Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Cooks (Without) Gas

Among the most reluctant electric-vehicle buyers are those who enjoy pony cars and hot hatches with throaty engine roars. They even alter exhaust systems to make them louder and growlier. They disdain the whirr of battery-electric motors and prefer the smell of petrol.

The Hyundai Ioniq N engineering team – both hardware and software – have established a benchmark for how to execute a truly experiential battery-electric vehicle that should change minds and turn heads.

Powered by a dual-motor setup, it delivers a well-tuned 601 hp and 545 lb.-ft. (740 Nm) of torque, making it one of the most powerful BEVs in its class. The instant torque from the electric motors propels the car from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in about 3.5 seconds, providing a surprisingly electrifying driving experience. The N-tuned suspension and brakes deliver on the promise of a true sports car, with precise steering and excellent cornering abilities.

There’s rally-car balance between the front and rear motors, with significant bias to rear permanent-magnet motors that produce 378 hp and 288 lb.-ft. (390 Nm) of torque, while the front-axle motor adds 223 hp and 258 lb.-ft. (350 Nm). 

But the 5 N’s secret power is its ability to inspire drivers to forget they aren’t burning gas.

While the engine noise is pretend and delivered by software engineers instead of engineers with oil under their fingernails, the propulsion system the engineers set out to create is, indeed, fully delivered and realized. It feels, drives and sounds like a true performance car on the road and costs less than $15 to “fill up” overnight based on our cost of kilowatts.

Paddle shifters realistically simulate a 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, with hard shift points coming with each click of the lever. Using manual mode resets the hot hatch’s torque curves to better conjure the sound of an ICE pony car. It kicks pavement like an ICE on upshifts, and even has red lines on the simulated tachometer for each gear.  The 5 N’s regenerative braking is a perfect fit to the driving experience when you let up on the accelerator.

“The IONIQ 5 N creates engaging new driving experiences for performance enthusiasts of all stripes,” says judge Drew Winter. “The feedback isn’t just for show like we see in many EVs. It clearly is designed to give serious drivers familiar audio and physical cues for high performance driving.”

And all that’s before you punch “N Grin” mode that boosts power to 641 hp – and is guaranteed to make you smile from ear to ear.

Says judge Christie Schweinsberg: “Holy cow – the G forces on my body! Yowza! Crazy! I felt like I was getting a facelift.”

Practically speaking, the Ioniq 5 N offers a decent range, thanks to its large 77.4-kWh battery pack. On a full charge, it can cover 221 miles (356 km), although this can decrease a bit when driven aggressively. The 5 N also supports ultra-fast charging, allowing the driver to charge from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes, making it convenient for long-distance trips.

The Ioniq 5 N BEV roars with the sounds of performance, and packs oodles of driving fun, without drilling holes in the exhaust pipe or gassing up.

All of that propels the Ioniq 5 N into the 2024 Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems winner’s circle.

“What’s not to love?” asks judge Bob Gritzinger. “This is a stellar example of what an engineering team can do with a battery-electric vehicle when given carte blanche to make it look, feel, sound and perform like its internal-combustion brethren.”