Hyundai Ioniq 6 vs Jaecoo J5

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 will stand out in any automotive crowd, thanks to its distinctive aero-influenced design.

It’s well-equipped for the money, surprisingly roomy, energy efficient and notwithstanding some niggles around the ride and steering feel, comes up to scratch dynamically.

Does it do enough to apply the thumb screws to the likes of Tesla's Model 3? I think it’s got a pretty good shot, and it will be interesting to see if EV buyers embrace the car’s unusual streamlined look.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Jaecoo J5 EV makes a strong first impression and a quieter long-term one. The J5 looks the part, feels comfortable and covers all the basics well, making it an easy choice for buyers who want an affordable, practical EV without too many compromises.

It’s a solid effort overall, though even at this lower price point a few more rear-seat features would be welcome - especially given this is the only grade currently available. However, it hits the right notes when it comes to ownership and value which will be its strongest pull.

Lots of cars are said to be “shaped by the wind” but all you have to do is look at the Ioniq 6 to know that in this case it’s 100 per cent true.

In fact, images of the car in Hyundai’s wind tunnel show it performing more like a perfectly shaped wing than a four door sedan.

With a drag co-efficient (Cd) of 0.21 it’s slicker than the ultra low-drag Tesla Model 3 and Porsche Taycan. And while not conventionally pretty it’s certainly a striking and unusual design.

Flush door handles? Of course. Carefully sculpted spoilers front and rear? Yep. Active air flaps? Check. The RWD Dynamiq’s 18-inch alloy rims are shaped for aero efficiency, while the top-spec Epiq grade even swaps out conventional side mirrors for super-cool digital cameras and interior OLED screens.

And the sleek looks continue inside with a two-section dash divided horizontally by a swoopy winged insert and topped with a pair of 12.3-inch screens covering multimedia and instrumentation.

The look and feel is minimalist. A lot of the controls are on screen or digital, but a physical dial for audio volume gets a big safety and convenience tick. 

No gearshift in the bridge-like centre console. A rotary stalk is located behind the steering wheel on the right-hand side.

There’s configurable ambient mood lighting with six pre-selected themes and the materials used inside are suitably eco-friendly.

Cloth seat trim is recycled PET plastic, as is the headliner, the dashboard skin is manufactured using bio-ethanol, the carpet is made from recycled fishing nets (!), and bio paint (partially derived from vegetable oils) is used on the doors. 

Yes, there’s leather, but its dyeing process uses biodegradable flaxseed oil rather than conventional pigments, which is a good thing in terms of fewer harmful microorganisms in waste water, and is claimed to reduce CO2 emissions by 3.8kg per car. 

On the outside, recycled pigment paint made using ‘end-of-life’ tyres is applied to the body cladding, and bamboo charcoal pigment paint is used in the ‘Digital Green’ pearl colour option.

Speaking of which, there are seven other colours available; three more pearl shades - ‘Abyss Black’, ‘Ultimate Red’ and ‘Biophilic Ink’, as well a single metallic ‘Nocturn Gray’ and a solid ‘Byte Blue’. ‘Gravity Gold’ matt finish is the only extra-cost choice at $1000. 

The Jaecoo J5 EV is a handsome-looking small SUV. Its suite of LED lighting, 18-inch alloy wheels and upright, robust silhouette give it plenty of presence, particularly for something positioned at the affordable end of the EV market. That said, originality isn’t really its strong suit. The design, especially from the rear, feels heavily inspired by a Range Rover. Imitation may be the highest form of flattery but Jaecoo could have pushed the design in a slightly more distinctive direction.

It looks good on the road, though, and inside, the J5 has a genuinely airy feel. Light-coloured synthetic upholstery and the expansive panoramic glass roof help the cabin feel open and welcoming, particularly from the front seats. The design is modern and tech-focused, with the large 13.2-inch display taking centre stage on the dashboard.

The overall layout is clean and undeniably premium in its presentation, though it doesn’t bring a great deal of personality with it. That’s becoming a familiar theme, especially in this part of the EV market, where minimalism and screens often take priority over character.

The Ioniq 6 is just under 4.9m long and the wheelbase is close to three metres, so no surprise there’s an impressive amount of space inside the car.

A flat floor enhances the roomy feel, plus controls for windows and mirrors are located in the centre console or on the dash rather than the front doors, which has allowed the armrests to be trimmed down for some extra breathing space.

As mentioned earlier, there’s no gearshift in the centre console, either. It takes the form of a rotary stalk on the right hand side of the steering column. It doesn’t take long to get used to and I found it pretty handy to use.

There are large bins in the doors with space for bottles, two cupholders in the console and a medium-sized lidded storage box (which doubles as a centre armrest) between the seats.

