If winning EV of the Year is like taking home the Grammy for Best Album in a particular genre, then winning the 10Best award is like getting Album of the Year. The former celebrates the winner’s place among its peers, while the latter honors the recipient’s performance in the larger industry.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 claims both prizes, with the 2022 EV of the Year winner also earning a spot on our Top 10 Trucks and SUVs of 2023. Much of what makes the Ioniq 5 a standout SUV stems from the fact that Hyundai developed it as a dedicated battery-electric vehicle. . Built on the automaker’s EV-specific E-GMP platform, the Ioniq 5 takes advantage of the underfloor position of the battery pack and compact electric motor by pushing all four wheels to the farthest corners of its body.
Overall length is just 0.2 inches more than the compact Hyundai Tucson, but the wheelbase of the Ioniq 5 is 3.9 inches longer than the three-row Palisade. The Ioniq 5’s stance provides ample passenger space, and the three-adult rear seat has more rear legroom than the GenesisG90. Large windows and an open, flat front floor add to the spaciousness of the cabin.
The 800-volt electrical architecture enables fast charging speeds for the Ioniq 5’s standard 58.0 kWh battery pack or the available 77.4 kWh pack. In our test, the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 with a large battery took just 18 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. The same Ioniq 5 takes just 4.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph thanks to the two motors’ combined output of 320 horsepower.
However, the Ioniq 5’s real pièce de résistance is arguably its looks. It’s a different kind of design that even non-fans are excited about this EV.
The Ioniq 5 isn’t perfect—it suffers from a ludicrous little problem and has the turning radius of a full-size SUV. That said, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a stellar EV and a truly compelling SUV, battery-powered or otherwise.
