On Track in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
A newly launched partnership between MSV and Hyundai UK allows us to experience the 641bhp Ioniq 5 N around the Bedford Autodrome.
Usually when I’m driving a car for the first time, I take a few minutes and miles to get acquainted with it before I explore the effects of a fully depressed accelerator. Not with the Ioniq 5 N though. Going from starting the twin-motor performance crossover to being deploying full power on a circuit took me all of 80 yards. Talk about starting at the deep end.
Bedford Autodrome’s North Circuit played host to a fleet of 5 Ns, brought about by Hyundai’s partnership with MSV – the owner of Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park, and Donnington Park to name just a few venues. A one-mile loop may not sound like much of a challenge, but a sharp Z-bend, a duet of tight hairpins and pair of double-apex left-handers allow me to get a concentrated dose of the car’s dynamic capabilities. Lap times are short – average speeds are high.
While often referred to as a hot hatch, the 5 N is closer to a mid-size crossover in its dimensions, but the resulting wide track and long wheelbase provides a stable platform for the four 275/35 21” Pirelli P Zero to deploy all 641bhp. On my warm-up lap, the car makes its vast grip reserves evident, and body roll is controlled diligently. The steering is slightly lighter than anticipated, but the nose follows my desired line to the letter, not requiring any correction.
Using a mixture of four-piston front brakes, single-piston rears, and recuperation from the electric motors, the stopping power is plentiful, disguising the 2.2-tonne mass quite well. There’s no dead zone on the brake pedal, and the mixture of friction and electric braking is blended very well. Noticeable but not overwhelming lift-off regen allows for the precise speed control just using the accelerator pedal that I’m used to from driving a variety of EVs.
Naturally, slowing down isn’t the point of a performance car like this. You’ll want to speed up, and the 5 N wastes no time in doing that. The response is instantaneous as one would expect in its N driving mode – with its steering, adaptive dampers, and motors turned up to the max. A strong initial thrust of forward motion never seems to end, and the car continues to advance relentlessly well above 100mph.
Starting to lean on the car harder, I begin standing on the brakes rather than lifting and coasting before the corners, turning quicker, but using the 5 N’s weight to its advantage through the bends. Loading up one side, and letting it naturally drift out to the left or right allows the car to remain composed, and make good use of progressive throttle applications as the tarmac straightens.
The movement of mass is evident, but there’s no pendulum effect, and the car enjoys quick turns of the steering wheel, and relishes diving into the sequence of back-to-back hairpins. Getting ahead of myself and mashing the throttle to the carpet ahead of time, the back end abruptly came around which caught me off guard, but the stability control caught it with no fuss, clearly influenced by the programming for the multi-stage Drift Control system.
It all feels quite natural, even though there’s a lot of augmentation going into the driving experience. A car of this size and weight shouldn’t be able to move like this on the road – let alone a track where EVs are still a rare sight outside of Formula E. In this setting, the software allows the hardware to work hard, and unlocks a new method of interaction.
The biggest talking point about the Ioniq 5 N isn’t its 641bhp and 568lb-ft (770Nm) peak outputs – but rather the effort Hyundai has put into making the car behave and sound like something powered by fossil fuel. The headline party piece of course, is the e-Shift – also known as Virtual Gear Shift on the platform-sharing Kia EV6 GT.
Where pulling a paddle on most EVs adjusts the level of energy recovery, that action in the 5 N immediately switches on a simulated 8-speed transmission, and adds a rev counter to the 12.3” drivers display, and the coloured head-up display. It alters the power delivery to mimic a piston engine, will hit a “limiter” if the flashing shift lights are ignored, and will noticeably bump as one goes up or down through the ratios. This setting also amplifies the driving sound – a prominent burble i20 & i30 N owners will be familiar with – turning it from a useful audible reference point for speed, to a loud focal point.
The system is intuitive, and makes it easier for my instructor to give me speeds and ratios to aim for in corners. The chicane becomes a second gear corner, a long curve is one for third, and I shift up into fifth before exploiting the car’s immense stability to bear right at 108mph. Staying in a higher gear while cornering keeps the lively limited-slip differential-equipped rear motor in check, but if too much speed is scrubbed off, it won’t automatically downshift.
