What is the Top Rated EV Crossover?
There are many great all-electric crossover SUVs on the market today. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Volkswagen ID.4, the Kia Niro, and the Subaru Solterra are all excellent, but when it comes to our pick of the best, there can be only one… the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 5.
Hyundai IONIQ 5: Pricing and Performance
The IONIQ 5 is the first of a line of IONIQ EVs coming soon from Hyundai and offers a family-friendly blend of imaginative styling and the latest tech, plus some truly cool features inside to push this EV to the top of our list. Like what, you ask agog and agape? Well, the 5 can boast up to 225 horses and a driving range of up to 303 miles, plus fast charging thanks to its up to 350 kW battery pack and a zero to 60 mph time of 5.2 seconds. All figures are EPA estimates, actual range and mileage will vary. But wait, there’s more!
This clever crossover is available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive, and the interior is very versatile with reclining front seats that even have footrests for lounging and a variant that allows the center console to slide out of the way.
In base trim, the 5 comes with a standard-range battery pack and rear wheel drive, which means only one electric motor and is priced at $44,895 MSRP. We’d suggest the upgrade to the SEL all-wheel drive version with two motors that bring you 320 horsepower and a larger battery pack for a range of 256 miles before charging. All figures are EPA estimates, actual range and mileage will vary. It comes with faux-leather upholstery, ambient interior lighting, heated seats and steering wheel, wireless charging, and a handy hands-free power liftgate.
IONIQ 5: Charging and Battery Life
There are many options when it comes to choosing the all-electric motor or motors, battery pack power and performance in the IONIQ 5. You begin with a single motor at the rear axle that gives you 168 horsepower. An upgrade to the two-motor version brings 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. This is the configuration that can get you up to 60mph in 5.2 seconds.
The 5 comes standard with a 58-kWh battery that will take you 220 miles on a charge. A larger 77.4-kWh battery pack will take you 256 miles with dual electric motors and 303 miles if you choose one motor. Hyundai tells us that the larger battery pack can be charged up from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. It also estimates that when using DC Fast Charging, the 5 can add 68 miles of range in only five minutes of charging. Pretty impressive. All figures are EPA estimates, actual range and mileage will vary.
Interior and Cabin Overview
Hyundai says that the cabin of the IONIQ 5 is filled with eco-friendly materials, whatever that means. We suppose it has to do with seats made of bamboo or something. However, the inside is packed with high tech features and the latest infotainment and driver assist goodies.
Because the battery packs sits beneath the driver and passengers, the floor in the 5 is flat to give you more passenger and cargo space, and that’s a good thing. The front seats recline, and the aforementioned footrests add to the comfort. This feature is useful if you’d like a nap while charging your IONIQ 5. The high-end Limited trim version includes the ability to slide the large center console out of the way.
A digitized dash offers a heads up display that projects navigation directions onto the windshield. Kind of cool. A 12-inch touchscreen connects you to the world with such smartphone apps as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also handles all the secondary controls on the car from activating the heated steering wheel, to adjusting the air conditioning and playing with the Sat Nav. Did we mention the advanced voice-recognition technology? Yes, this EV has it all.
Safety and Warranties
And having it all includes a complete suite of driver assist features and a Level 2 autonomous drive mode called Highway Driver Assist 2. This allows the car to drive itself on the highway and even change lanes with very little help from the driver. Available driver assist includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist as well as adaptive cruise control.
Behind the wheel, the IONIQ 5 is as smooth as silk with wide, firmly planted tires for excellent handling in the corners and plenty of oomph on the straight-aways. Because the battery pack and motors reside under the car, the center of gravity is low, giving you stable, go-kart-like maneuverability.
Hyundai is well known for providing excellent warranty plans and the IONIQ 5 comes with a limited warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles, a powertrain warranty for 10 years or 100,000 miles, and complimentary maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles… not that you need much maintenance in an EV. See dealer for limited warranty details.
The Verdict: Is the Hyundai IONIQ 5 Right for You?
In conclusion, for all of the above reasons and more, GreenCars.com has chosen the IONIQ 5 as this year’s best EV Crossover. Check it out and your friendly-neighborhood Hyundai dealer.
See dealer for limited warranty details.
