Hyundai Ioniq 5 upgraded to 325hp

We’re on the record as Hyundai Ioniq 5 fans. After all it ticks many if not most of the usable-EV boxes. It is decent enough to look at, cavernous inside, well-appointed, fast (but not insanely so) and satisfying to drive. It is also equipped with an 800-volt charging architecture, which is still the gold standard of plug-in functionality. (Trust us when we say that being able to accept the full fire-hose 350kW charge while the competition is limited to filling up with a 125kW lawn-sprinkler is a gratifying advantage.)

Better still, the manufacturer has not been content to sit back on its laurels. Because for the 2023 model year, it has confirmed that the Ioniq 5 will get (slightly) better still. For the most part, that’s because its battery capacity has increased from 72.6 kWh to 77.4 kWh, which perhaps doesn’t sound earth-shattering but is significant enough to lift the WLTP-grade range from a respectable 268 miles to a perception-altering 315 miles – and means that Hyundai can claim to rival the top-spec VW ID.4.

Additionally, the upgrade – which is complemented by a new battery heater that optimises the charging temperature for better consistency – means it can also eke a bit more output from the Ioniq 5, and while 11hp isn’t going to explode the minds of anyone buying a two-tonne EV, 325hp is indisputably a bigger figure than it quoted previously. And, much like the range, bigger is better. Preliminary figures suggests it’ll drop the 0-62mph time by 0.1 seconds in the range-topping model – so there are infinitesimal bragging rights to consider, too.

Speaking of the flagship version, there is a new one. The Ultimate trim level, priced from £48,400, is still on the list, but it’s a sign of the Ioniq 5’s success that Hyundai feels like it can now trump it with something called the Namsan Edition – a variant that combines standard Digital Side Mirrors with a new full-length panoramic roof and a £52,900 starting price for the rear-drive version. If that sounds like quite a lot, you’re not wrong – but it’s worth pointing out that at £56,400 the AWD car is at eye-level with the ID.4 GTX Max. A car it now (albeit modestly) trumps for power, pace and range. Coincidence? Nope.