A lengthy tray underneath the main console keeps additional loose items under control and a generous glove box slides out from the dash rather than flipping open. So, there’s plenty of storage on offer.  

Move to the rear and it feels like you’ve teleported into the back of a stretch limo. With the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position there is huge legroom.

Hyundai says thanks to the use of high strength steel the backs of the front ‘relaxation’ seats fitted to the AWD models are appreciably thinner than normal, also increasing rear space.

Rear headroom is fine sitting in a normal, relaxed position, although sitting bolt upright my bonse grazes the headliner. 

Three abreast for adults will be okay for short runs, but not a goer for lengthy road trips. Three up to teenage kids will be fine, though.

Speaking of kids, parents will appreciate ‘Quiet Mode’ which limits audio to ‘25’ in front and mutes the rear. Perfect for uninterrupted sleep back there, or keeping the noise to a minimum for those furiously focused on their favourite game or a movie.

Backseaters are provided with bins in the doors, although the section scooped out for bottles is small, there are two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, netted map pockets on the front seat backs and a small slot for keys or a phone under the adjustable air vents at the rear of the front console.

Connectivity and power options run to three USB sockets in the front (one Type-A for media and charging, plus two Type-C for power only), a 12-volt socket under the front console, and two Type-C ports in the back. That’s plenty. 

Boot space is 410 litres (VDA), and the rear backrest split-folds 60/40 to liberate more room. Worth noting there are no tie-down anchors in the boot, but there is an underfloor storage compartment, plus a 45L ‘frunk’ under the bonnet of the RWD and a 14.5L storage space in the front of AWD models.

The boot lid is powered but there’s no spare, just a mobility kit. Grrrr!

If you want to hook up the tinny or camper trailer, towing capacity is 1500kg for a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked.

A bi-directional ‘Integrated Charging Control Unit’ (ICCU) allows for ‘Vehicle to Load’ (V2L) functionality on the inside and the outside of the car. There’s a house power-style three-pin outlet at the base of the rear seats or a simple adapter plugs into the charging outlet. Super-handy for camping, picnics, you name it.

The Jaecoo J5 EV's cabin is spacious with both rows offering ample head- and legroom. A flat floor also helps the middle rear seat feel more usable than usual, which is always appreciated. Up front, the seats are very comfortable, with their added adjustment, heating and ventilation making a noticeable difference on longer drives. The rear seats are well padded with decent back support, so passengers in the second row shouldn’t feel short-changed.

Access to both rows is good with wide door apertures and an easy step in/step out height. My main quibble here is the keyless entry set-up. Unless you enable proximity unlocking through the multimedia system the doors aren’t truly keyless. Even then, the system can be inconsistent. That means occasionally having to reach for the key fob, which is frustrating when your hands are full.

Storage is one of the J5’s stronger suits. Up front, it’s easy to keep things neat thanks to a large glove box and a deep, if slightly narrow, middle console. There’s also a clever open shelf beneath a centre console that houses cupholders and phone storage, including a wireless charging pad. A small hidden pocket behind the media display adds to the storage count, although I’ll admit I regularly forget it exists.

Rear passengers get a couple of map pockets, drink bottle holders and cupholders. Beyond that, amenities are limited. There’s a single directional air vent and a USB-A port, but not much else to keep older kids or adults entertained.

Technology is fairly straightforward, although almost everything is accessed through the touchscreen. The multimedia system is crisp and responsive, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto working well, however it misses out on built-in satellite navigation and any meaningful apps. That said, there is a karaoke app tucked away in the system, which will undoubtedly delight someone, somewhere.

Charging options up front include a USB-A and USB-C port, along with a 12-volt socket. There’s also a USB-A port near the rear-view mirror, which is handy if you’re planning to install an aftermarket dash cam.

Jaecoo pitches the J5 as pet-friendly, with upholstery designed to be easy to clean and resistant to wear. In practice, I’d say that claim comes with caveats. Jaecoo clearly hasn’t met my son or my German Shepherd, and it took a fair bit of elbow grease to properly clean the cabin. Staying on top of messes will be key if you want the interior to keep looking fresh.

The boot offers up to 480L of capacity, which is strong for the class, and the flat load floor makes it easy to slide items in and out. There are no power ports or sockets, which feels like an odd omission for an EV. You also get a repair kit instead of a spare tyre, despite there being enough space to accommodate one. A 35L frunk adds some extra storage flexibility, and the powered tailgate is a welcome inclusion.

We’re testing the only Jaecoo J5 EV variant available at the moment, ahead of petrol and hybrid versions due to arrive later this year. Right now, it’s being offered with a limited-time drive-away price of $36,990. Once that offer expires, it reverts to a $35,990 MSRP, which sees it tie with the BYD Atto 2 Premium as the most affordable EV in its segment.

