Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Review: The Best Performance Electric SUV You Can Buy
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is the most engaging electric performance SUV on the market. We review the 641-hp dual-motor IONIQ 5 variant that changes everything about how electric SUVs drive.
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is the vehicle that proves electric vehicles can be genuinely fun to drive. With 641 hp (in overboost mode), a dual-motor AWD system, and the most sophisticated driving dynamics software in any non-Tesla vehicle, the IONIQ 5 N is the first electric performance SUV that makes you forget you’re driving an electric vehicle.
The Concept
Hyundai’s N brand was designed to inject driving fun into the company’s mainstream products — following the formula that made BMW M and Mercedes-AMG successful. The IONIQ 5 N is the first N-branded vehicle built on a dedicated EV platform, and it represents a bold statement: electric vehicles can be exciting.
At $67,500 before destination charges, the IONIQ 5 N undercuts the Porsche Macan Electric by approximately $30,000 while delivering comparable or better straight-line performance.
The Drive
The IONIQ 5 N’s dual motors produce 641 hp in N Grin Boost overboost mode — up from the standard IONIQ 5’s 320 hp. The 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds is supercar territory.
What makes the IONIQ 5 N special is not the straight-line speed — many EVs are fast. It’s the way it goes around corners. Hyundai has developed a sophisticated torque vectoring system that can send up to 100 percent of power to either rear wheel, enabling genuine drift capability and dramatically improving cornering agility. The system also includes a synthetic transmission feel — using software to simulate gear shifts — that adds engagement to the driving experience.
The N Pedal system (one-pedal driving with enhanced regen for corner entry) is brilliantly calibrated. It makes you feel like a better driver than you are, enabling late-braking corner entries that you didn’t think were possible.
The Trade-offs
The IONIQ 5 N is based on the 800V E-GMP platform, but the performance tuning adds weight (5,700 pounds vs. 4,500 for the standard IONIQ 5) and reduces range. The N’s EPA range is 221 miles — significantly less than the standard IONIQ 5 (260 miles). On a track day or spirited drive, you’ll use more energy still.
Hyundai has addressed this with a larger 84 kWh battery pack (vs. 77.4 kWh in the standard IONIQ 5) and improved thermal management that allows sustained high-power output. The N can maintain peak power for longer than most competitors.
The Verdict
The IONIQ 5 N is the best electric performance vehicle Hyundai has ever built and the best performance electric SUV you can buy at its price point. If you want the most engaging electric vehicle experience without spending $100,000+, this is it.
For more Hyundai EV coverage, see our review of the standard IONIQ 5.
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