Hyundai Elexio vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

The Elexio opens from about $57,990 driveaway and the Ioniq 5 from about $70,990, both NSW driveaway figures as of October 2026, so the Elexio saves about $13,000 at the entry point. Hyundai runs driveaway offers on both cars and they change without much notice, so confirm the current figure for your postcode before you sign. The gap holds up the range too: every Elexio undercuts the equivalent Ioniq 5. For buyers shopping on price, the Elexio is the clear value pick, and it does not feel like the cheap option from behind the wheel.

This is the Ioniq 5's trump card. It uses an 800-volt electrical architecture, and on a 350kW-class ultra-fast charger it completes a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in around 18 minutes. The Elexio runs a 400-volt system and takes about 38 minutes for the same top-up on a 150kW charger. On a single commute neither difference matters, because you charge at home overnight. On a long interstate run with two or three fast-charge stops, the Ioniq 5 can save the best part of an hour across a day. If you road-trip regularly, this is the number to weigh the price premium against.

The base Ioniq 5 claims 570km and the base Elexio 562km on the WLTP cycle, a difference of eight kilometres that real-world driving will swamp either way. The Elexio manages its figure with a larger 88.1kWh battery against the Ioniq 5's 84kWh, which makes the Ioniq 5 the more efficient car. Both lose range on their larger-wheeled grades, the Elexio Elite dropping to 546km and the Ioniq 5 Elite to 530km. For range alone there is no meaningful reason to choose one over the other; the decision comes down to charging speed, space and price.

The Ioniq 5 is the more spacious car. Its wheelbase is 3,000mm against the Elexio's 2,750mm, which shows up as more rear-seat legroom, and its boot is marginally larger at 520 litres to the Elexio's 506, or 1,580 against 1,540 with the seats folded. The Ioniq 5 also adds a 57-litre front boot that the Elexio does without, handy for charging cables. Both are five-seaters with flat floors and sensible storage. The Elexio is not cramped, and it is thousands cheaper, so a family on a budget will find it perfectly liveable. But if outright space is the priority, the Ioniq 5 earns its premium here.

Despite the spec sheets showing different headline numbers, both cars carry the identical Hyundai warranty program: five years and unlimited kilometres as standard, extendable to seven years when all servicing is done through a Hyundai dealer, plus separate eight-year or 160,000km cover on the high-voltage battery. Servicing runs on the same 24-month or 30,000km intervals for both, and both include 24 months of roadside assistance that renews with each dealer service. In other words, ownership cover is a wash. Treat the warranty as identical and let charging, space and price make the decision.

Both the Elexio and the Ioniq 5 carry five-star ANCAP ratings, so neither is a safety compromise. The Elexio's rating is the more recent, based on 2024 testing of the closely related Kia EV5 with additional Elexio-specific tests, and it scores higher for vulnerable road users at 77 per cent against the Ioniq 5's 63. The Ioniq 5, rated in 2021, edges ahead on the safety-assist measure at 89 per cent to 85. Both come with autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a surround-view camera as standard. The scores trade blows rather than separating the cars; both are strong, current five-star choices.

If your charging happens overnight in the garage, the Ioniq 5's 800-volt charging edge rarely comes into play, and that removes its strongest argument. That leaves the Elexio looking like the smarter spend: near-identical range, a larger battery, a bigger screen and the full safety suite for thousands less driveaway. The locally tuned suspension means it rides Australian roads nicely, and the cabin feels a long way from budget. You give up some rear space and the Ioniq 5's rear-drive polish, but for a home-charging household those are easy trades to make. The Elexio is our pick for this buyer.

For regular long-distance driving the Ioniq 5 is worth the extra money. Halving the time at a public fast charger, roughly 18 minutes against 38 for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up, adds up quickly when a day's drive needs two or three stops. The Ioniq 5 is also the more composed car at highway speed and the roomier one for loading up, both of which matter on a long haul. You will pay a clear premium, about $13,000 more driveaway at the entry point, but if the open road is where this car will spend its time, that is money spent on the thing you will use most.

On outright practicality the Ioniq 5 leads, thanks to its longer wheelbase, slightly bigger boot and the extra front-boot storage, all of which help with kids, prams and road-trip luggage. It is also the quieter, more settled car for long drives with the family aboard. The Elexio is a genuine five-seat family SUV in its own right, with strong safety scores, a huge screen to keep everyone happy and a price that leaves thousands in the bank for what families actually spend on. If space is the deciding factor, choose the Ioniq 5; if value is, the Elexio will not let you down.