Hyundai Ioniq 5 - Interior, design and technology

​The stunning Concept 45 car, revealed at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, gave us an insight into Hyundai’s thinking about how an Ioniq 5 production model might look. As we’ve seen with many other Hyundai concepts, the subtle-cool design remains largely untouched from that original vision, and the Ioniq 5 certainly stands out from a growing list of EV rivals.

The retro-modern style works well, and it will appeal to those who appreciate a minimalist approach, although a standout feature is the LED headlight design, which is made up of 256 individual ‘pixels’. This design has influenced other all-electric Ioniq models, as well as the Kona and Santa Fe. Once inside, the driver is faced with a pair of 12.3-inch digital screens. One is a colour touchscreen covering the infotainment and sat-nav systems, while the other displays information for the driver.

The light grey cloth upholstery looks good and complements the cabin well, giving the interior a light and spacious feel. However, it might not be practical for families with young children, who may want to consider the darker leather seat trim available if you opt for the Ultimate specification.

The entry-level Premium trim comes well-equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, auto wipers, a rear-view monitor, smart cruise control and a smartphone wireless charging pad. Premium cars add luxuries such as a heated steering wheel, upgraded upholstery, heated front seats, a digital rear-view mirror and the V2L (Vehicle to Load) charging system. Moving up to the Ultimate model, it adds 20-inch alloys, electrically adjustable front seats with a heating and ventilation function, heated rear seats, a head-up display and a seven-speaker Bose stereo.

At the top of the standard Ioniq 5 range is the Namsan Edition. This builds on the Ultimate trim and features a glass roof and digital side mirrors, a Tech Pack that includes Front Relaxation Seats, a memory function for the driver's seat, automatic flush door handles and extra safety kit. A heat pump system, which helps to enhance battery efficiency, is also standard on the Namsan Edition and offered as an option for the Premium and Ultimate versions.

Opting for the Ioniq 5 N hot hatch adds an appropriate sporting flavour to the interior and exterior, with 21-inch alloy wheels, aluminium pedals, Alcantara seat trim, and an N-Performance steering wheel, all fitted as standard.

Safety systems such as blind spot collision avoidance assist, forward collision avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist all feature across the range.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Alongside most mainstream manufacturers, Hyundai’s infotainment systems always stand out for their friendly interface and clear, simple layouts. 

While those qualities remain against its premium rivals, some areas aren’t entirely on the same level. The first relates to the graphics. While the side-by-side 12.3-inch displays look impressive, the resolution can’t quite match the quality found in BMW or Mercedes models. The infotainment system itself isn’t quite as responsive, either. 

But these are only minor flaws, and we remain great fans of the system. Plotting a route is easy thanks to a large on-screen keyboard, while the main menu is neatly laid out with 12 icons arranged in two rows of six. Functions on the digital dials are easy to scroll through via steering wheel buttons, and the colour scheme subtly alters between the Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes.

The top-spec model has a head-up display and a Bose stereo, but all versions of the Ioniq 5 get the excellent twin-screen set-up with sat-nav, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and wireless phone charging.