It’s here: Hyundai’s tyre-smoking Ioniq 5 N EV lands in NZ

Tuesday, 9 April 2024

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is arguably the most enthusiast-focused electric vehicle on the market right now.

Last July, Korean carmaker Hyundai confirmed one of its worst-kept secrets — that it was set to produce a hotted up N variant of its Ioniq 5 electric vehicle. Now, the first of the Ioniq 5 Ns has arrived in New Zealand.

The Ioniq 5 N is the first fully electric model to wear Hyundai’s N performance division moniker, joining the brand’s i20 N and i30 N hot hatch pairing.

The Ioniq 5 N slots in as a rival for the likes of the Kia EV6 GT, a car it shares its platform with.

Along with more power and torque than the standard Ioniq 5 range, the N also comes with multiple chassis tweaks, more aggressive styling, a sound generator, and a drift mode.

The first Ioniq 5 N in the country has been spotted on display at the brand’s Auckland headquarters in Mount Wellington. The brand announced pricing for the model today as well, with the hot electric SUV starting at $134,990 (plus on-roads).

As previously reported, the Ioniq 5 gets a bigger battery (84kWh) than its mainstream cousins, and dual motors producing a combined 448kW in standard trim and 478kW when ‘Boost Mode’ is active.

Yup, that’s a tachometer in an electric vehicle, bouncing off the ‘limiter’ no less...

The sprint to 100kph can be done in just 3.4 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 260kph. Hyundai boasts that the electric N is 20mm lower, 40mm wider, and 80mm longer than a non-N Ioniq 5, while also being more rigid.

Starting with its battery and motors, the Ioniq 5 N gains a larger 84kWh battery pack and tweaked dual motors. The front unit produces 166kW and the rear a whopping 282kW, meaning the rear motor alone makes more power than the current Ioniq 5 flagship. In terms of range, the Ioniq 5 N can travel up to 448km to a charge.

The plug-in-N comes with a bevy of model-specific software calibrations, including its N Race drive mode, N Battery Preconditioning, launch control, and a drift mode that includes a ‘Torque Kick Drift’ feature that can simulate a ‘clutch kick’ in order to initiate drifts.

The Ioniq 5 N adopts the familiar red highlights featured on previous N models, like the i20 N and i30 N.

A feature included for use on private roads and race tracks, obviously …

Perhaps most interesting in the N is its N e-shift and N Active Sound+ functions. These work in unison to simulate the sound and feel of a 2.0-litre internal combustion engine and 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.

It may sound a little cringe for those diehard enthusiasts on either side of the EV vs petrol divide, but having been given an opportunity to test the system in person earlier today, it’s actually a good bit of fun to toy with. We’re keen to see what it’s like on the open road.

The Ioniq 5 N’s cabin features new hip-hugging bucket seats up front.

Uprated braking power and Pirelli P-Zero boots should make the N a cornering demon.

Its E-GMP underpinnings mean there’s plenty of space in the back seat.

The Ioniq 5 N is the first electric model to join the N Division stable. An Ioniq 6 N is likely to follow.

Aggressive aero front and rear means the N stands out from the rest of the Ioniq 5 range.

It’s not all software stuff of course. The Ioniq 5 N comes with the fundamentals, too, including huge 400mm front and 360mm rear brake discs and Pirelli P-Zero rubber. Its low centre of gravity, a typical EV trait, also puts its mechanical grip status in good stead.

On top of this, the N is draped in a comprehensive aero package inclusive of a bigger front splitter, a bevy of wind curtains and fins, a much larger rear spoiler, and a huge rear diffuser that protrudes off the rear.

Combined with the flurry of ‘parametric pixel’ highlights, it makes for a car with plenty of street presence. It certainly stands out more from its standard variants than the likes of the Kia EV6 GT, MG4 XPower and Tesla Model 3 Performance.

Bonus images