Pluses and Minuses
The Ionic 5 hits a lot of sweet spots. It has good range, charges quickly, has a nice interior (see note), and plenty of space in the cabin and in the back. Hyundai includes the features people want and need without nickel and diming for every little thing and the vehicle is affordable. It handles well on the road (see note) and is comfortable and quiet. Build quality is generally good but I have all sort of squeaks from the back storage area; don't even notice them anymore but my wife certainly does.
Downsides include the inability for Hyundai to get its story straight about service. The car, the app, and the dealers all have different schedules on when services is due and I'm being offered deals on engine oil changes, which isn't helpful on an EV. When I completed my 1-year service (I just figured that made sense since the other sources were confused), it didn't post so I kept getting nagged that service was due.
Another downside is the checked decorative trim on the door which is made of such soft material that it is inevitable that it is doing to get damaged by a watch or bracelet. The lack of a rear window wiper is an issue too.
A big concern is the suspension. If I am braking and simultaneously going over a short significant bump or pothole, the car "disconnects from the ground" for an instant (and this is the exact phrase I use when describing this to others). It is the strangest feeling through the steering wheel and the sensation is that the car is not responding to my control input. It is very brief but I've never experienced that before. I especially hope the 5N has addressed this.
Now I am having another problem, this one potentially very serious. It is starting to display software glitches. The first one I noticed was in the traffic warning alerts. I am sitting still at a signal and then all of a sudden the warning system is complaining about the car in front of me or to the side. It is very erratic and I am not seeing a pattern. The sensors aren't dirty and haven't been blinded by sunlight or specular reflections.
Next the display dimmer quit. The mechanical switch beeps and displays on the dash but it won't go brighter or dimmer. Now, when I start the car, it selects dim during daylight and bright at night (the opposite of what it should be doing) and won't change. The display doesn't reflect the actual value either. I can't see the center screen very well in daylight because it is so dim.
Then, this morning, when I started the car the side mirrors did not deploy and I had to use the door switch to get them out.
I am in Southern California so it isn't excessive rain or cold that is causing this. It is almost certainly in software. I am going to contact the dealership and see if there is an over-the-air update or reboot they can push to me but I'm going to guess that this is going to be a blown day or two at the dealership itself. The car also frequently loses connectivity to my phone app.
I can deal with the small issues but this sort of thing cascades and I fully expect, if left unaddressed, that the car will either not start at some point or go dead while I am driving.
Verified Owner
