One of the biggest question marks associated with the new EV market is how to make them properly fun to drive. Automakers have engineered top-notch handling dynamics into many models, and have yet to reach the ceiling of brutal instant torque acceleration. But no matter how maniacal the performance figures get, it all starts to wear off after a while.
What enthusiasts really want is engagement. We love feeling torque transfer through each gear as we gain speed, and yearn for a rev band with texture and personality. Not only that, we rely so much on gears and revs for reference and use them to feel like we’re a part of the process of getting through a fun twisty road or on-track lap at a quick clip. The thing is, though, there isn’t a real mash-and-dash gearbox in sight among factory EV offerings.
When the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N was first unveiled, many folks found its synthetic gears and engine-note-filled rev band to be a bit of a party trick—how on Earth could an EV ever fill in for the sound and feel of not only an internal combustion engine, but the conventional drivetrain that it’s bolted up to as well? Recently, after ripping it for several sessions on track at Northern California’s world-renowned Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, I’m here to report that the IONIQ 5 N offers more engagement than I thought was currently possible. What it’s come up with in its latest N performance model is something truly special.
[Full Disclosure: Hyundai shipped me to Laguna Seca and let me play on a race track with an IONIQ 5 N and even do an autocross with the Elantra N. Honestly, any lodgings or food would pale in comparison to that experience so they’re not even worth mentioning. – PN]
How Does It Look?
Before I dig into that, let’s kick it off with the basics: The IONIQ 5 N’s appearance. It’s neat to see where Hyundai gave this boxy crossover the hot hatch treatment. There’s the bright reddish-orange stripe that outlines its lowest perimeter, and the sporty bodykit that’s been optimized for aerodynamics—the spoiler, rear diffuser, and side air inlets are all functional to help improve stability at speed.
Then, if you were to park it next to a standard IONIQ 5, you’ll quickly notice its wider wheel arches and basket-weave-design 21-inch alloy wheels. Cool feature about this particular wheel design: Pieces of plastic comprise its outer rim to give it the basket-weave design. They’re there to improve aerodynamics, but can be removed to increase brake cooling. Then, the N sits half an inch lower than the non-N IONIQ 5, is three inches longer, and—well, you can’t see this, but—its battery sits half an inch closer to the ground. The latter two improve its center of gravity.
Then, there’s its sporty business end. The way the diffuser integrates into the bodywork is really neat, and the checkered-flag-inspired rear light bar might be a little corny, but I’m a fan.
Overall, its boxy hot hatch design slots in nicely next to its internal combustion N-ified siblings the Kona, Elantra, and Veloster (RIP).
What’s the Interior Like?
In a word: Spacious. In fact, the IONIQ 5 N might be more spacious than the regular model simply due to its front seats sitting almost an inch lower. Thus, fellow awkwardly shaped tall guys rejoice: After sliding in and sitting comfortably at the 5 N’s helm, in a performance-driving-ready seating position, I still had a few inches of headroom while donning a helmet. Plus ample leg and shoulder room.
Though, if I’m being picky, I wish I could’ve tilted the seat a bit more, brought the wheel a little closer to my gut, and had a little more bolster retention in the otherwise comfortable seats. Earlier in the day I’d taken a 2024 Elantra N for a rousing rip down a fun mountain road, and its seat had outstanding factory retention by comparison. Then, my legs were a little too long to take advantage of the center console that sports knee padding for added bracing under cornering.
Spaciousness isn’t reserved for upfront, either. After all, it does measure out to nearly 186 inches long, 76 inches long, and almost 62-and-a-half inches tall, so this boxy body means good rear seat room as well. Then, the rear seats drop down to net 59.3 cubic feet of cargo space, or in more practical terms: Enough to haul a second 20-to-21-inch wheelset sporting stickier track rubber, plus any track day tools and supplies.
It may look and act like a hot hatch, but the Ioniq 5 is a big vehicle.
Interior materials quality is par for the course for late-model Hyundai: Slightly above average plastics, substantial soft-touch surfaces where they count, and a sporty, thick steering wheel. While I didn’t spend any time futzing around through infotainment menus due to my drive being entirely on track, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the equally-sized center screen had great clarity and graphics.
