Peugeot E-Partner vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

What's the difference?

In 2023 Peugeot commands around 50 per cent of sales in Australia’s small (under 2.5-tonne GVM) commercial van segment with its Partner range, which offers a choice of wheelbase lengths and model grades.

The French marque has recently introduced its first fully electric variant to the Australian market called the e-Partner, even though this van has been on sale in Europe since 2021.

We recently put one to work for a week, which included loading it up to the max, to see how it compares to its petrol-powered sibling.

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.