Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs BYD Sealion 5

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 Epiq N-Line AWD leverages an electric powertrain’s best attributes brilliantly well.

It’s ultra smooth and comfortable with ample performance and great dynamics thanks in part to this car’s N Line spec.

Its price tag pits it against formidable competition from the German Big Three, Tesla and others. But it has what it takes in terms of quality and value to fight that battle. It’s an impressive machine.

Cars that don’t always appeal to enthusiast buyers are often seen by manufacturers as a way of not bothering with the dynamics. Good enough is, apparently, good enough. Thankfully, BYD hasn’t taken that path here and the local suspension tweaks have turned what could have been a me-too product into a bit of a dynamic class leader. And even if buyers can’t verbalise the benefits of that, they will still be subliminally enjoying them with every kilometre.

The other stand-out feature is the price-tag which represents an awful lot of car for the money. And, in such a price-sensitive market as this one, that will get the BYD over the line for a lot of families. That it also offers a vastly better driving experience simply makes the value equation – and the purchasing proposition – even stronger.

Is this a big hatchback or a mid-size SUV? I’m on team hatchback, while Hyundai defines the Ioniq 5 as an SUV.

But who cares? They’re just words and the fact is even after close to three years in market this five-seater looks fresh and contemporary thanks to its confident, chiselled lines and wide stance.  

For car-spotters the N Line exterior treatment consists of flat aluminium badging, specific bumpers front and rear, with a deeper nose spoiler incorporating larger vents to cool the front brakes.

There’s also body-coloured cladding and side skirts, gloss black mirror caps, unique 20-inch alloy rims and a ‘hidden’ lighting signature across the top of the front bumper.

Inside there are Alcantara- and leather-appointed seats, an N Line-exclusive partially-perforated leather steering wheel, red contrast stitching and accents, and brushed metal covers on the pedals.

Add in the twin 12.3-inch screens display and this understated, super-cool interior comes to life with a sporty twist. 

The Ioniq 5 scores points for a manual dial for audio control and an Ioniq 5 update earlier this year included a row of simple-to-use buttons for the ventilation system and another on the centre console for seat comfort settings and more. A sensible blend of physical and digital controls.

The interior of the Sealion 5 feels pretty well-made and there are soft-touch surfaces on most of the touch-points. The steering wheel, too, is thick and chunky and nice to hang on to. But there’s a lot going on in terms of different colours, textures and surfaces, and it can all look a bit busy, despite the high-tech boardroom overall flavour. It’s also worth mentioning the trim material is synthetic but does a great job of looking and feeling like real leather.

Externally, there’s not a lot to grab the eye. Sure, it’s not an unpleasant looking vehicle, but neither does it stand out from the mid-size SUV pack. At least BYD decided against those cheap-looking plastic tack-ons on each wheel-arch.

At just over 4.6m long, a little under 1.9m wide and a fraction more than 1.6m tall the Ioniq 5 comfortably fits the medium SUV profile.

But arguably its most significant dimension is a 3.0m wheelbase which is huge for a car of this size as evidenced by the wheels pushed out to the corners.

What that means is plenty of space inside, but before you can even get in the capacitive touch power door handles may look cool and help aero performance with their flush fit design but I’m not a fan. They’re hard to grip most of the time and don’t work well from an ergonomic point-of-view.

That said, once inside the front seats are adjustable six ways to Sunday and at 183cm tall I have plenty of head space and breathing room in general.

In terms of storage there are big pockets in the doors with room for bottles and thanks to the ‘shift-by-wire’ gear controller located on the steering column there’s room between the seats for a substantial console including a pair of cupholders, a slot for devices and a lidded tray (which doubles as a centre armrest) with that whole rear section able to swing up to allow access to a large lower shelf underneath.

In fact, the entire console unit easily slides fore and aft to liberate more legroom for the centre rear position. There’s also an oddments cubby in the lower part of the dash and a decent glove box.

Then, for connectivity and power there are three USB-C sockets (one in the dash switchable to streaming), a wireless device charging pad and a 12-volt outlet.

In the back that long wheelbase comes into its own. Sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my position I have loads of foot, leg and headroom.