I really dug that the digital cluster displays what “gear” you’re in, as well as more pertinent information like both motors’ temperatures and battery temperature. Like oil and water with ICE fare. What I didn’t expect to see was a lightly bouncing tach needle in sync with a synthesized burble at idle. But more on that later.
What Makes It Hot?
In the middle of the 4,861-pound IONIQ 5 N’s chassis is an 84 kWh battery that powers a permanent magnet synchronous motor on each axle, making it all-wheel drive. Combined output is rated at 601 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque, with the rear unit dispensing the lion’s share of 378 and 288, respectively. Though, for those among us who love to make a Fast and the Furious reference whenever possible, the 5’s N Grin Boost button on the steering wheel bumps overall output to 641 hp and 548 lb-ft for 10 seconds when charge is above 30 percent. The 5 N also has a drift mode and enables drivers to shift the power between axles, but unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to play with these.
In spite of hauling nearly two-and-a-half tons, the mighty Hyundai will sprint to 60 mph in a reported 3.2 seconds with NGB engaged. Doing this regularly probably wouldn’t bode well for range, but Hyundai says it designed the 5 N to do two whole laps of the Nurburgring’s Nordschleife before needing to recharge. When it’s time to top up, DC fast charging at 350 kW takes just 18 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent—50 kW takes an hour and ten, and Level 2 takes seven hours and 20 minutes. Overall, outside of attacking apexes, range is rated at 236 miles city, 203 highway, and 221 combined.
What makes it cool, literally, is a host of track-ready airflow improvements at the stern. An added upper grille gives the N a slightly different setup than what’s in the standard IONIQ: a low-temperature radiator (LTR) sits up top—fed by said upper grille—and is designed to take care of motor temps, whereas the lower, larger high-temperature radiator (HTR) keeps battery temps in check below it. So, neither is impeded by the other from incoming air, unlike the 5’s setup where the LTR sits in front of the HTR. They’re also thicker than the 5s’ for even better cooling efficiency.
What’s Going on With the Chassis?
Besides the IONIQ 5 N’s lower center of gravity, there are a handful of tricks up its sleeve to increase overall rigidity over the standard 5, including 42 additional welding points and 6.9 feet of additional structural adhesive.
“The basic direction is to enhance lateral stiffness,” Jun Mo Lee of Hyundai N Division told me.” All of the bushings are a harder rubber and designed to sustain more lateral force, and provide more initial turn-in response.” Then, its MacPherson front and multi-link independent rear suspension feature adaptive dampers.
The 5 N’s front suspension design differs from the standard 5 by possessing a split link, as Lee described it: two aluminum lower control arms that sort of resemble what’s commonly found on BMWs. “It’s like a combination of a MacPherson design and a multi-link, and gives us the flexibility to better locate the kingpin axis and minimize external disturbances,” Lee explained further. This means bump steer is greatly reduced, and the overall steering is sharper. For improved cornering grip, the front camber is around -1.7 degrees.
Finally, to keep control of the N’s weight and power, 4-piston calipers clamp down on 15.7-inch multi-piece discs up front, and single-piston units are fitted to 14.2-inch discs out back. Here’s what’s especially cool about tracking EVs: Turning up regenerative braking not only helps make up for the increased discharge of juice but also cuts down on consumables like pads and rotors. Everything helps when they’ve got two-and-a-half tons to get a hold of.
How It All Comes Together
Jumping back to the IONIQ 5 N’s lightly bouncing tach needle, I was greeted by a sound resembling an idling ICE N model while sitting in Laguna Seca’s hot pit, ready to head out for the first on-track session. Hyundai calls this soundtrack Ignition, which is one of three settings, the others being Evolution and Supersonic—the former is meant to sound more space/futuristic-like, whereas Supersonic errs on the side of jet aircraft. I kept things as authentic to the angry turbo-fours that Hyundai N’s built its reputation on, and stuck to Ignition for all three of my on-track sessions.
Rolling out to do a sighting lap, I was behind pro driver and six-time Pikes Peak champion Paul Dallenbach, my group’s instructor for the day. My hope was that he wouldn’t take it easy on us, and thankfully he didn’t disappoint. The pace was amply quick by the time we’d reached the top of the hill just before Laguna Seca’s famous Corkscrew.
