Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs Subaru Outback

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.

If you’re a Subaru fan chances are the Wilderness will float your boat. It’s an appealing mix of on-road refinement and more than satisfactory capability on bush tracks.

The Wilderness engine-and-CVT combination helps to make this Subaru well refined and highly responsive on-road and it benefits from punchier low-rev output in off-road scenarios.

Subaru has made a habit of producing practical vehicles and this new addition to the upgraded Outback line-up doesn’t disappoint.

Does anyone need a Wilderness version of the Outback? Probably not. Will anyone want a Wilderness edition Outback? I reckon a lot of Outback fans would fall over themselves to get their hands on one of these.

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 most obvious design tweaks include a glare-reducing bonnet decal, the new grille and bumper, substantial durable plastic cladding on each side, and some tailgate trim and lighting variations away from standard Outbacks.

There’s gold edging here and there around the Wilderness exterior (fog lights etc) and it’s eye-catching, but this vehicle attracts some bemused looks.

While it’s based on the mid-spec Outback AWD Premium, the Wilderness stands apart because of its taller stance (with an extra 20mm ground clearance over standard Outbacks) and chunkier overall look.

For numbers nerds, the Wilderness is 4880mm long (with a 2745mm wheelbase), 1880mm wide, 1735mm high and has a listed kerb weight of 1781kg.

Its wheel tracks (1575mm front / 1600mm rear) are 10mm narrower in both cases than those of standard Outbacks.

Inside, the Wilderness has water-repellent upholstery with embossed Wilderness logos on the headrests, Wilderness tags on the seats, orange stitching throughout and all-weather floor mats.

All in all, it looks stylish, inside and out, but it’s also ready to play in the dirt.

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.

In terms of practicality the Wilderness doesn’t disappoint. The cabin has a neat and familiar layout with enough soft-touch surfaces, storage space, cupholders and charge points to satisfy most drivers and passengers.

The 12.1-inch horizontal multi-media touchscreen is easy enough to operate, with many cabin functions able to be controlled via on-screen buttons, but some functions (including air-conditioning and auto vehicle hold) can also be adjusted via physical off-screen controls, which is handy.

The seats offer improved lumbar and pelvic support relative to previous Outbacks, there’s more headroom for the driver and passengers and Subaru reckons the rear cargo area opening is more than 50mm higher than standard for easier loading and unloading of gear into the rear.

According to Subaru the Wilderness upholstery is “hydrophobic synthetic leather with an anti-slip embossed finish” which looks good and seems durable enough for a lifetime of weekend road trips with some dirt inadvertently tracked inside for good measure.

Cargo volume is a listed 530 litres (with the rear seat up and in use), and that expands to 1211 litres when the 60/40 split-folding rear seat is down.

You can conceal whatever is in the rear cargo area with the new foldable fabric cargo cover which can be used as a tonneau-style cover, cargo partition, or even to protect the rear load lip. Its rear-most fixing points attach to the inner walls with magnets.

The cargo area has a 12-volt outlet, two shopping bag hooks on each wall, four tie-down points on the floor and a full-size spare wheel stored under that floor.

The Wilderness has new high-strength roof rails which are claimed to offer a static load capacity of 363kg (increased from 318kg).

Subaru has made a habit of producing practical vehicles and this new Outback doesn’t disappoint.

The 2026 Subaru Outback Wilderness has a manufacturer list price of $59,690, before on-road costs.

It’s based on the mid-range Outback AWD Premium but offers a lot on more onboard than that variant including an upgraded turbo engine, 240mm ground clearance (20mm more than the standard Outback), electronic dampers and extra 'X-Mode' off-road functionality.

As well it gets a new bumper and front grille (with SUBARU emblazoned across the front), substantial cladding on each side, water-repellent upholstery with embossed Wilderness logos, all-weather floor mats and some Wilderness-specific trim and lighting on the tailgate.

The Wilderness also gets a 12.1-inch horizontal multi-media touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (and wireless charger), a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, heated/powered front seats, heated outboard rear seats, a hands-free powered tailgate, X-Mode off-road mode, roof rails, 18-inch black-finish alloy wheels (with full-sized spare).

Annoyingly, the Wilderness misses out on some features included in its cheaper stablemate, the Outback AWD Touring ($56,990, before on-road costs) – namely active lane-change assist, a 360-degree camera system, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound, Nappa leather, ventilated seats and a sunroof.

Spend another $3000 over the Wilderness price-tag and that $62,690 (before on-road costs) will put you in the top-spec Wilderness Apex. Its extras (over the Wilderness grade) include sat-nav, and the aforementioned 360-degree view monitor and Harman Kardon audio system.

