The future is here, and we are comparing two of the hottest electric cars of 2022 – Hyundai Ioniq 5 and KIA EV6
Rising gas prices keep hitting unprecedented highs every week, and it is the main reason why people are looking for alternative options. Therefore, the demand for electric vehicles are more than ever. Almost all manufacturers come up with electric vehicles from the ground-up, instead of modifying existing platforms.
This week, we have two popular electric vehicle that compete against each other. KIA EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are not just rivals, but also they are corporate cousins that share their platform. That’s where things get really surprising as they have completely different character.
Exterior and Interior
Despite they share the same platform, they are completely different two products. There is not even a single exterior part that looks similar. Ioniq 5 has a very boxy design with sharp angles, whereas the EV6 looks more feminine and flowy design language.
Let’s start with the front fascia. I think Hyundai Ioniq 5 looks much more unique with it’s “U” shaped daytime running lights. Though it can’t win any beauty contest, it is definitely a head turner with its sharp angles. KIA looks much like a regular car with its giant “C” shaped daytime running lights.
Like the front ends of both vehicles, rear design language is exactly the same. Ioniq has sharp taillight bar goes throughout the trunk, with lots of pixels in it. Though the design language is not unique, it is the way Hyundai presents is something that’s never seen before.
I think KIA EV6’s rear design is more unique than the Ioniq 5, huge taillight that hoes through the trunk and rear windshield line, with a lot of stripe looking lights. It looks sportier than the Ioniq 5, but it has lower roof line, which means you may have less headroom if you are a tall adult.
It is not just the design difference, but the way that they target is different. Though both EV6 and Ioniq 5 are technically hatchbacks, they have pretty high stance. Ioniq 5 looks shorter than the EV6, and boxy design makes it look more like a crossover.
We discussed the exterior differences, but what about the interior? Both interiors looks very different, except the digital dashboard and infotainment systems. Ioniq 5’s boxy exterior design language continues in the interior, with more quirky details.
Like its exterior, EV6’s sporty and flowy design language continues inside, and the center stack comes with rotary shift knob, whereas the Ioniq 5 has a shifter on steering column. Both dashboards look extremely futuristic, but they used right amount of physical buttons and digital screens.
Both Ioniq 5 and EV6 are not big vehicles from the outside, but they eliminated the common problems of internal combustion engine. As they don’t have an actual engine, or driveshaft, you have tons of space in the interior. Both entries moved the rear wheel all the way to the back to have more rear space, and both have surprisingly good amount of space.
It is very impressive that both vehicles have tons of rear legroom space for a compact hatchback, but you at the end of the day, you can’t beat the physics and that’s where you feel the compactness of both vehicles. Ioniq 5’s cargo space is slightly better (527L) than the EV6 (520L) due to the boxy profile.
Another perk of having an electric vehicle is that you also get “frunk” space, but unfortunately both cars have pretty limited frunk space. They both come with the same storage area, and they are both easily accessible. However, anything bigger than a purse would be too big for this storage area.
Both Hyundai Ioniq 5 and KIA EV6 has their electric motors located under this small storage area, and both share the same drivetrain and battery pack. EV6 has the GT-Line package, which puts out 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a 77.4 kWh battery matched with AWD system, which gives 441 km of range.
Ioniq 5 has the same power output and battery pack, as they share the platform. Both vehicles come with rear wheel drive or all wheel drive options based on your driving style, but choosing AWD gives you less range. Interestingly, Hyundai claims Ioniq 5 AWD has total range of 414 km, which is significantly less than EV6.
After driving them back to back, both vehicles offer great amount of instant torque which makes EVs quite fun. However, Ioniq 5 surprisingly feels faster than the EV6, and they give you same range at full charge. Speaking of charging, it takes about 5 hours to fully charge with Level 2 charger. If you don’t have Level 2 charger at home, it takes about 40 hours to fully charge with 110V.
Driving Impressions and Features
Both EV6 and Ioniq 5 feels very similar behind the steering wheel, as they share the same platform. However, EV6’s interior feels more cramped and roof line is much lower due to the sporty design. If you are a tall adult, this may be a problem.
They have their batteries located underneath the car, therefore both vehicles have excellent center of gravity. They both feel very balanced when you are cornering, but that doesn’t mean they are great corner carvers. Suspension tunings are pretty similar, but EV6 has a little bit more dampening which means it offers sportier ride, but there is still a lot of body roll.
Whereas with the Ioniq 5, you have tons of headroom, and I especially like the center stack where you can store big bags or purses easily. The center console can also be moved back and forth for extra legroom space in the middle row. You can’t do that with the EV6.
Both seats are comfortable, Ioniq 5 is focused more towards comfort, whereas EV6’s seat is more aggressively shaped for sportier ride. The biggest gimmick I’ve ever seen for the last few years is the thigh support of the Ioniq 5. It would not go all the way up, as a result it is not usable regardless of your height. It’s just there to be there with no functionality.
Let’s talk about similarities. Two of my favorite Hyundai/KIA features available in both vehicles. The first one is the Adaptive Cruise Control with Highway Driving Assist. Like the other gas models, it works flawlessly in both vehicles and it is still the threshold especially in this price range.
The second feature that I love is the Blind View Monitor. It does not just warn you with orange warning light located in the side mirrors, but you can just see what’s going on from the camera through the digital gauge cluster. This just eliminates the need for shoulder check.
Also something that you don’t see with the gas engine options is the engine braking without having to actually brake. Both EV6 and Ioniq 5 have automatic electric motor braking that increases or decreases based on the traffic ahead of you, and that makes your life so much easier.
Feature wise, I’m impressed with both vehicles, but Ioniq 5 has the slight edge even just because it comes with rear window sunshades and it’s not available with the EV6. Both cars dropped the ball when it comes to smartphone integration, as they don’t come with wireless CarPlay or Android Auto.
Pricing and the Verdict
Before driving both vehicles, I was genuinely expecting to drive same type of two cars with different looks. I was very wrong in a way that both vehicles feel completely different even though they share the same platform. Both KIA and Hyundai did a great job creating something unique without being copycats of each other.
My favorite of this comparison is the Hyundai Ioniq 5, because it is more quirky, more family oriented and more unique. Sure, KIA EV6 is a great EV, it is focused towards younger demographics with more sporty design elements and the body style, but it is just not as good as the Ioniq 5 for families. For a single person or young couple, EV6 may be a better choice.
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 starts at $47,550 CAD with the base trim and RWD, and top trim is priced at $57,550 with the larger battery pack, more powerful electric motor and AWD. On the other hand, 2022 KIA EV6 starts just below $45,000 CAD and top trim is priced at $62,000.