A short time later, after rolling into and out of Turn 11—the final corner—the first hot lap was underway. The N’s power band was very progressive instead of instant like many other EVs, albeit rapidly progressive. We crested Turn 1 above 110 mph (feeling it get light along the way, which was a hell of an experience in a heavy EV), and got above 100 after almost every straight. With track-centric traction control configured and all-wheel drive, the big hatch put the power down quite well out of each corner. In fact, I bet I could’ve put my foot down a tad sooner.
While barreling into Turns 2, 8 (the Corkscrew), and 11, braking performance always felt ample throughout the session, even when I started shortening braking zones on hot lap number two to keep up. The pedal felt fairly solid, though easy to modulate.
Turn-in for each corner felt a little muted just off-center and steering weighted up pretty well, but the front end always felt quite solid and I dug its quick ratio. Then, Lee’s explanation of what’s going on under each front wheel arch really came to light while compressing down hard onto the curbing at Turn 6—the steering was uninterrupted and quite confidence-inspiring.
You definitely don’t forget the heft, but body roll felt like that of a larger Veloster N—very minimal and confidence-inspiring.
Once the N-specific, 280-treadwear 275/35/21 Pirelli PZ4 tires started to get hot later in each session, understeer crept in pretty quickly. Turns 2, 3, 8, and 11 became more laborious, though they still held up respectably well, especially for an everyday-friendly Summer tire.
If you’re familiar with Laguna Seca, I was setting 1:46-1:47 per lap chasing Dallenbach, and after reviewing my footage, I found plenty of things I could’ve done better. Not terrible for the first session out on non-track tires and some weirdly shaped schlub at the wheel, but it’s more a testament to the IONIQ 5 N being so grippy and easy to get up to speed with. The thing encourages you to rip harder and harder, and I only wish that every session lasted at least two more laps. Or, heck, just give me a whole open track day with some stickier rubber—it’d be a non-stop blast from 100% to 5% charge.
A New Level of Engagement
But here was the best part of it all: The IONIQ 5 N’s synthetic rev band and shifts felt impressively authentic. You feel the car lightly shudder with every lightning-fast shift, and you even feel it bounce off the rev limiter. It was a weird feeling, yet after a while, my brain re-categorized the 5 N’s personality into the same region of its card catalog as any dual-clutch-gearbox-equipped, four-cylinder turbo that’s been simulated via some kind of symposer.
Then, N traction control allowed the slightest amount of slip at certain corner exits, particularly if I matted the throttle entering the front straight; it was fun feeding the wheel a tiny amount of opposite lock. It was absolutely wild having this much engagement, from the noise and vibrations to the very entertaining rev band’s aural cues.
I went into this first drive event expecting just cool noises, and having an open mind about it—anything that an automaker can do to mirror ICE characteristics, I’m all for trying at least once. But Hyundai really delivered here—like all weird new tech, don’t knock it ‘til you try it.
To go one further: I’d take this over any CVT-equipped ICE car, any day of the week.
[Ed note: The Porsche Taycan is great on a race track as well and I’ve managed to put some hard miles on both a Taycan Turbo and a Taycan GTS at different tracks. But it’s not like this. The Taycan, for better or worse, tries to feel like what the future of performance driving is. The IONIQ 5 N feels more rooted in the past, which is, somewhat ironically, a huge step forward. – MH]
Peter Nelson
What Next?
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a very well-rounded big hot hatch. It sports a comfortable and cargo-room-rich interior, cool overall looks, and driving dynamics that truly impress. As an EV in general, range isn’t great at just over 220 miles, though considering its DC Fast Charging rate, and the fact that it’s got a hell of a power output—plus massive Summer tires to keep rolling down the road—it’s not shocking (EV pun mildly intended).
To get behind the wheel of a fresh new IONIQ 5 N and launch off into some apexes, it’ll cost $66,100 plus a $1,375 (yikes) destination fee. By comparison, the base 5 starts out at $41,800. Not cheap, but then, there’s a lot going on underneath to up the fun factor.
When it comes to how fun and engaging this thing is to drive, it’s not only a testament to Hyundai N Division’s research and development, but what’s possible with the future of EVs in general.
It’s a little weird that it’s all synthesized, I’ll admit, but so much of culture in general has, and is now considered normal. I’ll spare you the history lesson on early purveyors of electronic music, but between the F10-generation BMW M5 and the latest Toyobaru sports car, fake engine sound has been getting pumped into car interiors for some time now. I’m not saying it’s a must-love, but for anyone who wants a bit more personality and drama engineered into a handsomely boxy EV, it’s worth a try.
