Not a hot hatch, but super impressive. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is an electric sports car, says Hyundai.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N in this test is not really a light-footed hot hatch. So what do you get when you stick the N-Label on a big, heavy Ioniq 5? An electric statement that puts a great smile on your face!
Well, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is not a hot hatch, that’s clear. But what is it?
With 650 hp in overboost, it is certainly a very fast monster. This is partly due to the enlarged battery pack of 84 kWh gross. The rear electric motor is good for around 400 hp, the front wheels can handle a maximum of 250. The Ioniq reaches 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds.
That is of course very impressive, but it is no longer unique to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, right?
No, and certainly not enough to be worthy of that N stamp, because that dictates under the heading ‘corner rascal’ that the car must be able to turn the corner with an above-average speed. That is why the body is equipped with 24 extra welding points and 2.1 meters of extra glue, the subframes have been made stiffer than the regular Hyundai Ioniq 5, the steering is more direct and the car is 2 centimeters lower on the road. The 21-inch wheels, flared wheel arches and the pimped front and rear add some visual muscle. And if you think that gaping grille is a bit exaggerated, it is needed to cool the battery and other electrical components.
The grille had to be opened, because the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N needs a lot of cooling for, among other things, the battery.
That’s the kind of thing every manufacturer who wants to make a car sportier does, right?
That’s right, but the basis is a large, 2.2-ton family car. All the better that Hyundai has managed to turn it into a fairly tight-steering sports machine. Agreed, especially in short bends, the weight cannot be brushed off. It’s a matter of braking in time and rolling patiently around the corner before you hit the gas. Then, thanks to the four-wheel drive and the 275 millimeter wide Pirelli’s P Zero, you have so much traction that you are shot like a cannonball. In longer, faster corners the balance is extremely good and the Ioniq N shrinks wonderfully around you, feeling lighter than it is.
And then the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N also has all kinds of electronic gimmicks, such as artificial fuel engine noise and artificial shifting. Isn’t that childish?
Of course, you don’t have to turn it on… But we like to do that, because no matter how fake it is, it provides a bit of extra connection, extra involvement. Something that may still be necessary for sporty cars in this transition phase from fuel to electric, especially for the elderly among us. The so-called switching is purely software, but it works great. Just like with a fuel engine, the power build-up is much more progressive and you feel a small shock when switching gears. If you forget to upshift you end up in the ‘rev limiter’, and when you accelerate in the eighth ‘gear’ at low speed, you first have to downshift to get going properly again.
A lot of functions in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Not strictly necessary, but very nice!
And then you can also drift with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N?
Of course! You can use two possible functions for this: the N Drift Optimizer and the N Torque Distribution. With the first, 90 percent of the drive goes to the rear wheels. Once you are gliding, it varies a little, so that the drift is better maintained. The electronics also help with the necessary gas input. With the Torque Distribution you can fix all the power on the rear axle (400 hp in that case) and you are completely dependent on yourself. With a little practice you’ll be smoking up a pair of rear tires in no time. It makes us happy, that new N!