While the car can bend the laws of physics, it can’t quite break them. Several hot laps begin to have their effect on the P Zeros, but if anything the car becomes more adjustable using the throttle and mid-corner shifting to balance it through the bends, while still remaining predictable. In fact, the car feels like it’s coming even more alive as it presents me with the challenge of managing the weight, the movements, catching four-wheel drifts, but still egging me on to get back on the power as quickly as possible.
All of this takes place as I instinctively pull the paddles up or down, and hear the “engine” note change accordingly.
If I was new to EVs, I’d say it feels normal to use the e-Shift system, as it does a rather good job of mimicking a multi-speed transmission. While it alters the performance delivery from the pair of electric motors, it doesn’t change it completely, and it still feels unmistakably electric on its way to the red line.
I suspect that my internal gyros are tuned into the torque-first outputs of drivetrains like this, and expect an endless single gear ratio to accompany them, forgetting about shifting, and focusing on balancing the car with regen, and minute adjustments to the throttle. I need a bit more time to recalibrate, and get to learn it better.
Whether switched on or off, it’s a good string to have in the Ioniq 5 N’s bow, as it offers an extra level of engagement and involvement on one hand, but immediately delivers a familiar feeling to those new to performance EVs. I’m glad it’s there, and it’s no surprise that Mercedes-AMG are working on a similar system for their future electric GT four-door.
It’s important to remember that there is more to the 5 N than e-Shift. There’s a stonking chassis, two punchy motors, fabulous high-speed stability, room for five people, heated rear seats, nice cabin materials, room for the proverbial dog that is a permanent fixture of the boot in fast family cars, an 84kWh battery offering 278 WLTP miles of range, and the promise of cheap charging if topped up at home.
While all of its quirks and capabilities will take time on public roads to uncover and get used to, it’s made quite the impression in the space of a few laps of Bedford Autodrome. All who emerge from the car do so wearing a smile, proving Hyundai’s and MSV’s gamble on an electric track experience car has paid off. With pro drivers at the wheel, we’re shown how well the car rides kerbs, and how trail braking sets the car up best in true EV fashion. From the second row, the way that the car moves seems even more extreme than it did from the driver’s seat.
It’s a good EV on paper, and a good performance EV on track. It just so happens to offer a choice of interaction levels for its driver: remastered classic rock, or future wave.
Author
Ken Pearson
Deputy Editor
Photography by:
Ken Pearson
Published on:
9 August 2025
Our Print Magazine
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KIA EV6 GT
REVIEW
Facelifted and rearmed with 641bhp, Kia’s flagship EV prefers long strides to sharp stabs. We head deep into the Highlands to see if the GT now walks the walk.
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ou’ve got to feel for the Kia EV6 GT. Imagine sharing your DNA with a younger sibling who is constantly the centre of attention and scooping up all the plaudits. One that’s intelligent, good looking and a prized athlete.
But here’s the rub: I don’t actually think Kia minds playing the introvert. The clue is in the name – a GT should be more discreet, a little more rounded in its behaviour. And now there is a facelifted version, one that borrows technology from the Ioniq 5N making it not only better to drive than before, but on the flipside, Kia also claims to have widened its bandwidth for when the moment doesn’t take you.
Putting those claims to the test is the Cairngorms National Park. It’s a valid proving ground for any grand tourer, and we’ll be seeking out the famous Old Military Road to not only assess the credentials of the facelift, but ask a broader question if an electric SUV can deliver more smiles per mile than kilowatt hours.
But before we get to The Red Hills, let’s go over some of the key changes. Like the GT itself, the facelift is subtle: a new headlight array, more sculpted bonnet, deeper front spoiler and redesigned 21-inch alloys. It’s a handsome car for its size – especially in the optional £1,500 Yacht Matt Blue.
Hardware improvements include a new, larger 84kWh battery pack, which increases range to 279 miles – up by 16. Despite the gains, the pack weighs 1kg less than before, and thanks to 800V technology, it can charge from 10–80% in just 18 minutes when connected to a 258kW charger. That’s around 8% quicker than the outgoing model.
AUTHOR
Rush Founder
Photography by:
Adam Warner via Kia
Published on:
18th June 2025
OUR PRINT MAGAZINE
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Maximum power is also up to an Ioniq 5 N matching 641bhp, the steering and geometry has been tweaked, and the spring rates have also been relaxed – a response, Kia says, to owner feedback.
