2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N overview

It’s additionally black, sticky, and smeared throughout the tarmac at Sydney Motorsport Park, the place Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N fleet torched dozens of Pirellis at its Australian launch.

Like dinosaurs within the shadow of an unlimited asteroid, petrolheads have watched warily as electrical autos develop in energy.

Automobiles are about to vary perpetually.

However the perfect of them will nonetheless be extremely enjoyable to drive. And this Hyundai is – by a major margin – essentially the most enjoyable electrical automotive on sale.

It’s probably the most enjoyable automobiles to drive of any selection, no matter propulsion programs.

There’s one thing for everybody in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, a automotive with a staggeringly broad set of expertise.

Desire a silent on a regular basis cruiser with a high-tech inside and plush trip?

It’s extra comfy than the common Ioniq 5, and has extra options as well. It could need do, given an asking value of $111,000 plus on-road prices.

How about spaceship sound results, neck-snapping acceleration and V8-shaming lap instances?

A mixed 478kW of mixed energy from entrance and rear electrical motors returns a very speedy 3.4 second dash to 100km/h, matched by starfighter sound results that may get you guffawing.

Really feel like reliving the zenith of petrol-powered supercars with rock-hard suspension, a thumping paddle-shift transmission, ripe exhaust be aware and all-wheel-drive traction?

This Hyundai will do a wonderful impression of an unhinged Nissan GT-R, with a burbling engine be aware and pleasant dollops of sideways enjoyable on observe.

There are greater than 100,000 potential combos of motor, suspension, steering, brakes, sounds and normal driving behaviour.

You could be bewildered. However you’ll by no means be bored.

Most electrical efficiency automobiles are one-trick ponies with astounding straight-line thrust, however little in the best way of aptitude or engagement.

Hyundai took a special course with this automotive, prioritising driver involvement over lap instances or acceleration figures.

Drivers can choose their most well-liked responses from the steering, brakes, suspension, driveline and stability management programs.

There’s a stage of customisation unmatched by any automotive on sale.

Albert Biermann, the Hyundai technical adviser who was as soon as the pinnacle of its world analysis and improvement arm, in addition to the N Efficiency model, says Hyundai invested years in a synthesised duplicate of a high-performance paddle shift transmission, full with petrol-inspired sounds.

We anticipated the pretend gearbox to be farcical – nevertheless it’s nice.

In the identical means that PlayStation or Xbox players may select to drive in a guide mode for extra engagement, the Hyundai’s brilliantly judged paddle shift perform makes for an immersive expertise.

It helps fanatics join with the automotive by making it extra relatable to standard driving experiences.

Different sensations are new, comparable to an “N Pedal” that mixes electrical vitality harvesting and torque vectoring on the rear axle to instigate lurid slip angles on observe.

Hyundai’s briefing additionally included directions on the best way to “clutch kick” the Ioniq – a way drifters use to induce or prolong a powerslide by breaking traction with a jolt of torque.

You do this by pulling each paddles on the similar time whereas in drift mode.

A bashful Biermann says “that was not my concept”, and that he “doesn’t look after drifting in any respect”.

However this automotive is designed to attraction to a broad set of fanatics, and different members of his workforce dwell to float, so the function made it into manufacturing.

It displays Hyundai’s ambition to create a courageous, balanced and technically completed automotive.

In spite of everything, drifting is a risk-versus-reward tightrope act that requires a uncommon mixture of confidence, stability and talent.

The identical traits present in Hyundai and its Ioniq 5 N.

VERDICT

Thrilling to drive and genuinely revolutionary, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N lights the best way for the way forward for efficiency automobiles.

4.5 stars

HYUNDAI IONIQ 5 N

PRICE About $120,000 drive-away

POWER Twin electrical motors, 448kW and 740Nm

WARRANTY/SERVICE 5 years/limitless km, Capped service value not out there

SAFETY Eight airbags, auto emergency braking, radar cruise, lane-keep help, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree digicam

RANGE 448km

LUGGAGE 527 litres

SPARE Restore package