Step up from there and you reach the J5’s sister model, the Chery E5 Ultimate, priced from $40,990 MSRP. The MG S5 EV Essence 62 sits close by, starting from $40,490 MSRP.

On paper, the J5 hits a few more notes than its key rivals and that’s worth acknowledging. There’s a solid list of premium-style features, including electrically adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a panoramic glass roof, powered tailgate and synthetic leather-style upholstery.

Technology is similarly generous. You get a large 13.2-inch touchscreen multimedia display paired with an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 360-degree camera system is standard, as are two USB-A ports, a single 12-volt socket up front and a wireless charging pad.

That said, there’s only one USB-C port in the entire cabin, and no charging ports or power sockets in the boot, which feels like an odd omission in an electric SUV. Accessing the vehicle-to-load function also requires an adapter via the external charging port, rather than a more user-friendly internal outlet.

Despite its sharp pricing, the J5 is offered in just one high-spec grade and that raises expectations. In that context, the rear seat feels a little underdone. It misses out on several amenities you’d reasonably expect in a flagship-style model. While that’s not unusual for an EV at this end of the market, it still feels like a missed opportunity to stand out.

The entry-grade Ioniq 6 is the rear-wheel drive Dynamiq, featuring a 168kW/350Nm permanent magnet synchronous electric motor on the rear axle powered by a liquid cooled lithium-ion battery.

The all-wheel drive Techniq and Epiq models feature an additional permanent magnet motor at the front for a combined output of 239kW and 605Nm.

Drive is fed to the wheels via a single-speed reduction gear auto transmission on the rear or both axles.

The Jaecoo J5 EV is powered by a single electric motor sending 155kW/288Nm to the front wheels. That’s enough to see it sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.7 seconds. Those figures stack up well relative to the J5's positioning in the segment.

This isn’t a performance-led EV and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, the J5 delivers its power in a way that feels competent and predictable rather than 'exciting'.

All versions of the Ioniq 6 carry the same 77.4kWh lithium-ion Polymer battery and the car’s 800V architecture allows it to use 350kW DC fast charging for a 10-80 per cent fill in 18 min.

The number of genuinely fast chargers available is increasing rapidly and that fill time is impressive.

Drop to 400V (50kW charging) and that time increases to 73 min, while 7.0kW AC charging from 10 to 100 per cent will take close to 12 hours.

The ports behind the not-fuel flap are a Type 2 for AC and CCS Combo2 for higher powered DC charging.

And if all else fails, you’re also equipped with a portable charger/cable so you can access house power for a full charge in, wait for it… 34 hours 20 min.

Quoted WLTP range for the RWD Dynamiq is 614km, that number dropping to 519km for the more powerful, dual-motor Techniq and Epiq models.

The WLTP combined cycle energy consumption figure for the Dynamiq is 14.3kWh/100km, with the Techniq and Epiq models at 16.9kWh/100km.

A ‘Disconnector Actuator System’ (DAS) on the front axle of the AWD grades is able to automatically engage and disengage drive to the front wheels as required, to reduce mechanical drag, lower energy consumption and increase driving range.

On test, in the Dynamiq, over a mix of suburban, b-road and freeway running we saw an average of 16.1kWh/100km which is a pretty good result.

The Jaecoo J5 EV uses a Type 2 CCS charging port and can accept up to 10.3kW on AC power via a three-phase connection, along with DC fast charging speeds of up to 130kW. On a suitable fast charger, Jaecoo claims a 30 to 80 per cent charge can be completed in as little as 28 minutes. That’s a solid result for this segment, with only the MG S5 EV offering higher DC charging capacity and quicker top-up times.

The J5 has a 58.9kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery and a 402km (WLTP) driving range. Both its sister model, the Chery E5, and the MG have slightly longer ranges. It's not surprising but it means it's an EV better suited to the city where you can keep it regularly topped up.

Official energy consumption is listed at 14.3kWh/100km. After a mix of longer drives and urban running, my average settled around 15.4kWh/100km, which is a respectable result overall and broadly in line with expectations.

Hyundai claims the RWD Ioniq 6 Dynamiq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds, which is not hanging around, and it feels every bit that quick. 

In fact, it has more than enough performance for sharp response in the city and easy cruising on the highway.

Step up to the AWD Techniq or Epiq and you’re hitting 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds, which is properly rapid. 

A single-speed ‘shift-by-wire’ reduction gear auto transmission sits on the rear or both axles and you have the choice of ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Custom’ drive modes, which fine-tune power output, accelerator response, steering weight as well as power distribution between the axles on AWD models.