Kia has also, rather generously, knocked £2,690 off the list price. But that doesn’t mean money has been saved elsewhere – inside, Kia has again taken onboard feedback. Material quality has improved, the fingerprint-magnet and scratch-prone gloss black trim has been replaced by a brushed metal-effect, and the front seats are now electrically adjustable with memory, rather than manually operated – a curious omission on the previous version. The infotainment system has also been updated with Kia’s latest software.
The GT immediately covers the bases of humdrum driving exiting Aberdeen. Refinement is exemplary, the throttle response is well judged and one-pedal driving is intuitive. Irritating mandated driving aids can be quickly dismissed with the prod of two buttons on the steering wheel. We glide along in near-silence, just the white noise of the tyres for company and the beckoning mountains to our east.
Once off the motorway, it quickly becomes clear going full GT-mode makes the ride quality too busy for anything but the smoothest of UK tarmac. Before getting into the Cairngorms proper, there’s a testing B-road running parallel to the A93 which will find fault in any set-up. On the B9077, the challenge comes from below rather than any switchbacks. This is an objective road, not a driver’s destination.
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We’re not talking deep-cut potholes, just the sort of weathered, cambered surface that never lets the dampers catch their breath. To its credit, the GT puts up a valiant fight, its mass and low CoG helping the primary ride maintain its composure. But even when the dampers are fully slackened off, there’s still a bite to sudden inputs. It never becomes uncomfortable and to be fair, the Bentley Bentayga rides with more edge, especially when specified with 22-inch wheels. Existing owners will discover a ride that’s improved rather than transformed.
A custom GT-mode is promptly tailored with soft damping, intermediate throttle and the more aggressive e-diff setting, accessed by a second prod of the acid-green ‘GT’ button – now relocated to the left of the new (and much improved) three-spoke steering wheel. The wheel also introduces a toggle for cycling between Eco, Normal, Sport and a new setting called Snow.
The B9077 soon feeds into the A957 – better known, somewhat unflatteringly, as Slug Road. It’s a name rooted not in slowness, but in the Gaelic “sloc”, meaning hollow – a reference to the high pass once used by drovers and toll-keepers as one of the historic Mounth crossings between Angus and Deeside. Today, the road carves through a broad valley before climbing into Durris Forest via a string of rhythmical sweepers. It’s a fine place to stretch the GT’s legs.
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The damping settles with the increased pace and less agitated surface, and despite the large dimensions and not inconsiderable mass, the GT puts its torque vectoring and rearward bias to good use, displaying impressive agility in the tighter turns of the valley. In this initial foray, there is never any danger of exceeding the purchase of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, but you’re aware of the GT’s willingness to rotate with enthusiasm.
The brakes also establish their proficiency early. Stopping power comes from substantial 20-inch front and 19-inch rear monoblock calipers. Combined with paddle-adjustable regen, they rein in over 2.2 tonnes with minimal fuss or protest. Crank up the harvesting and time things right, and all you’ll need is a measured dab of the pedal to scrub excess speed before turning in. Keeping some regen dialled in also helps soften the sense of runaway inertia this much mass and performance might otherwise serve up.
Ah yes, the performance. Initially, overtakes are dispatched at maximum warp before settling into a more restrained rhythm, gliding past other traffic with a brush of throttle in a very GT-like manner. Despite the additional 64bhp of the facelift, Kia isn’t claiming any improvement in acceleration – at least not from 0–62mph, which still takes 3.5 seconds. Beyond that, there’s little doubt the facelifted car is stronger. The top speed is unchanged too, at 161mph.
Nevertheless, we’re quickly past the three B’s of Ballater, Balmoral and Braemar as the A93 finds its teeth and morphs into the OMR proper. On the fast, open sweepers beside Clunie Water, the EV6 GT really starts to find its stride.
The full 641bhp is only available in GT-mode, but when hastily activated, the throttle response turns hair-trigger, so it’s best any passengers are forewarned. It also sets the steering and damping to battle stations and slackens off the stability control.
Creating the aforementioned custom GT mode is therefore a high priority. But the menus take a bit of negotiating, meaning on the fly adjustments are out of the question. Thankfully the UX is responsive so hopefully the stream of traffic you’ve overtaken won’t have time to come back past, but you do rue the lost sense of nuance in-motion tweaks bring.
One feature you can toggle on the move is the much-heralded Virtual Gear Shift, or VGS. It’s activated via the star button on the steering wheel, commandeering the regen peddles. You might expect the technology to be lifted straight from the Ioniq 5 N, but Kia has made one crucial tweak: instead of eight simulated ratios, the EV6 GT gets six.
