus designations, a vehicle needs to pass a series of crashworthiness tests: driver-side small overlap; passenger-side small overlap front; moderate overlap front; original side; roof strength; and head restraints and seats tests. The 2022 Ioniq 5 earned good ratings in the required crash-test criteria.
In addition to protecting occupants in the event of a crash, a Top Safety Pick contender must also offer safety features aimed at preventing an incident. A vehicle’s front crash prevention system must earn an advanced or superior rating in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. All Ioniq 5 models come with Hyundai’s SmartSense safety suite, which includes standard automatic emergency braking; the system scored superior ratings in both categories.
A vehicle’s headlight quality also determines if it qualifies for a Top Safety Pick or the higher-ranked Top Safety Pick Plus designation. While a Top Safety Pick must have at least one headlight system earn a good or acceptable rating, a vehicle needs to have good- or acceptable rated headlights across all of its trims to qualify for a Top Safety Pick Plus designation. The Ioniq 5 SEL and Limited models have good-rated LED headlights, while the base SE’s LEDs are acceptable.