Any thoughts on the steering feel? I test drove a regular 5 with a friend that almost bought one until we got to the part where we dealt with sales manager. The one thing that felt “off” to me was the steering, it felt like my old crappy force feedback sim wheel. Did they improve that for the N version?
Great weight, great ratio, sadly not much in terms of feel.
I’m glad we can mute the fake sound, which then makes it… almost okay to me (and probably good for most people), but what I’d like to confirm is the ability to turn off those god-awful stupid moronic fake shifts.
Please for the love of god. I drive electric because it is smooth and responsive and precise. Stop making cars ‘intentionally difficult and rough’ because people think you should have to fight a vehicle in order to enjoy it. Or to cover up for them being Neanderthals under the pedals and mashing when they shouldn’t. I can (and would prefer to) deal with being hyper precise as long as the response is predicable.
Test drove a Lucid Air and honestly hated how heavy the pedals and steering were in all but the most aggressive mode, and of course that hyper aggro mode reduced regen. GRRRRR
I think I understand all the reasons why, but can’t we get something like this in a smaller package and reduce the weight a bit? I even think keeping the HP down to about 400hp would help improve the range too and still be a lot of fun.
These EVs seem to still be focused on maximizing everything rather than optimizing anything.
I know America is the land of make everything bigger but surely some other markets would prefer this in a smaller package, developed for fun and an overall better balance of performance?
O love that they are playing in this space and experimenting on the engagement side of the design and development equation. But it’s just so bloated. Maybe gen2 will deliver more options. A boy can dream…
I’d love a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-Line if it came with these tricks, but with the battery capacity and engine HP trimmed back.
I’ve been trying to understand this too and maybe just stuck in ICE tradeoffs but I keep thinking I’d gladly take less power if it meant less weight, less price, and more range. Like 3500 lbs w/ 350 hp and 300 miles of range would be great. For my usage anything under 0-60 in 6 seconds is plenty fast to be fun on public roads. Or is the problem the battery weight and that’s the tail that’s wagging the rest of the dog here?
Well, I think that overall you’re right. The battery is the driving force (pun very much intended) here in the vehicle’s weight.
But the consumer’s preference for large vehicles is a factor too. I know the 3–row seating, excessively large SUV is still printing money in the US market. No idea why so many people think they need that much space for their 2 kids but I recognize I lost that war an age ago.
But this? A track–focused toy? Why make it so oversized? Why not something closer to the original Veloster in size? I’m not sure if 3500 lbs with a 300mi range is possible with current battery tech. I know they could make it more aerodynamic but that’s not going to get you all the way there. Not in any normal form–factor that actual humans will agree to buy. Maybe if Nissan really does come through on solid state batteries but I’m not holding my breath. Is anyone willing to trust the durability of a Nissan built battery?
Lol to the last part about Nissan batteries-I would be skeptical. They’ve burnt a lot of bridges in the last 20 years. But if not them surely someone will. I really do think besides the stupid prices the main thing holding EVs back is lithium battery tech. And yeah 3500 lbs and 300 miles range probably isn’t doable currently but in my mind that’s kind of my achievable ideal for an EV…I mean weight x performance issue and as someone else on here mentioned a lot of that could be tires, the non-N Ioniq 5 has a 260 mile range, which in the real world is the difference between pretty usable and kind of irritating-at least in my limited EV driving experience and that from what I’ve read basically all of these are over-rated for range.
And I suppose it’s this size because it’s the chassis they have, though agreed it’s far from ideal. Though now that you mention it where are the small EVs in general? Is this just a stupid USA thing, I suppose there was the E-Golf and Mini EV though both those had/have terrible range so maybe the size is again driven by the need for a certain size battery so the car can have a certain range…
IIRC the Mini and Golf were not bespoke EV platforms, instead just converted chassis from their ICE counterparts so not very well optimized. But certainly the overall size of the car is going to come with physical limits on how much battery can be stuffed in/under the vehicle.