Storage runs to door pockets with room for bottles, a fold-down centre armrest with a pair of cupholders, there are netted map pockets on the front seat backs and pull-up sun shades on the rear windows.

There are controls for the front passenger seat on the inner edge of the front passenger seat backrest which allows rear seaters to adjust its position. Thoughtful.

For power there’s a pair of USB-C sockets and individual ventilation controls in the back of the B-pillars is welcome. 

Then, not only is the electrically-adjustable rear seat split 60/40 in the backrest, it’s in the cushion, as well, which adds extra flexibility in terms of a balance between rear passenger space and room in the boot.

The boot is generous at 527 litres (VDA) with the rear seat upright and 1587L when it’s folded down.

There’s also a handy 24L ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, a decent portion of which is devoted to the (included) charging cable.

Interestingly, the Ioniq 5 AWD is rated to tow a 1600kg braked trailer with a trailer pre-wiring package standard. 

There’s a repair/inflator rather than a spare tyre, which is never a good thing, but there is a ‘smart’ power tailgate and a ‘Vehicle-to-Load’ function that allows you to power and/or charge three-pin appliances from the car. Handy.

Here’s the other big shock relative to the price-tag of the Sealion 5: This is not a small car. Based on the price, you might have been thinking the vehicle would be a compact SUV. And you’d have been wrong. This is a proper mid-sized SUV with room for five and luggage and an overall length of 4.7 metres and change. And to put that into some kind of perspective, that’s just 30mm shorter than the Sealion 6 which costs about $9000 more at its starting point.

The wheelbase is long, too, and the 2712mm between the axles helps make the interior even more spacious. That means there’s lots of stretching room in the front, but also that a grown adult can comfortably sit in the back seat behind another grown adult at the wheel and still have enough room in every direction. The window sills are commendably low in the rear seat, too, ensuring even littlies can see out.

The biggest problem in the back is that the seat cushion is a bit flat, but, like the front chairs, it’s still pretty plush.

With all five seats in place, the Sealion 5 boasts 463 litres of luggage space and the cargo area is well done with storage pockets at each side, a light and an under-floor tray designed to transport charging cables and a tyre repair kit. Yep, that’s right, there’s no spare tyre of any sort here. No surprise, really.

Fold the rear seat down and you’re suddenly looking at 1410 litres of cargo space and your SUV is now a panel van.

As well as the dual-zone climate control, the Sealion 5 also offers a single USB -C and a USB-A charging port in the front and rear compartments.

The Sealion 5 also offers a V2L (Vehicle to Load) function, meaning it can power camping or on-site work equipment and even act as your home’s battery.

The plug-in hybrid in question is the BYD Sealion 5. It has a claimed EV-only range of better than 100km, relatively quick charging, a decent sized battery, adequate performance, enough interior space for a family, good safety and lots of equipment. Oh, and it costs just $33,990, before on-road costs, in its entry-level Essential form. Incoming!

Equipment-wise, that sub-34K sticker gets you a 10.1-inch central info-screen, an 8.8-inch driver display, digital radio, a six-speaker stereo, wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and dual-zone climate control.

Throw another four grand on the table and you move up to the Premium version which adds plenty of kit for the $37,990 ask. That includes a panoramic sunroof, automatic tailgate, roof rails, heated and electrically folding mirrors, one-touch power windows, a six-way powered drivers seat and four-way powered co-pilot’s chair, a heated and ventilated driver’s seat and wireless charging.

The step up from Essential to Premium also includes a battery upgrade, and we’ll cover that off in the Under the Bonnet section below.

The Ioniq 5 Epiq AWD is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor on each axle, both powerful, but the rear unit packs a bigger punch.

And combined peak outputs of 239kW and 605Nm are substantial with especially the latter delivering eye-widening acceleration.

Drive goes to all four wheels via a single-speed, reduction gear auto transmission on both axles. And a ‘Disconnector Actuator System’ is able to disengage the front wheels to reduce drag losses from the front motor and improve energy efficiency.

Both variants of the Sealion 5 have the same driveline – mostly. They each use a 1.5-litre petrol engine teamed with a single electric motor, both driving the front wheels. Unlike the bigger Sealions, there’s no all-wheel drive version. Power peaks at 156kW and torque at 300Nm.