Kia has integrated the stability control system directly into the motor control unit for faster intervention. The GT’s electronic limited-slip differential also now responds more quickly thanks to updated motor mapping.
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It’s a wise call that suits EV6’s demeanour. In the 5 N, the number of gears can feel excessive, and the Kia’s wider spacing suits the power delivery better. Short-shifting becomes a worthy pursuit – it gives a sense of perspective to, and influence over, the performance. Each shift lands with a snappy, dual-clutch-style jolt. It’s not ZF-smooth, but it’s all the more characterful for it. There’s even an automatic ‘Drive’ mode that does a spookily convincing impression of said torque converter.
While the VGS is clearly worthy in terms of driver engagement, it isn’t entirely flawless. The specific fly in the ointment is the mock rev counter – rather than a dial, you get a sort of reverse ‘L’ graphic tucked into the corner of the display, scaling up in acid green. It’s not especially intuitive, and in direct sunlight becomes difficult to read. It’s far too easy to clatter into the rather abrupt artificial limiter.
You’d hope the otherwise excellent head-up display might echo the revs and gear position, but no such luck – and it’s not available as a configurable option either. In Autocar parlance, that’s a job for the facelift. Or less impishly, the next software update.
Despite the revisions and faster rack, the steering is still a fraction too light, even in its heaviest setting. It’s leagues ahead of the regular EV6, and once again an improvement over before, but push harder and the feedback doesn’t deepen much. There’s little meaningful information through the wheel, and combined with the strong resistance to roll, pitch and dive, your first real warning signs are audible rather than tactile – the protest of the tyres or a flicker of the traction control light.
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That said, the car never loses its composure. There’s a genuine sense of hustle that puts a smile on your face, but it stops short of being truly involving. Strike up a rhythm at eight tenths and it’s just as rewarding – arguably more – than trying to extract everything it’s got. And if you really want the GT to lose its inhibitions, there’s always Drift mode – providing you can find it.
It’s only when the going gets truly tough, such as encountering the Waltzer-like twisting undulations at the bottom of Glenshee does the body control run out of ideas. But that’s an extreme stretch that will tie even the best chassis in the business in knots.
As we begin the final leg of the journey along tighter B-roads, the GT starts to find its limitations, although it’s mainly a question of dimensions rather than agility. It’s important to remember where the EV6 GT is being pitched – as the successor to the Stinger GT. In that sense, by focusing its priorities on making rapid, discreet and unruffled progress, the EV6 is exactly what it should be – a broadsword not a katana. It does know how to enjoy itself, but it requires more than a little cajoling to get there.
Take the launch control system as an example: unleashing it introduces a secure drama to a rapid getaway with a little shimmy from the back axle and makes the quoted 0-62mph time look conservative. But once again, it’s a feature only accessed via the menu maze. There should be a cheat code – GT on, pull back on both paddles, foot hard down on both pedals, and release to go. If you’re curious, the car will even let you record your own performance figures.
Recalibrated front suspension geometry enhances stability and steering linearity at high speeds.
Improved motor cooling and revised thermal management help maintain performance under sustained load.
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We reach Pitlochry on the opposite end of the national park relaxed, entertained and impressed. Returning to our earlier question – can you combine elements of grand touring on mixed roads, with constant elevation changes and the demands of spirited driving, without inducing range anxiety? The answer is easily, the battery has enough in it for three hours of such travel, after which point it would be wise to stop for a break anyway.
And the car? The EV6 GT played a central role, making the journey more engaging, not less. Even the Virtual Sound Generator has merit – especially in its more futuristic settings. There’s a hint of Tron Legacy to the digital tones, adding cyberpunk character without dominating proceedings. Another song of praise must also go to Scottish drivers, who know how to make progress in a timely and safe manner, yet still – provided you’re respectful – display great etiquette by pulling over at the first opportunity.
As a sole ownership proposition, the RUSH reader is probably better off leaning toward the more flamboyant 5 N. Despite being being more expensive and riding firmer, there is a sense of mischief to it the GT suppresses. But in a two-car garage, with something more focused for weekends, the Kia’s broader talents and greater discretion could well tip the balance. There is a quiet satisfaction to the EV6 GT. Think of it as the Alpina alternative to a BMW M car.
