The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N made its public debut at the wind-lashed 2023 Goodwood Festival Speed, heralding the arrival of the first performance EV built by the Korean firm.
Update: Since this article was first published, we've had the opportunity to drive the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Read our full review of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, including our views on the N, here.
With four-wheel drive and 650PS, the 5 N promises scorching performance but is, according to Hyundai's words, also a "cornering rascal" that is likely to offer the engaging drive usually absent in fast-but-uninvolving EVs.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: price, specs and release date
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N styling and design
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N specifications
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N power and performance figures
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: price and on-sale date
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N styling and design
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N sports suspension is 20mm lower than the standard model's. At the same time, extended wheel arches and a large rear diffuser mean it is 50mm wider and 80mm longer, respectively.
Up front, you get an aggressive bumper and splitter, 'N" badging and a mesh air curtain with a luminous orange marker that imitates the position marker on a sports steering wheel.
The bumper's lower edge gets the same luminous orange, which flows through to the hockey-stick skirts that run up the sides of the car. There you'll find 21-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in meaty 275-section Pirelli P Zero tyres.
Luminous orange is again used to highlight the rear diffuser and a centreline to match the one on the front of the car. Other N cues include the triangular brake light integrated into the spoiler and chequered flag reflectors in the bumper. The N also gets a rear wiper not fitted to the standard model.
Colours include Performance Blue Matte, Performance Blue, Abyss Black Pearl, Cyber Gray Metallic, Ecotronic Gray Matte, Ecotronic Gray, Atlas White Matte, Atlas White, Gravity Gold Matte and Soultronic Orange Pearl.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N specifications
A brief scan of the 5 N's spec list is all that’s needed to know Hyundai is serious about making this an EV that enthusiasts can get behind. Its strengthened E-GMP platform has 42 additional welds and uses 2.1 metres of extra adhesive that should make the car feel sharper from behind the wheel. Meanwhile, it has integrated drive axles inspired by the World Rally Championship to reduce unsprung weight and provide neater handling over bumps.
Improved steering should make the best use of the chassis fettling. According to Hyundai, the N's rack is quicker than on the standard car's and should offer more feedback.
Features like Hyundai’s N Pedal, N Drift Optimizer and N Torque Distribution should make the car a hoot to drive. Combined, they allow the car to rotate on turn-in, simulate a clutch kick (a boy racer trick that provokes a car into oversteer) and send power to whichever of the four wheels can make the most of N's considerable power reserves.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N power and performance figures
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has an electric motor on the front and rear axle, each capable of spinning at up to 21,000rpm producing peak power of 641bhp with N Grin Boost engaged, which provides 10-second bursts of maximum shove.
In that configuration, the Hyundai gets from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds – three-tenths of a second quicker than a Tesla Model Y Performance – and has a 162mph top speed.
Power comes from an 84kWh battery; recharging it from 10-80% takes 18 minutes. Improved thermal management, with independent battery and motor radiators, prepare the Hyundai for track use. Pre-conditioning means you can optimise the battery before you head out on track, and the Hyundai can also predict battery consumption over a lap.
You also get two different track modes – Endurance and Sprint. Like a Formula 1 car, but without needing a team of mechanics, Sprint means you can set the Ioniq up for a maximum attack hot lap. Endurance limits power to maximise the number of track laps you can get from a charge.
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Even the brakes are prepared for track work with massive 400mm discs grabbed by four-pot callipers at the front and single pots at the back. They're boosted by regenerative brakes that provide up to 0.6G of force before pad contacts disc.
Hyundai has also engineered the feel of gear changes, with drivetrain jolts and corresponding drops in manufactured noise (via two external and eight internal speakers) that simulate the feel of an eight-speed gearbox and the sound of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the i30 N.
When should you utilise these features on the road? The Hyundai automatically detects winding road signs and informs you it's time for fun.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: price and on-sale date
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N first appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2023. It is expected to start from £65,000 when it goes on sale before the end of the year – or just over £7,000 more than a top-of-the-range standard 5. It's a car that doesn't have any clear rivals. Hot hatch EVs like the Abarth Electric 500e are cheaper and significantly smaller, while a Tesla Model Y Performance has a similar turn of speed but doesn't claim to be the corner carver the Hyundai aspires to be.