IONIQ 5 N

Yes, and that is the whole point of it. The N e-Shift simulated gearbox and N Active Sound give the 448kW something to work against, so you drive it like a combustion hot hatch rather than a single-speed EV. A locally tuned electronic suspension keeps it composed on real roads, and an electronic limited-slip differential sharpens corner exits. That combination is why the Australian press consistently rates it properly engaging rather than merely quick, which is rare for an EV. The knocks are the roughly 2,230kg weight you feel in hard cornering, and synthetic sounds not to every taste.

N e-Shift is a simulated eight-speed dual-clutch transmission; N Active Sound is three synthetic soundtracks through eight speakers. Together they make the EV feel combustion-engined. e-Shift delivers deliberate jolts on each gear change and lets you shift with the steering-wheel paddles, so the car behaves like a manual-flavoured performance car rather than a single-speed EV. The three profiles are Ignition (a combustion N car with pops and crackles), Evolution (leaning into the electric character) and Supersonic (fighter-jet effects). Both sound like gimmicks written down, but the fake gears give the drive real texture, and it is the sound, not the shifts, that splits opinion most. Both systems can be switched off if you prefer silence.

The IONIQ 5 N claims 448km on the WLTP cycle from its 84kWh battery, using 212 watt-hours per kilometre. Its standout is the 800-volt E-GMP architecture, which takes a 10 to 80 per cent charge in about 18 minutes on an ultra-fast charger, among the quickest in any performance EV, and a standard heat pump with battery preconditioning protects both range and charge speed in the cold. Home AC charging runs at up to 10.5kW. The honest caveat, flagged across AU reviews, is that the WLTP figure falls away quickly when you use the performance, so a hard drive or a track day will shorten the real-world range well below the claim.

No. The standard IONIQ 5 holds a five-star ANCAP rating from 2021, but ANCAP states that rating applies to all variants except the IONIQ 5 N, so the performance model is unrated. That is not the same as unsafe: the N carries the same active-safety suite Hyundai fits across the range, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitoring and a 360-degree camera as standard. But if an independent crash-test star rating is central to your decision, the N does not carry one, and you should weigh that against a rated alternative.

The IONIQ 5 N's case against its rivals is engagement, not the spec sheet. The Kia EV6 GT is its closest relation, sharing the same 800-volt E-GMP hardware, but reviewers give the Hyundai the edge on involvement thanks to e-Shift and its locally tuned suspension. Both the EV6 GT and a Tesla Model Y Performance undercut the N on price, the recurring knock against it, and the Tesla adds the Supercharger network. If you want the most fun, the Hyundai is the pick; if a lower price leads, the rivals make the stronger case.