This is our best look yet at Hyundai’s first production electric N performance car, the Ioniq 5 N – due in Australia from 2024.
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The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has been snapped testing in South Korea, ahead of its global launch next year, and first Australian arrivals the year after.
While past ‘test mules’ have used standard Ioniq 5 bodywork to disguise the Ioniq 5 N’s chassis, the test car in these images published on Korean social media (viaThe Korean Car Blog) is a pre-production model, wearing camouflage to disguise the Hyundai’s final form.
The black camouflage hides specific styling details, however highlights visible at this early stage include a bespoke N-specific front bumper with diagonal ‘cross bars’ and larger air intakes, ditching the standard car’s metal treatment.
A red stripe features across the upper LED light bar, joining new-design 21-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres and larger brakes (with red calipers), and wider, smooth-finish, body-coloured wheel arches, replacing the base car’s metal-finish flares with indents.
Other exterior upgrades include sportier black side skirts, red accent stripes across the front bumper and side skirts, and a blacked-out ‘shark fin’ aerial. A larger rear spoiler is also expected.
Inside, the sports bucket seats seen in Hyundai and Kia’s latest performance cars – from the Hyundai i30 N hot hatch, to the Kia EV6 GT electric car – are visible, with illuminated N logos in the backrests.
Specifications for the Ioniq 5 N – confirmed for a 2023 launch last month – are yet to be disclosed, however it may draw dual motors and a 77.4kWh battery from its Kia EV6 GT twin under the skin, which develops 430kW and 740Nm.
The EV6 GT is capable of a 3.5-second 0-100km/h time – but the Ioniq 5 N may go even quicker, given lesser versions of the Hyundai with the same battery are a tenth of a second quicker than their Kia equivalents.
Other highlights of the EV6 GT likely to be offered on the Hyundai include an electronic limited-slip rear differential, adaptive suspension, enlarged performance brakes, and unique steering and handling tuning.
The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N will be revealed in full – and launched overseas – sometime next year, ahead of an Australian launch expected in 2024.
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