Why a non-turbocharged engine? BYD tells us the non-turbo engine helps keep cost out of the vehicle and, since the engine really only runs to power the electric motor and charge the batteries, it does so at a relatively constant engine speed, negating the need for a wide spread of petrol power.

The only major difference is that the Essential version has a 12.9kWh battery-pack, while the Premium gets a bigger, 18.3kWh pack for longer range, but precisely the same output and, therefore, performance.

A single-speed transmission is part of the BYD driveline package, also made possible by the fact that the vast majority of the driving of wheels is done by the electric motor.

The Ioniq 5 Epiq AWD is powered by an 84kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, borrowed from the high-performance Ioniq 5 N.

Thanks to 800-volt compatibility it can accept a 350kW DC charge which translates to an up to 80 per cent charge time of around 18 minutes, which expands to just over an hour using a more typical 50kW charger.

Connect to AC at the Ioniq 5’s maximum 10.5kW capacity and quoted charge time is just over six hours.

Official energy consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 19kWh/100km and claimed range is a useful 495km.

Over a mix of urban, suburban and freeway running on test we saw a real-world average of 16.8kWh/100km, which is impressive for a car with this much performance potential.

The Premium’s bigger battery claims to up the official NEDC range from the Essential’s 71km to 100km. BYD reckons with the 52-litre fuel tank brimmed and the car operating at its claimed 1.2 litres per 100km efficiency, the range of either version is just on 1000km. In the real world, that’s likely to be closer to 800km (especially with some highway running thrown in) but it’s still one heck of a solution to range anxiety.

There’s no DC charging function for the Sealion 5, so forget about commercial fast chargers. But on a 3.3kW AC power outlet, the maker claims the Essential can reach full charge in under four hours, while the Premium’s bigger battery will take under six hours to fully charge. A Type 1 charge cable is included.

In terms of straight line performance we’re talking 0-100km/h in a tick over 5.0 seconds and I see anything in the five-second bracket as properly quick.

With more than 600Nm of peak pulling power at your disposal there’s always plenty of pulling power for efficient in-traffic moves and safe highway overtaking.

The shift-by-wire gear selector on the steering column takes some getting used to but once you’re in tune with it, it’s surprisingly convenient, especially during slow speed parking or turning manoeuvres. 

There are multiple modes - ‘Eco’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Snow’. Sport mode spices things up a bit with more urgent responses and the ‘HTrac’ AWD system uses multiple sensors to manage potential wheelspin and optimise drive in wet conditions or on loose dirt surfaces.

Suspension is by struts at the front and multi-links and the rear and the Ioniq 5 in this configuration is ultra-smooth and comfortable.

Even hitting pretty aggressive speed bumps and ruts in the road and the car soaks them up without fuss. You’re used to EVs being a little harsh in terms of ride compliance thanks to their relative weight, but that’s not the case here.

As part of a model upgrade introduced earlier this year Hyundai says it undertook a “comprehensive revision to the suspension tune”, which includes high-performance dampers on this N Line. And despite low-ish profile (255/45) Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres on the 20-inch rims it remains comfortable and quiet.

The upgrade also included body reinforcements in the B- and C-pillar, door surrounds and under the body for a stiffer platform overall.

That pays off in the dynamics. Despite its 2.1-tonne weight the Ioniq 5’s steering is accurate and nicely weighted. It doesn’t feel lumbering or ponderous despite its relative heft.

The physical brakes are ventilated discs front and rear with regenerative available through four levels, the most aggressive setting being ‘i-Pedal’ which allows single-pedal driving.

It will slow the car to a full stop, harvesting the most energy possible in the process, although you might need a dab on the brake pedal if things are tight.

Miscellaneous observations include a 12m turning circle, so be ready for three-point turns where you didn’t think you’d have to.

Hyundai's (and Kia’s) default over-speed warning is present in full-force taking clicks through multiple screens to switch off and avoid its incessant audible alarm saying you've exceed what the car believes is the posted limit (every time you restart the car).

The recently released Tucson Hybrid features a short-cut function to do away with this issue and it would be welcome here.

The CPU underpinning the multimedia system is more powerful and response is speedy without a hint of lag.

