Hyundai IONIQ 5 N vs Tesla Model S (2016-2019)

The Tesla Model S costs £10,050 more than the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. For that premium it adds 265 litres more boot space. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is not just cheaper - it also offers 120 kW faster peak rapid charging, 195 kW more power and a 2.1s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N comes out ahead overall.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is £10,050 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £208 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N comes out roughly £10,050 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 232 miles for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and 198 miles for the Tesla Model S - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N goes roughly 34 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 27 minutes in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and 40 in the Tesla Model S, so the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N loses less time at each stop. That makes the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N the stronger long-distance car.

The two are within 24 mm on width, so neither is meaningfully easier to thread into a tight space. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 460 mm of total clearance for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and about 436 mm of total clearance for the Tesla Model S.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 89% battery health for the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and 85% for the Tesla Model S. That gives the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N a modest edge in retained real-world range. Both use NMC-type cells, so for daily use keep the charge limit near 80% to slow degradation. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.