The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are trendsetters. On one side they’re true leading-edge technology proof points for EV range and charging, and serious challengers to the Tesla Model Y. On the other side, they show in a design and engineering sense just what’s possible when an automaker shifts away from engines, fuel tanks, and exhausts.
Both are built on the same E-GMP platform that makes no allowance for such things. That allowed the automaker to make these design standouts optimized for efficiency and maximized for space, and it shows in every aspect.
The Ioniq 5 and EV6 aren’t perfect, but they’re among a shortlist of smartly designed EVs that have the strongest set of attributes. They’re spacious, safe, comfortable vehicles that perform well and boast some impressive technology. Read on to see how they compare.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6 vs. Hyundai Ioniq 5 prices and features
Base EV6 starts below $44,000
Base Ioniq 5 starts below $43,000
High-performance EV6 GT has no Hyundai peer as of yet
Warranty coverage is comparable
How much is a Kia EV6?
Kia may have been a lower-priced brand than Hyundai a few years ago, but it’s upmarket now and no longer as focused on value for money.
A base Light version of the EV6 is offered only in some West Coast markets and starts at $43,925, including a $1,325 destination fee. The Light comes with a base 58-kwh battery pack and rear-wheel drive, and it includes the same large 12.3-inch touchscreen system as the rest of the lineup and heated and ventilated front seats. Shoppers in most of the country will find that the EV6 lineup includes Wind and GT-Line versions, both of which are offered with the larger 77.4-kwh battery pack and either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Prices for that lineup start at $50,025 for the Wind and $54,225 for the GT-Line. Wind versions get heated and cooled front seats, a hands-free tailgate, and a wireless smartphone charger, among other extras, while the GT-Line adds aero door handles, a sunroof, a head-up display, parking assistance, and an auto-lane-change feature.
The high-performance GT AWD model gets larger motors, adjustable dampers, a rear limited-slip differential, and 21-inch performance tires on alloy wheels, and it starts at $62,925.
How much is a Hyundai Ioniq 5?
The Ioniq 5 is offered in SE Standard Range, SE, SEL, and Limited versions. The base SE Standard Range, with the 58-kwh battery pack, costs $42,785, including the $1,335 destination charge. It’s rear-drive only. With the larger battery pack you can rear- or all-wheel drive versions of the Ioniq 5, starting at $46,835 and $50,335, respectively. SEL versions add a power tailgate, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, and a more capable driver-assistance system. It costs $48,785 and $52,285 with RWD and AWD, respectively. The most luxurious Limited version enters at $57,835 and adds remote park assist, a head-up display, cooled front seats, and a Vehicle to Load (V2L) system allowing AC out at up to 3.6 kw.
That V2L port is included in the EV6 at all trim levels, so it’s one of several features that may help justify the price premium for some.
Actual market availability is an issue some shoppers may encounter. While Hyundai is limiting Ioniq 5 availability to a subset of dealerships, all U.S. Kia dealerships sell the EV6. Both models have strong warranties—a 5-year/60,000-mile plan, plus 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage.
Advantage: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 costs a bit less.
2022 Kia EV6
2022 Kia EV6
2022 Kia EV6
Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Kia EV6 size, seating capacity, and cargo space
The EV6 is a few inches longer; the Ioniq 5 is slightly taller
Ioniq 5 has more cargo room and passenger space by the numbers
Seating and driving positions are crossover-high
At 182.5 inches long for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 184.8 inches long for most of the Kia EV6 lineup, these two models are very close in their overall footprint—but with slightly different proportions (more sport-wagon like for the EV6, more Euro-hatch for the Ioniq 5), they divvy out their space in a somewhat different manner that merits sitting in them both and comparing which one’s your best fit.
To sum it up, the EV6 is lower and more rakish, so while its cabin is a bit longer, it can feel a little more limiting. The Ioniq 5 is more than an inch taller overall, and with more side glass and a more upright feel to the packaging, it may make more of the available space in a way that families can use.
The EV6 is 2.3 inches longer than the Ioniq 5 but with a 3.9-inch shorter wheelbase, and the Ioniq 5 is 1.2 inches taller overall. Looking at passenger space, the cabin has 106.5 cubic feet in the Hyundai versus 103.0 in the Kia, and cargo space with the rear seats up in place is 27.2 cubic feet in the Hyundai or 24.4 cubic feet in the Kia. That’s supplemented with a small “frunk” allowing less than 1 cubic foot of extra space—nevertheless enough for a few small items.