In terms of value for money, you get a lot a of bang for your buck in this Outback and it more than holds its own against rivals, such as the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X and Toyota RAV4.

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.

There are two direct-injection Boxer engines on offer in the Outback line-up: standard Outbacks get a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine (137kW at 5800rpm and 254Nm at 3700rpm), while the Wilderness and Wilderness Apex get a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol boxer engine, producing 194kW at 5600rpm and 382Nm at 2000-3600rpm.

Both engines are matched to a continuously variable auto transmission (CVT) with eight-speed 'manual' mode. No Outback in the new line-up has a manual gearbox.

The Wilderness’s engine-and-CVT combination helps to make this Subaru well refined and highly responsive on-road and it benefits from punchier low-rev output in off-road scenarios.

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.

Official fuel consumption for the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 9.7L/100km.

Fuel consumption on test was 10.8L/100km (combined) and while a lot of this test was spent on sealed surfaces, we did do unsealed road and rough-track driving.

The Outback has a 63-litre fuel tank so going by our on-test fuel consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 583km from a full tank of premium unleaded petrol.

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.

From the start, this is an enjoyable car to drive. The driver’s seat is eight-way power-adjustable so it’s easy to dial-in your preferred driving position. There’s ample visibility for a vehicle that feels so snug around you and this is a nimble mid-sized SUV with a 11.0m turning circle.

On-road, it is quiet and smooth, and its ride and handling are well controlled, with new dual-pinion electric power steering adding more precision.

The tweaked Wilderness suspension set-up – MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear (both with newly tuned electronically-controlled dampers) – yields a comfortable driving experience.

As mentioned, the engine/CVT combination is generally impressive, but if driving based on the CVT’s behaviour is not entirely your cup of tea, you can always use the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel to have your fun.

The Outback has always been a solid all-rounder and well suited to light- to medium-duty off-roading and over the years its driver-assist systems have been tweaked and finessed to improve those attributes.

Worth noting, we define light- to medium-duty off-roading as driving on well-maintained gravel tracks or dirt roads in dry weather, or coping with minor corrugations, or muddy potholes on dirt or gravel tracks in wet weather.

This SUV's AWD system is intended to keep you safe on less-than-ideal terrain, such as rain-splattered wet blacktop, loosely gravelled bush tracks or slightly muddy dirt roads, rather than transform the Outback into a rock-crawling beast.

Afterall, this is not a 4WD with low-range gearing, ample ground clearance and aggressive all-terrain tyres.

However, with a skilled, experienced driver at the helm, the Outback is even able to tackle off-roading so difficult it would otherwise seem out of an all-wheel drive’s realm of capability.

The Wilderness edition simply builds on that reputation.

For starters, it has greater ground clearance (240mm) than other Outbacks and so its off-road angles are an improvement, with its 20-degree approach, 21.2-degree ramp-over angle and 23.6-degree departure angle besting its lower-spec stablemates.

Subaru’s X Mode system, with snow/dirt and deep snow/mud modes, adds another level to the Outback’s capability. These modes tweak acceleration, off-road traction-control activity and front and rear axle limited-slip function, among other things, to suit the terrain. Working in conjunction with driver-assist tech such as Hill Descent Control, the Outback handles light- to medium-duty off-roading with no strife whatsoever.

Ride and handling remain fine on unsealed country roads, and the suspension mostly soaks up the more dramatic bush track lumps and bumps.

If you’re looking for a vehicle to tow a 2500kg-plus caravan, boat or horse float then look elsewhere because the Wilderness has 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 2100kg (braked) towing capacities.

In terms of all-around driveability, this Outback has a lot going for it and can stand its ground against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, and even the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X.

The Wilderness has not been tested ANCAP, but it has an extensive suite of safety gear and driver-assist tech.

Standard safety features include nine airbags, AEB (Auto Emergency Braking), driver monitoring (annoying), active lane-change assist, front and side alert assist, emergency lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitor, traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and more.

For child seats there are top tether points for all three rear seat positions with ISOFIX anchors on the outer two.

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.

The Wilderness is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty, five-year/75,000km capped price servicing, and comes with 12 months of roadside assistance.

Servicing is recommended at 12 month/15,000km intervals.

The upfront prepaid service plans are a three-year service plan ($1275.37) and a five-year service plan ($2347.31).

For comparison, the first five years' service for a comparable Toyota RAV4 will set you back $1625.

At time of writing, Subaru Australia has more than 114 authorised dealerships and more than 120 service centres around the country.