BYD Atto 3 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

What's the difference?

We appear to have reached a tipping point in the acceptance of electric vehicles in this country. The early adopters have made their switch but the technology has become more widely accepted, so now carmakers need to woo buyers with conventional means. 

That means the tried and tested methods for making any car more appealing to a customer - lower cost and more equipment.

No car demonstrates this better than the BYD Atto 3, which is one of the most popular electric vehicles in Australia. But after an initial surge of buyers happy for a more affordable EV, BYD needs to find fresh ways to attract new customers.

So, for this updated 2024 Atto 3, BYD has made it cheaper and added some key new equipment, while retaining its previous strengths in terms of value and technology.

What is it about single letters and performance cars? 

BMW has M, Volkswagen has R, Lexus has F, and with only 23 choices left Hyundai opted for N - which stands for Namyang, site of the brand’s sprawling proving ground and development centre in South Korea, and Nurburgring, the famous German racing circuit where its performance cars are fine-tuned.

And like BMW M Sport, VW R-Line and Lexus F Sport, the Korean giant has N Line as a ‘lite’ option. Sporty models that add a little more punch and visual flair without crossing the line into hardcore hot-rod territory. 

And this is one its latest examples, the pure-electric Ioniq 5 SUV in top-spec Epiq AWD trim and equipped with the N Line Option Pack as well as the tricky Digital Mirror Pack.

In this configuration it slots into the $90K price band, which means it has a lot to live up to in terms of performance, safety, driving dynamics, value and more. 

So, stay with us to see if this premium five-seater is the kind of sporty EV SUV that gets your heart racing.