Both of these models seat five, with a good amount of legroom—although they both push the driver and front passenger upward more than they need to be, in an SUV-like driving position that taller drivers would rather see a few inches lower.
It’s slightly easier getting in and out of the Ioniq 5 than the EV6, too, because of the Ioniq 5’s more straightforward doorcuts and a bit more height. Both vehicles fit the crossover form, though, and are easier to load or get into than most cars.
Advantage: Hyundai Ioniq 5, for making a little more with less.
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 fast-charging – Lacey, WA
Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Kia EV6 range and charging
GT aside, EV6 range numbers span from 232 to 310 miles
Ioniq 5 range spans from 220 to 303 miles
18-minute fast-charging makes these models a road-trip game-changer—if you can find a high-power charger
AWD versions get heat pumps that will aid cold-weather range
Rear-wheel-drive versions of the Kia EV6 are the driving-range champs of the lineup, with a 310-mile rating from their 77.4 kwh. As with most EVs, mind the lower range you’ll get from larger wheels; all-wheel-drive versions go 282 miles with 19-inch wheels or 252 miles with 20-inch wheels.
The model with the shortest range in the lineup isn’t the base model with the smaller 58-kwh pack, at 232 miles, but the top-performance GT, which has the larger 77.4-kwh pack but a 206-mile range, for a much lower efficiency than the rest of the lineup.
Ioniq 5 range ratings are comparable, albeit slightly lower, with a 303-mile rating for rear-wheel-drive versions and a 256-mile rating for AWD versions, which are bulked together here but the same rules on wheel size apply. Entry SE Standard Range versions achieve a 220-mile rating with the smaller 58-kwh pack.
One important feature note, for those concerned about cold-weather range, is that both Kia and Hyundai have opted in the U.S. to only include heat-pump technology in all-wheel- drive versions. So while AWD versions come with a lower official EPA range, they’ll likely see less of a range drop in winter weather.
Both of these models have essentially the same battery packs and charging hardware, and they’ll do road-trip fast-charging faster than many other EVs thanks to their 800-volt tech. With the larger pack they’ll charge from 10-80% in 18 minutes (reaching a peak 235 kw) if you can find a 350-kw DC fast-charging connector, or about 25 minutes on a 150-kw connector. With optimized 48-amp, 240-volt home AC charging, they can charge up to full in less than six hours with the smaller pack or a bit more than seven hours with the larger one.
Advantage: Kia EV6—and AWD versions if you plan winter road trips
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6 vs. Hyundai Ioniq 5 safety
Both are on IIHS Top Safety Pick+ list, ranking them among the best
Ioniq 5 has overall rating in NCAP while EV6 doesn’t
Surround-view camera system is more widely available in EV6
Both the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 have been given the Top Safety Pick+ distinction by the IIHS. That includes top ratings for automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and headlights.
The EV6 and Ioniq 5 also achieve top frontal and side crash scores from the federal government, although It appears that the lack of a rollover rating is preventing the EV6 from getting an overall rating. That’s a test the EV6 will almost certainly ace because of its very low center of mass around its battery pack, so it’s hard to justify placing these models on anything but level ground with respect to safety.
Most of the lineup of the EV6 and Ioniq 5 include active lane control, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitors, as well as a driver-attention system. A surround-view camera system is limited to the top version of each—or optional on mid-range EV6 Wind versions as part of a $1,500 Wind Technology Package.
The EV6, in real-world use, receives one demerit versus the Ioniq 5, though, and that’s outward vision. The small rear window and thick rear pillar add up to a more challenging view out when parking or changing lanes, if you’re not entirely trusting of the camera views.
Advantage: It’s a tossup and you’ll get strong safety with either of these EVs.
2023 Kia EV6 GT
2023 Kia EV6 GT
2023 Kia EV6 GT
Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Kia EV6 performance
576-hp EV6 GT rivals supercars and has no Hyundai peer—yet
GT aside, performance is comparable, but they’re tuned quite different
Dual-motor AWD versions are considerably quicker than single-motor versions
The bulk of the Ioniq 5 and EV6 lineups have identical power ratings—resulting in what amounts to nearly identical performance—although there are some distinctions worth noting in ride and handling that may help you get more from one than the other.
