Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 N electric hyper hatch has made a storming start to life by being crowned Car of the Year at the 2023 TopGear.com Awards.
The IONIQ 5 N was revealed earlier this year at July’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it received universal acclaim as a thrilling new option for driving enthusiasts looking to electrify their passion on both road and track, and as a pioneering technological blueprint for the Hyundai N division’s EV future.
The high-performance model combines the Electrified-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) of the standard IONIQ 5 – the 2022 World Car of the Year – with N’s motorsport-bred technologies and expertise to take driving fun to a new level. And it’s this unswerving focus on delivering maximum enjoyment and excitement behind the wheel that persuaded TopGear’s expert team of judges to name the car the best of the past 12 months.
“Hyundai’s engineers set out to make the IONIQ 5 N feel like a lairy petrol car, but became converts to what electrification could do. They took advantage of an EV’s digital domains to give a vast extra set of adjustable parameters,” said Paul Horrell, TopGear writer and Car of the Year Juror. “As a result, on road and track it does what you’d never expect of a big EV… overdelivers to a staggering extent. Forget any ‘for an EV’ qualifiers – it’s huge fun full stop. It turns a page for electric cars, which means a new page for cars.”
“The IONIQ 5 N electrifies driving fun to a new level,” said Till Wartenberg, Vice President and Head of N Brand and Motorsport at Hyundai Motor Company. “We’ve listened closely to our N-thusiasts to develop a driving experience that fits our enthusiast culture. Our target is to deliver a high level of driving passion whether powered by petrol, electric, or hydrogen, and with the technology and innovations in the IONIQ 5 N we’ve achieved our goal with the first all-electric N.”
Check Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 N Track Driving Experience
The IONIQ 5 N’s success marks the second time in three years that a Hyundai N car has taken the Top Gear Car of the Year honour, following the i20 N in 2021.
Among the IONIQ 5 N’s array of key technical advances that won over the judges is a powertrain which delivers greater power output and enhanced performance in battery cooling and braking. The IONIQ 5 N’s electric motors spin up to 21,000 RPM, providing up to 609 PS in normal conditions, or 650 PS when the car’s N Grin Boost (NGB) feature is engaged, maximising acceleration for up to 10 seconds; 0-62mph is achievable in 3.4 seconds, while a top speed of 161mph is attainable on tracks.
A memorable drive is guaranteed by a host of upgrades, including a strengthened steering column for improved feedback, Electronic Controlled Suspension that adapts suspension stiffness according to the drive mode, and a suite of sophisticated electronic control technology in the E-GMP platform. Highlights include N Pedal, an intelligent software function that provides instant turn-in and enhanced throttle sensitivity for exhilarating cornering, and fully variable front and rear N Torque Distribution.
The IONIQ 5 N also sets a new benchmark in terms of emotional engagement for a performance EV, courtesy of N e-shift, which simulates the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission of internal combustion engine N cars, and N Active Sound+, which provides a compelling soundtrack that highlights the EV’s power.