I’m not even looking for terribly small cars. I couldn’t fit in them anyway. I would think the Golf or Mini would work as a “regular” car. They’re pretty roomy but I don’t know if they’re getting 300mi ranges with current tech. Could they keep the sizes close to what they are at 3500lbs, 300hp at 275 mile range? I’d be ok with it. Lower the overall HP to 250 to maximize range and create a sport mode at 300hp or something like that and it could still be fun.
But I’ve gotten off topic. For the specific focus of this car being a fun, track–day car there is no reason to be so big and heavy. It is a step in the right direction. Now make one that is even more focused (read: totally impractical as a daily driver) like that N Vision 74 concept and keep this Ioniq 5 larger so everyone can tote one small child to soccer practice.
yeah agreed it’s totally oversized for what they’re trying to do and given the impracticality bc of range it might as well have been a all out flagship like the N Vision 74. Of course this might help drive sales for the regular Ioniq and that’s how they’re justifying it, who knows.
Unfortunately, it’s almost entirely the battery. Bumping engine HP does add weight. Beefier gears and bearings, somewhat bigger motors, thicker conductors, larger IGBTs in the inverters, heftier suspension components, etc. Maybe some body reinforcement for chassis stiffness. But that probably adds up to dozens of pounds rather than high hundreds. The heaviest part that affects the power output is the battery, but you get that for “free” when the battery’s big enough to get you longer range.
Ha. This is a great way to summarize America in general.
Super–size me!
I just can’t. I have a hangup about simulated shift points in cars that shouldn’t have them, and the only 4 cylinder engine I’ve ever heard that legitimately sounded good was the 500 Abarth, and that’s mostly because it doesn’t sound like a 4 cylinder. I don’t know how they did it, but that thing is an auditory masterpiece.
I’m sure this is a blast to drive, as most fast EVs are, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get over the fact that it’s pretending to be something it’s not.
I can’t either. Shifting gears in an ICE car is cool because YOU HAVE to shift gears to go faster and the faster the shift the faster you get from the start to finish line.
It’s worse than fake tits. At least I can suck on fake tits. Nothings shifting. It’s just a dweeb behind a computer trying to make something cool that isn’t. It’s cool to go fast as possible; if that means shifting, then shifting is cool, if that means no shifting, then no shifting is cool. Not faking it as something else. Then again, fake tits are awfully popular.
And at least with fake tits you get the full tits you paid for. With fake shift points they have to simulate a less-than-ideal power curve, so you’re actually losing performance. I assume it’s not a lot, but still.
When a car can go 0-60 in 3 seconds, even tenths of a second is a lot.
I fail to understand how a car with fake shift points, degrading performance, “belongs at a race track.” But hey, I have fun on lawn mowers screaming “boogity boogity boogity let’s go mowing boys!”
This and the future Ioniq 6N give me hope that electric cars can actually be cool. Go Hyundai!
If only my hometown scum-tastic Hyundai/Kia dealer wasn’t going to mark-up every one of these to the moon.
It’s a very neat thing and I do like it, but I still wish the Ioniq 5 was actually as small as it looked in pictures.
So unlike many here, I am fully open to ‘the future’ of performance vehicles, with no hang-ups around the magic of ICE vehicles. I’ve loved having an EV and don’t plan on going back, and I’m not bothered in the slightest by gimmicky fun. I fully believe that they can be made engaging and interesting on their own merits.
But my god, 4800lbs is incredible for a performance car. I thought our Polestar was stupidly heavy, and as it is, it chews through tires at an alarming rate. I cannot imagine trying to maintain the consumables on something with more weight and much looser traction control.
Not to step on Toecutter’s toes here, but I would be so much more interested if it was 4/5ths the size with better aero–it needs at least 500lbs off it, and that would let you reduce brake costs, suspension maintenance, tire and wheel size, etc., with marginal to no impact on practical range.
I agree. I think these things will take the next step in driving joy once they figure out how to make them less portly.
“but I would be so much more interested if it was 4/5ths the size with better aero–it needs at least 500lbs off it,”
I believe you have described the Tesla Model 3… at least as far as weight goes. Even the AWD Model 3 Performance only weighs in at 4048lbs… 750lbs less!!!
https://www.way.com/blog/how-much-does-a-tesla-weigh/#:~:text=Available%20across%20three%20trims%2C%20the,Performance%20trim%20weighs%204048%20pounds.
