Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 N high-performance electric SUV has been awarded Car and Driver’s prestigious 2024 EV of the Year award. This is the third straight year Hyundai has captured the award, with the IONIQ 5 N’s victory following on the heels of wins by the IONIQ 6 (2023) and standard IONIQ 5 (2022).
The IONIQ 5 N is Hyundai’s first electrified model to wear an N badge. The vehicle has been received with great acclaim by automotive media and driving enthusiasts since its launch earlier this year, setting a new benchmark for engaging, all-electric high performance.
The IONIQ 5 N SUV is offered in a single, fully equipped trim that delivers innovative performance along with unmatched driver engagement and configurability, all paired with a full complement of convenience, driver-assistance, and safety features. Capable of delivering scintillating, prolonged racetrack performance without sacrificing day-to-day livability, IONIQ 5 N represents N brand’s electrification vision and a fresh opportunity for enthusiasts to satisfy their driving passion on both road and track.
“We are incredibly thrilled that our segment-disrupting IONIQ 5 N has won Car and Driver’s impressive 2024 EV of the Year honor,” said Olabisi Boyle, senior vice president, Product Planning and Mobility Strategy, Hyundai Motor North America. “With industry-shaping new EV features like N e-shift and N Grin Boost transforming EV driving engagement like never before, it’s rewarding to be acknowledged by Car and Driver with this significant award.”
Fulfilling the N brand pillar of Everyday Sportscar, IONIQ 5 N delivers an engaging shift feeling and exhilarating driving through its novel integrated N e-shift and N Active Sound+ functions. N e-shift provides unprecedented control over power delivery, replicating the natural, familiar gear-change sensation of a dual-clutch paddle-shift transmission. N Active Sound+ works to underpin this feeling with manually selectable powertrain soundtracks, including the driver’s choice of an ICE-like engine and exhaust or more futuristic sounds for a uniquely immersive enthusiast experience. Together, these features greatly enhance the joy of driving by viscerally and audibly simulating the attributes of a high-performance ICE vehicle.
N e-shift simulates the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) found in N’s internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. This technology replicates gearshifts by controlling motor torque output and simulating the power-shift feeling between gear changes, including synchronized audible cues. There’s even a synthetic redline. As a result, IONIQ 5 N delivers a more entertaining and interactive driving experience that feels far closer to a high-performance ICE model than any other EV.
N Active Sound+ is paired with N e-shift to enhance the driving experience by creating a more visceral and exciting sensory experience. This driver-selectable technology incorporates a 10-speaker system (eight internal, two external) that offers three distinct soundtracks. The ‘Ignition’ theme simulates the sound of an exciting internal-combustion 4-cylinder engine. ‘Evolution’ provides a signature high-performance sound inspired by the RN22e rolling lab prototype, featuring variable volume that is synchronized with lateral g-forces while cornering. The ‘Supersonic’ theme is a unique aural concept inspired by twin-engine fighter jets. The objective of N Active Sound+ isn’t just added sonic excitement; this technology provides the driver with an acoustic reference point to help gauge the power utilized and available during cornering. This capability was borne from thousands of kilometers of vehicle development and testing at the Nürburgring.