And the camera based ‘mirrors’ take some getting used to. For many, they’re the answer to a question no one was asking. I mean, conventional mirrors work pretty well and any aero benefit from the smaller camera units has to be modest. But once you’re in tune with them the hi-def screens are excellent.

A flip of the switch on the interior rear view mirror allows you to side-step tall heads or loads in the back of the car but minimal depth of field is also (visually) awkward at first.

You don’t have to drive very far to realise that the local input into the Sealion 5’s suspension and steering have been worth the effort. BYD Australia has a local engineering team on call these days, and it shows here.

Actually, the steering is not the highlight; it has some weight but not a whole lot of feel, or, indeed, feedback for the driver. The ride and handling combination is what stars. Obviously well-damped, the suspension allows for a ride that is both complaint and quiet, without causing the car to wallow around like some jacked-up designs can with their higher centre of gravity.

In fact, the BYD is athletic to the point where keener drivers will find it an entertaining drive; hardly something that can be said for the majority of medium SUVs.

Performance is strong without being overwhelming and even though the Sealion 5 has that signature electric-drive feeling of effortlessness, the accelerator pedal has been calibrated to avoid the neck-snapping surge of grunt off the line. As such, it emerges with a fairly flat acceleration curve, and no hint that the petrol motor is cutting in or out.

Until, that is, you bury the throttle all the way at which point the petrol engine takes a few second to join in. And when it does, it’s pretty vocal – shrill, almost – as it catches up with the rest of the car and starts directly driving the wheels. To be fair, though, this is not going to be a common occurrence in everyday life thanks to the flexibility of the petrol-electric system for 99 per cent of circumstances.

On the move, the cabin is perhaps most notable for its soft, plush seats that are a nice change from the church pews of some manufacturers. And although the driving position is about right, taller drivers might prefer a steering column that extends out another few millimetres.

The driver display screen is another source of annoyance. It’s pretty small and contains lots and lots of information, to the point where the typeface is too small to be read on the run by anybody who relies on reading glasses.

Passive safety in the Sealion 5 starts with no fewer than seven airbags including full-length side-curtain bags. 

There’s also a front-centre airbag, something we’d like to see in more cars, particularly at this price-point. Child restraint points in the rear seat are the ISOFIX type.

The BYD gets pretty much the full suite of driver aids, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert with active assistance, stability control, active cruise-control, traffic-sign recognition, front and rear collision warning and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Sealion 5 also incorporates a driver-attention monitor which seems better calibrated than some earlier efforts from some of the Chinese carmakers. Also improved in calibration terms is the lane-keeping assistance which is still too violent for our tastes, but more subtle than some of the competition’s systems. But while the savagery of this system has been toned down, it appears to have been at the expense of sensitivity and, time and time again, the cameras missed road markings that were faded or dirty.

The major safety benefit in paying more for the Premium variant is the addition of front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera instead of the Essential’s simple reversing camera.

The Sealion 5 has not been ANCAP tested as yet, although BYD says this is largely down to ANCAP’s scheduling rather than any hesitance on BYD’s part.

Hyundai covers the Ioniq 5 with a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is the mainstream market norm, with a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty for the drive battery; also an expected term.

Roadside assistance and sat-nav updates are renewed annually if the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Hyundai dealer.

Service interval is two years/30,000km which is appropriate for an EV given its relative mechanical simplicity and a ‘Lifetime Service Plan’ locks in scheduled maintenance costs for the life of the vehicle.

Service cost for the first five years is $1220, with each of the two services required in that time coming in at $610. Competitive for an EV in this part of the market.

Like other BYDs, the Sealion 5 comes with a six-year/150,000km warranty. Some of the competition have unlimited kilometre warranties, but to be honest, 150,000km in six years is going to be beyond the need and aspirations of most owners.

The EV battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty, and let’s not forget, BYD was a battery manufacturer before it started making whole cars. Certainly, the company is very bullish about the quality and safety of its 'Blade' battery technology, claiming it easily passes the technically-daunting 'nail-puncture' test.

BYD plans to have capped-price servicing for the Sealion 5, but no pricing announcements have been made yet.

Servicing also falls into line with other BYD models, so that means 12 months or 20,000km intervals.