Hyundai’s ‘E-Active Sound Design’ (e-ASD) changes the ‘sound texture’ as you drive with a noise roughly approximating Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder coming through the speakers.

It’s fun for a while, but I found myself turning it down, then off, for the majority of the launch drive. And in that silent mode you can feel and hear (or not?) the impact of the car’s super-slippery shape. No wind noise and only modest tyre rumble at 110km/h on the freeway. 

The Ioniq 6 sits on Hyundai’s ‘Electric Global Modular Platform’ (E-GMP) which features the flat battery pack mounted low down, skateboard-style, between the axles. 

Suspension is strut front, five-link rear, and although the set-up hasn’t been tuned locally, Hyundai Australia says it’s been involved in the development. 

The front seat remained comfy after hours behind the wheel, but it must be said bumps and thumps from typical highway surfaces made their presence felt on a regular basis.

That’s not unusual for a full electric vehicle, but with the RWD Dynamiq riding on relatively cushy Hankook 225/55 ventus S1 evo3 rubber, it’s surprising.  

In corners you can feel the effect of the car’s low centre of gravity with the battery and motor(s) mounted low in the chassis. It hunkers down and remains beautifully balanced and secure through sweeping bends.

But even though the car points nicely, a meaningful connection between the front tyres and your hands on the steering wheel is MIA. 

The physical brakes are vented discs at the front and solid rotors at the rear, adjustable through ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’ settings, and they’re nice and progressive.

However, there’s more fun to be had with the regenerative braking, adjustable through three levels (‘Strong’, ‘Medium’, ‘Soft’) via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Move to the highest setting and you’re in ‘i-Pedal’ mode which means for the majority of the time easing off the accelerator is all that’s required to wash off speed before coming to a reasonably prompt halt.

In terms of ergonomics, the simple dash layout works well thanks to a sensible mix of digital and physical controls, the head-up display is crystal clear, and the big screens for media and instrumentation are hard to fault.

A word of warning, though. An over-speed chime fires four times when you even marginally exceed the detected limit. It quickly becomes intensely annoying, the saviour being an off button in the vehicle settings menu. Downside is it defaults to ‘on’ every time you stop and re-start the car. Ugh!

The Jaecoo J5 EV has plenty of power on hand, with good pick-up when you need it for hills or overtaking. It feels responsive enough for everyday driving, without ever feeling aggressive or overly eager.

Steering is light, and the suspension leans towards the softer side. Around town that works well, offering a comfortable ride. On faster roads or through corners, however, it can feel a little unsettled, and the J5 isn’t particularly convincing on the open road.

Visibility out the front and sides is strong and the driving position gives you a fairly commanding view of the road, which makes day-to-day city driving straightforward.

There are three levels of regenerative braking, but even on the lowest setting it can feel abrupt. Some passengers reported feeling queasy and maintaining a smooth, consistent speed can be tricky as the car has a tendency to lurch.

Parking is generally easy thanks to the J5’s compact footprint and a clear 360-degree camera system. That said, the aggressive regen braking can make low-speed manoeuvres, particularly reversing, more challenging than necessary, as it’s hard to get the car to creep smoothly.

The J5 hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP yet and is unrated but it has a good suite of safety equipment included. There are seven airbags, intelligent seat belt reminders, ISOFIX anchors, three top-tether anchor points, front/rear parking sensors and a 360-degree view camera system.

There’s also blind-spot monitoring, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, forward and rear collision warning, side exit assist, a driver monitoring system, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. The J5 EV misses out on emergency call capability.

Most of the driver assist systems aren’t intrusive, although the driver attention monitoring can ping more than it’s needed and the adaptive cruise control is best without the assisted steering on.

Hyundai covers the Ioniq with a five-year, unlimited km warranty, with eight-year, 160,000km protection for the high-voltage battery. Both are industry standard these days.

There’s a lifetime servicing plan with maintenance intervals set at an impressive two years/30,000km. 

At this stage cost is $560 a throw, which is pretty handy when you consider the lengthy service intervals. 

A ‘Premium Roadside Support Plan’ is complimentary for the first 12 months and renewed annually while the vehicle is serviced by Hyundai.

Also complimentary is a ‘Sat Nav Update Plan’ which includes nine updates to be used within 10 years.

Ownership is one of the J5’s stronger points. The number eight is associated with good fortune in Chinese culture and Jaecoo has clearly leaned into it here!

It's offered with an eight-year/unlimited km warranty, eight years battery cover and roadside assistance, plus eight years of capped-price servicing where workshop visits average a low $190 per visit (which is very good).

Servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000 kilometres and for now the service network is fairly small, with around 50 centres nationwide. They’re mostly found in major cities, which is something to keep in mind depending on where you live.