- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He Ar
Hyundai Ioniq 5. Why do Israelis love it?
Did you know that the most popular Korean electric car in Israel is the Hyundai Ioniq 5?! In the first months of 2022 alone, 1,433 units were sold, and that’s a very good result! After all, for example, the “nearest relative” of the Ioniq 5, the Hyundai Kona EV, was purchased by only 644 people in March 2022. Today, the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 ranks third in terms of sales in the Israeli market, after the Geely Geometry C and Tesla Model 3. In Europe, it even claims the title of the best car of 2022, and British magazine Auto Express has recognized it as the best premium electric car. It’s time to answer the question ‘why do Israelis love it’, looking, in good old fashion, not just for the pros, but also for the cons.
In the Israeli market, the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 can be purchased for 190,437 shekels, including registration fees (data for 2022). This is the price of a Prestige single-engine rear-wheel-drive version.
Fast facts
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been in production since May 2021 and is a fully electric version of the Hyundai Ioniq hatchback. The car is med-size: 4,635 mm long, 1,890 mm wide and 1,605 mm high; at the same time, the wheelbase reaches three meters, and the trunk volume is 588 liters (with the seats folded down – 1,648 liters). Today there are several versions of the Ioniq 5 with different battery capacities, although so far there is only one 72.6 kWh version in Israel. But you can choose a single or twin-engine modification: a rear-wheel-drive single-engine version with 217 hp with a maximum speed of 185 km/h and acceleration to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds or a twin-engine version with 305 hp, all-wheel drive and an acceleration of 5.2 seconds.
Advantages
- Very long wheelbase, which makes the interior more spacious
- Movable center console, which is certainly practical
- Several versions to choose from
- Quite fast charging - charging stations with a capacity of 350 kW charge the battery from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes
- Unusual exterior design, made in a bold style
- Comfortable ergonomics and adjustable rear seats that can be moved fore and aft by 135 mm
- High build quality
- High-quality finishing - all materials are perceived as strong and even rich
- Good handling, comfortable ride, excellent acceleration dynamics - basically that’s why owners love it
- Abundance of security systems
- Relatively low cost of operation, especially after gasoline cars
Disadvantages
- No rear wiper
Lack of a rear wiper can be considered a rather serious drawback in the rain. At the same time, it won’t be a problem in the dry Israeli climate.
- Illogical plastic ‘off-road’ body kit
Someone may wonder about the need for a pseudo-off-road plastic liner on the sills, wheel arches and on the bottom of the bumpers, because the ground clearance of the model is hardly more than that of a conventional hatchback. However, the silver finish contrasts with the body color, making it visually more elegant.
- Few customization options
The interior of the Ioniq 5 is only available in two colors: gray or black.
- Inconvenient use of secondary functions
For example, seat heating is impractical. Separate symbol buttons are found only on the climate control panel, while the seat and steering wheel heating/ventilation received none. You have to swipe left on the home screen, find the icon you want, tap it, then drag the slider up or down, then realize you’ve gone too far and set everything up again. You certainly won’t be able to do this while driving.
- Fashion handles and danger of theft
The fashionable Ioniq 5's retractable door handles look great, but they won’t hide unless the car is locked. If you forget to lock it, everyone around will know, which worsens security and increases the risk of theft of objects inside or even theft of the car.
- The last point was clearly borrowed from Tesla
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 operating costs are 148% higher than those of the Tesla Model 3…