Yeah Tesla’s weight and drivetrain tech are great, they have a lot of potential…but I want the hatch lol. Honestly if it weren’t for the fact I greatly prefer the interior and UI of the Polestar, I’d have gone with a Tesla (or…just waited for something better used in 4 years [cough cough Rivian hatch]).
I don’t think the Polestar is overall a better performance car precisely because of the weight. Steering feel is pretty much nonexistent in both, although I prefer the body feel and suspension in the Polestar. Plus it’s got a liftback. Still way too heavy and you can never get around that.
At the end of the day, weight and aero are going to be everything for EV performance vehicles and long-term ‘sustainability’ (to the extent privatized transport can be), both in environmental and in ‘people will buy this because it’s fun/interesting’ metrics.
“Yeah Tesla’s weight and drivetrain tech are great, they have a lot of potential…but I want the hatch lol”
So a Model Y then? It’s 400-650lbs lighter depending on the trim.
Or with a Model S, you get the hatch and they can weigh as little as 4300lbs in some low end trims to as much as 4960lbs for a top end tri-motor plaid model.
Yeah I was thinking something similar along the lines of I’d love to see this with 3/4 the weight, 3/4 the power, and half the price. But as an opening move I’m intrigued and would love to try one. I really want to see a review off the track and on real world twisty mountain roads though. My experience with owning a porky performance SUV is that the size and weight do stifle the fun a little on windy mountain roads.
Yep, agreed–and frankly, it’s a lot less terrifying trying to hustle a lighter vehicle through turns at speed than it is a multi-ton vehicle, where you can feel the consequences of a mistake just waiting for you to make a mistake. Limits tend to be better communicated by nature. The Polestar’s great but I’d love a similar vehicle with less power and less weight–much less trouble to get myself into, same amount or more of fun. Not quite there yet on the tech though.
Yep physics is always gonna catch up. I also found in my Cayenne part of the problem and I imagine this applies to the fast EVs, is that it felt rather dull (straightline acceleration aside) until you were pushing it to frankly kind of stupid speeds for the conditions. May be a cliche but the old saw about slow car fast being more fun than a fast car slow seems to apply more than ever here.
I wouldn’t say I regret the purchase on the whole, it’s been a fantastic car for us for the most part, but I will say the next time I purchase a car, I’ll be going for lower weight, lower power. I miss being able to go 10/10ths in my old Hyundai Accent.
On the other hand, I can buy three peak performance tires for the Polestar and not worry about hydroplaning or getting stuck in light snow, so there’s that. Plus being able to actually pass safely on rural highways, drive the speed limit at altitude, and hear my passengers above 60mph.
Just gotta find a happy medium I guess. Or go buy a motorcycle and have the time of my greatly shortened life lol.
Yeah, obvs not the same as a Polestar (well maybe weight lol) but that was my takeaway from my cayenne (which I just sold) was that I’m really more of a sports car guy and the speed + snow capability + light off road ability and quiet cruising was awesome but I for me it wasn’t quite the happy medium I was looking for after a few years-aided in my case by it being oldish and starting to get into some weird maintenance headaches I didn’t love it enough to want to deal with.
And yeah a motorcycle would be so gloriously fun…until it wasn’t. I’ve had too many first hand connections with people who had bad experiences (and 1 death) to mess with a motorcycle.
“The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Is The First Electric Car That Feels Like It Belongs On A Racetrack”
The Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track Pack would like to have a word:
https://insideevs.com/news/670426/tesla-model-s-plaid-track-pack-reclaims-nurburgring-lap-record/
The Porsche Taycan would likely want to have a word as well.
Hell… The original Tesla Roadster would also take issue with that statement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKtK493sGAk
I’ve had my 2022 I5 SEL for a couple of months and can attest to how well these drive. It’s not hard to get mine sideways so I can only imagine this one.
I think for a reference case, I’m thinking of what I’d be able to compare it against.
What’s this feel like next to a VW Golf R, Subaru WRX, the aforementioned VelosterN, or a Tesla3?
I would love to see an N-Line version of this, with the suspension bits, most of the engagement and 20-inch wheels to save a little on what are going to be stupid expensive tires.
As it stands, I want this car, but will never spend that kind.of cash on any car unless I win the lottery.
I wonder what the smallest diameter wheel is that will clear the brakes. Michelin PS4s and Pirelli P Zeros are available in 275/45R19 which would make for a far more streetable setup.