Base EV6 Light and Ioniq 5 SE Standard Range versions are rated 168 hp and 258 lb-ft, from their single motor at the rear wheels. With the larger 77.4-kwh battery pack, single-motor versions step up to 225 hp and 258 lb-ft. All-wheel-drive versions of the Ioniq 5 lineup and most EV6 AWD trims produce 320 hp and 446 lb-ft.
The EV6 has one version that you won’t find in the Ioniq 5 lineu—the EV6 GT, which adds higher-power motors front and rear, for a combined output of 576 hp and 546 lb-ft. That’s enough for a 0-60 mph dash in 3.5 seconds, with a 155-mph top speed. A dedicated sport suspension with dynamic damping, an electronic limited-slip differential, larger ventilated front and rear disc brakes, a rear aero spoiler, and Z-rated Goodyear Eagle F1 tires give it the hardware to make the most of the added power—plus a performance-oriented GT Drive Mode and a Drift Mode for track situations.
There’s nothing like the EV6 GT yet on the Hyundai side, although a high-performance Ioniq 5 N is on the way.
But you don’t need the EV6 GT to get enjoyable performance. AWD versions of the EV6 or Ioniq 5 can accelerate like sports cars—to 60 mph in a bit less than five seconds. A front-strut, rear five-link suspension doesn’t heave, while it soaks up minor bumps, and both of these models offer up the ride of a bigger, plusher car.
There are some subtle differences in ride and handling that give the Hyundai and Kia each their own personality on the road, though. The EV6 has a somewhat stiffer ride but is easier to control when hustled quickly, while the Ioniq 5 leans more in turns but isn’t as easily upset by choppy pavement. Steering could be better in each of these and on a tight narrow country road there’s no hiding that these are large cars by American standards. At more than 4,500 pounds in AWD forms, they’re as heavy as many larger gasoline SUVs, too.
Between several different driving modes and four different regenerative braking settings, both the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 give you plenty of options for personalizing the way these EVs drive, whether your preferences lean toward an EV that drives like a gasoline vehicle or the true one-pedal driving that has you saving the brake pedal for only the hard stops.
Advantage: It’s a tie in most respects, but the EV6 hs the edge for its supercar-quick GT version.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5 interior and tech
Both lineups get wide-format 12.3-inch touchscreens
Wireless device charging but no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
EV6 offers heated rear seats, Ioniq 5 doesn’t
The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 share most of the core electric propulsion and charging technology underneath and, for the most part, they offer a similar set of tech features in the cabin. There are a few differences in what you get at each price point, though.
At the top of the lineup, the Ioniq 5 Limited gets remote park assist plus a head-up display, a power front passenger seat, and cooled front seats. The EV6 more widely offers heated and cooled front seats and a wifi hotspot, and it has something the Ioniq 5 doesn’t offer: heated outboard rear seats.
All versions of the Ioniq 5 and EV6 include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s quick and intuitive in its menu structure. It includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, although that requires a cord. Confusingly, most trim levels of both models do include wireless device charging.
Both the Ioniq 5 and EV6 offer a Vehicle to Load (V2L) feature that will allow owners to use the EV’s main battery to put out up to 3.6 kw of AC power that can be used with an adapter to power appliances, worksites, or campsites. Hyundai has hinted that future applications connecting this feature to home energy may be on the way, but on the Kia side it may be a bit longer.
The only thing some might find missing is luxury. Rear heated seats aren’t on the menu; nor are upgraded trims and upholsteries. These models have the tech, but they could use more of a plush cabin to go with it.
Advantage: The EV6 offers a few more comfort items.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
2022 Kia EV6
2022 Kia EV6
Which is better: EV6 or Ioniq 5?
The Kia EV6 earns an overall rating of 8.3 out of 10, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 earns an 8.5. (Read more about how we rate cars.) Differences parse out in the Ioniq 5’s somewhat more eye-catching design and the EV6’s slightly more generous equipment, and tick in the Hyundai’s favor with safety ratings formalized at this point. It feels like splitting hairs, and between these two noteworthy EVs you should simply choose the personality you like better.
