Driving Hyundai’s highly-acclaimed IONIQ 5 battery powered mid-sized electric SUV – a game changer in the new world of emission free motoring – just so impressive and showing just how far Hyundai has come as a manufacturer – futuristic, spacious, exhilarating to drive and superbly built it garners reaction wherever you drive it. I have never encountered the reaction to a new car that the IONIQ 5 has. I tested the dual electric motor all-wheel-drive model at $75,900 with three drive modes Eco, Normal and Sport – it can reach 100km/hour in 5.2 seconds, the speed sensation accentuated by its quietness of operation.

With 430km of range I did varying distances each day over a week – charging each night over a 12 hour period with a simple 240 volt outlet I gained around 20 percent of range or about 80 km. Over the course of the week with up to 100km covered in one day I never felt range anxiety. Of course, if you bought an IONIQ 5 you would invest several thousand dollars in a wall box charger which would fully charge it in a little over 6 hours.

For me the only minus is long distance interstate travel and whilst fast chargers are now being rolled out across the country the IONIQ 5 is best as a city slicker. An impressive one at that which Hyundai can be very proud of.

I’m David Berthon

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