00:00This is the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N.
00:06When Hyundai introduced the IONIQ 5 all-electric car a few years ago,
00:11it was rolled out with a lot of enthusiasm, but Hyundai's engineers knew they could do better.
00:16They knew that this car was capable of doing everything that world-class performance cars could do.
00:23So they set out to prove that theory.
00:25They gave the IONIQ 5 the N driving dynamics of their performance line.
00:30N stands for Namyang, which is where Hyundai's proving ground is in Korea.
00:35But in this instance, it also stands for Nurburgring, which is where they tested this performance car.
00:41It delivers 601 horsepower, 641 when you put it in boost mode, and 545 pound-feet of torque.
00:49But more than that, it is tuned for racing.
00:52The wheels are spread to the corners of the car.
00:55It has a diffuser on the end for better aerodynamics.
00:59And it has all the markings of a performance car, from red stripes and red pixels
01:05to suede seats that are designed to keep you planted when heading around those really tight curves at high speed.
01:12Everyone said an electric car cannot be the most powerful performance car, but that's clearly not true.
01:19Critics and journalists agreed and awarded the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N the World Performance Car of the Year for 2024.
01:26To prove that an EV could be just as fun to drive as a gas-powered performance car,
01:32Hyundai engineered this to look and feel and sound and perform just like a gas-powered performance car.
01:39And then when you put it in boost mode, you really feel that power.
01:43Not just the power of the 641 horsepower, but the power of that instant torque.
01:48It throws you back in your seat the way any really truly world-class performance car will do.
01:54Hyundai equipped the IONIQ 5 N with sports seats, so they actually have cutouts for racing harnesses.
01:59So if you want to install racing harnesses, you can.
02:02And then all five seats are upholstered in microsuede, and they have bolsters on the sides and on the seats
02:10so that the driver and all passengers are firmly planted, no matter whether this car is going through the drive-thru or around the Nurburgring.
02:17The interior of the IONIQ 5 N draws on the IONIQ 5, which has this large flat screen here.
02:24Where it differs is the steering wheel and then the center console and the seating.
02:29So we're in sport mode, but it's electric, so you hear a little of the electric hum.
02:34But when I tap this N button.
02:40And then if I pull the paddle shifters, and all you have to do is pull the paddle shifters.
02:53Second gear.
02:55There are a series of speakers.
02:58Most of them are inside the car. There's a couple on the outside.
03:01So that if you're driving by, you will hear a little bit of that engine noise, but not a lot.
03:07Most of the sound is actually fed into the cabin.
03:10Now, I'm going to hit NGB or N-Grin mode. Ready?
03:21It really throws you back in your seat.
03:23And look how fast that acceleration is.
03:25That is that instant torque and all of that additional 40 horsepower.
03:30So it really gives you that.
03:32The intention is to give you that 600 horsepower.
03:34If you're not going fast enough, you're not going to get it.
03:36But merging onto the highway or on a private track, that is going to be fun.
03:42The IONIQ 5 is an electric car, so you can go into your EV settings.
03:46And you can see your range and how much of your battery is left.
03:49But for the N version, you want to go into N mode.
03:53On this screen, you have all of your performance metrics and some options here.
03:59For instance, you can turn on N-Pedal.
04:02And it will even show you what you need to do to make N-Pedal work,
04:06which is sport mode dedicated for tracks or ideal for track driving.
04:11And race mode. And you can even drift in this car.
04:15And it shows you what you need to do to be able to get that traction control off.
04:20If you want to be in sport plus, it's ideal not to use these modes when driving on city streets.
04:27With the custom settings, you can set up N mode however you'd like.
04:30And then over here, you even have the option to track your performance on the track.
04:36And then there's launch control.
04:38And launch control is essentially starting from zero and going as fast as you can as you would on a drag strip.
04:44As performance cars go, it's priced squarely in the middle.
04:48For $67,000, it's all in. It's a package.
04:51You could probably add a few things, but not much.
04:53What you see is what you get in the Hyundai IONIQ 5N.
04:56The Hyundai IONIQ 5N is a great daily driver.
04:59It's really comfortable. It's got plenty of passenger space and rear seat legroom.
05:03Plus a lot of space in the hatch for cargo.
05:07So it's great for road trips and family driving.
05:10But it's for that enthusiast who wants to take it out on the track or twisty mountain roads on the weekends.
05:18Hyundai IONIQ 5N.