Considering how capitalism works, do we expect EV tires to actually become comparable to tires for ICE vehicles? or is this just the new norm?
How ungodly expensive are tires going to be for this?
275/35/21s seem to run about $500 per at Tire Rack.
Probably shocking to the typical Hyundai customer, not so much to the average buyer of a 600+ hp vehicle. Your feelings on the cost probably depend which perspective you approach it from.
Edit: I was only looking at the first page of results. This size is much more common than I expected and you can get some options in the $300-$350 range.
Well I just looked at 200tw autocross tires for this which would be the RE-71RS 285/35R20 (you can go down 1″ in diameter and keep it street category) and those have an MSRP of $438 each, which is a fucking lot of money to spend per year.
My first question in reading this is, how long are tires going to last on a 4800lb, hard–driven, track–day fun car? My guess is you could measure tire/tread life in laps rather than thousands of miles.
As V10omous said, the cost for a tire in stock size for that trim will be around $500/tire.
HOWEVER… There there is a cheaper solution to that… get a set of used 19″ base model wheels which are still plenty big (235/55R19) And then get some General Altimax RT45 tires which cost half as much and will likely last far longer due to the 700 treadwear rating
https://www.1010tires.com/Tires/General/Altimax+RT45/15577540000
And then you’ll have the added benefit of having more sidewall and much less chance of damaging a wheel if you hit a pothole.
That’s essentially what I did with my Honda Fit Sport… swapped out the weird Sport-Specific 15″ wheel/tire size and installed base 14″ wheels and saved a good amount of money while not giving up much in the way of performance.
Putting something with a 700 treadwear on this entirely defeats the purpose of buying it in the first place.
You might as well just buy the regular Ioniq 5.
But consider… FOUR WHEEL BURNOUT!!!!
I figure everyone is expecting me (cheers and groans in equal measure ensue) on this article so here I am! Thanks for the review. It’s cool to hear that this thing is actually enjoyable on a track. I was never worried that it wouldn’t be capable, but outside of brutal acceleration the main critique of performance EVs is that they aren’t very engaging. Apparently this solves some of that, even if it has to rely on some questionable gimmicks to do so.
That being said I’d be interested to hear about how it is as a daily. That’s always been the biggest sore spot for the Ns. They’re all track capable out of the box (seriously, I take mine to the track and haven’t done anything to it) and ridiculously fun on a twisty road, but they’re also built to a price and absolutely every part of the budget goes to performance.
As a result they do not make for refined road cars. My Kona N is loud, it rides rough, and the NVH at highway speeds is pretty terrible. The Elantra N I’ve gone for a spin in was similar as well. For me personally it’s a compromise I’m willing to put up with for the non stop fun it delivers, but for folks who are more sensitive to rougher cars it’s definitely something to consider.
I’m curious if this solves that, being a big heavy EV and all. At this point I will merely say I am intrigued by the Ioniq 5 N. The price tag is absolutely ludicrous and the initial lease deals (which is the only way you should own a new EV) are pretty lousy. Only 230 miles of range is also a big, big compromise…and correct me if I’m mistaken, but I don’t think Hyundai is moving to the Tesla superchargers yet? So good luck taking this on any sort of road trip.
But anyway, I’ll probably test drive one at some point once the initial hype dies down, and I agree with V10emous…at least someone is trying to make an engaging EV. This is also their first crack at it, so I’m sure they’ll get a little better every time. An Ioniq 6 N is currently on the way as well, and I’d imagine that’ll eke out a little more range due to the fact that it’s more aerodynamic.
Hyundai was late to doing so but they’ve announced NACS as well. It’s not active yet but it’s planned for the future; that said, I think the 5 N will launch with CCS, and maybe an adapter for Hyundai CCS owners can be expected down the line.
Yeah, I believe the Kiundai switch will come in 2025, including adapters for the CCS. So we are almost there.
After that happens I’ll consider leasing one of these
“That being said I’d be interested to hear about how it is as a daily. “
Probably not as good as a lower trim with the 19″ wheels/tires with more sidewall.
Track-focused cars usually are lousy as daily drivers.
I thought the adjustable suspension in the Kona was a nice compromise between backbreaking and stiff. I hope as the N series continues, there’s more forgiveness added on the comfort option for those of us dealing with Michigan or Michigan-like roads.
