For years now, the Tesla Model Y has been the most popular electric car on the market, especially in the West. It hit the right balance of range, charge speeds, price and practicality. But a number of excellent competitors from legacy automakers have entered the market in recent years. And many of these cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 now exceed the Model Y’s capabilities in more ways than one.
We’ve heard from multiple reviewers who now believe the Ioniq 5 compares very favorably against the Model Y. Kurt from the YouTube channel EatSleepDrive counts himself among this group. In this video, he explains why in his view, the Ioniq 5 is the electric crossover you should buy.
How Much Will Each Car Set You Back?
The Ioniq 5 SE AWD starts at $50,745. The Model Y is slightly more affordable with an MSRP of $48,000 for an AWD model. However, you’re very likely to get a promotional offer from Hyundai or your local dealer that will bring that price down by several thousand dollars.
He gets the subjective comparisons out of the way first. Kurt is not crazy about the Model Y’s design. “The first and most obvious difference comparing this to the Model Y is that this doesn’t look like a frog.” While many love the clean lines of Tesla’s vehicles, not everyone does. Keep in mind that a front facelift is expected for the Model Y next year, despite Elon Musk’s attempts to hide that information from buyers. So if you prefer the look of the current Model 3, then it may be best for you to hold off for the refresh.
But there’s no denying that Tesla’s crossover has become so common that it blends right in with a sea of F-150s and Toyota Corollas. By comparison, the Ioniq 5 is “much more modern, and at the same time retro, the designers really killed it with this car.”
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On to more practical matters, the vehicle is surprisingly roomy, with a much larger passenger space than you might expect looking from the outside. While the small-sized frunk is disappointing, the Ioniq 5 makes up for it with ample storage in the hatch area. With the rear seats down, there is plenty of room for him to lug his large bike around.
On the range side of the equation, the Ioniq 5 sports a 77.4 kWh battery that provides a respectable 260-mile range with all-wheel drive (AWD) and 303 miles with rear-wheel drive (RWD). But the Model Y’s 85 kWh pack is EPA-rated for 308 miles with AWD and 320 in RWD configurations.
In range testing, he drove 200 miles in moderate weather for an average of 3.6 miles/kWh. He ended his range test with 24% of battery remaining and an estimated 58 miles remaining for the charge. This put the Ioniq 5 right on par with the stated range, which has not always been the case in his testing, including with Tesla products.
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He also finds the build quality of the Model Y to be subpar compared to the Hyundai. While Tesla has improved greatly in this front over the years, in his experience “they’re just not that well screwed together.” He likens the Ioniq 5 build quality to Honda or Toyota.
Kurt appreciates the existence of physical buttons for many common features. But the infotainment of the Ioniq 5 is still lacking in some areas with many important functions buried in sub-menus. The fact that the 2024 model is missing USB-C ports and wireless Apple Carplay / Android Auto are still baffling choices.
Another area where he feels the Ioniq 5 excels over the Tesla Model Y is the ride quality. While the Model Y suspension is not horrible, he finds the Ioniq 5 more comfortable in every single road condition. It also handles well and is fun to drive on winding mountain roads. “This is not meant to be a sports car by any means. But it does have some sporty driving qualities to it. If anything, driving this car has made me very excited to drive the Ioniq 5 N.”
Of course, buying a new car is an extremely personal decision, and not everyone will value the same features or style. So if you had to purchase a new car today, would you consider a Tesla Model Y or a Hyundai Ioniq 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