I mean it helps, but its 3 modes are:
1). Stiff
2). Unbearably stiff
3). Unusable on public roads/please consult with your chiropractor
To put it bluntly the ride sucks ass. There’s no way around it. If you’re out in the country or burbs you won’t have any issues, but on death trap city streets it’s less than pleasant even in its softest setting.
It actually does fine to well over small stuff, but big impacts come crashing through the chassis into the cabin and you get tossed around. It’s my single biggest complaint with the car and there are already lots of aftermarket parts to soften the ride.
The plus is that in its unbearably stiff and please consult with your chiropractor settings there’s almost no body roll at all. Like you are just not going to unsettle the car regardless of what you throw at it. As a result it’s a monster on the track and keeps up with stuff it has no business keeping up with.
Every fiber of my being wants to hate this, and yet I can’t.
They really seem to be trying and I can appreciate that.
The range is awful though, I expect them to lose some sales over that. The body style promises practicality and usability that the rest of the package can’t really live up to.
can’t really have super performance AND long battery life I don’t think. Just by going off my electric yard stuff. I either get one or the other, cars have to be the same. I think the market for this is completly different than the regular road tripper version of the car.
That said, I don’t know how many people would buy this just for the track. I think the range they have is fine for regular driving in almost any scenario. I would suggest anyone taking an EV on a 250-300 mile plus trip, rent a car for the week instead. Save yourself from our crappy super chargers that seemingly only work half the time, and keep your miles down.
I expect the biggest hit to the range is the wide and sticky tires, not the motor.
I’m not expecting class-leading range, but this range is so low it seemingly defeats the purpose of a CUV/hatchback shaped body with a large backseat to begin with. I don’t complain that my Viper gets short range on the highway, because everything about the car is optimized for performance. This vehicle seems to be a half measure that gives you the worst of both worlds.
Lastly, I can tell you that when I spend $70,000 on a vehicle, the last thing I want to be told is to go rent a car because I can’t fully use the expensive thing I just bought. Absolutely zero chance that is ever happening, at least for me.
I get all your points and agree with them. The last one though, don’t tell that to the track only species of super cars!!! They spend alot more than that and they can’t even touch a road legally ha.
I get what you mean though, I’m also not spending 70k on a car that has serious limitations unless it’s earning me money as a business (ex:tow truck).
It’s beautiful here, maybe a good day where you are to take the viper out for spring and stretch its legs a bit!
It’s been out already and it’s nice today too. Might have to go for another drive tonight before the rain moves in!
I’ll be interested to see if the upcoming Ioniq 6 N does a little better range wise. It’s a more aerodynamic package and it weighs a bit less. That being said you lose the hatch practicality. Ugh. These EV Ns are getting so close. I think the next gen of them will be when I’ll seriously consider it.
I am still a little shocked the Ioniq 6 isn’t a fastback. Why haven’t automakers figured out that almost everything is better with a hatch?
> Every fiber of my being wants to hate this, and yet I can’t.
> They really seem to be trying and I can appreciate that.
This is where I’m landing on a lot of things lately. There’s so much lazy crap being put out by places run by MBAs that anything that shows a bit of passion or care is a win in my book, even if it’s not something I’d like or buy. We need more weird in the world.
The N division has been doing nothing but weird passion projects for years now. They don’t resonate with everyone, but they deserve credit for continuing to let their freak flag fly and understanding what enthusiasts actually want.
Look at my car, for example. It’s dumb as hell and makes no sense whatsoever on paper. But it makes me giggle every time I drive it, and it’s damn hard to put a price on that. It’s also useful enough that I loaded it with mulch this weekend in between making the exhaust fart and grinning like a kid.
“Every fiber of my being wants to hate this”
Even your toenails?
Especially them
Interesting car and I’d seriously consider one if it didn’t look like that and got better range.
I’m nearly 50 and my Fast and the Furious days are well behind me. I don’t want to drive a car that has stuff tacked onto it to make it look fast.
66k is a great price for the performance but I just can’t past the boy racer looks and short range.
I’m patiently waiting for the Rivian R2.
Hell I’m just shy of 40 and feel too old for the Hyundai N range’s looks. Which is a bummer, if they didn’t look like they were designed for 16 year olds I’d be very interested in some of their offerings.