Best Electric Car To Buy 2024

We have a repeat winner.

After taking the Best Electric Car To Buy crown from the Ford Mustang Mach-E in 2023, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 returns as The Car Connection Best Electric Car To Buy 2024.

The Ioniq 5 continues to wow us with its retro flair, excellent efficiency, spacious cabin, and refined ride paired with an intuitive interface. Its looks alone deserve an award, yet it has so much more going for it beyond its design.

With a TCC Rating of 8.5, the Ioniq 5 just barely trails the more expensive and less efficient Kia EV9’s TCC Rating of 8.6. But efficiency is a big deal when it comes to electric cars, and the EV9 only scores a 9 rather than the Ioniq 5’s perfect 10 on our Green rating scale. A vehicle needs to average at least 3.0 miles traveled per kwh used to net a rating of 10.

Most Ioniq 5s feed the electric motor(s) with a 77.4-kwh battery pack, though base cars use a smaller 58-kwh pack with a 220-mile range. The larger pack with a single rear motor goes 303 miles on a full charge and has an efficiency rating of more than 3.3 miles per kwh, according to the EPA. Dual-motor models provide all-wheel drive but the range drops to 260 miles. Power output ranges from 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque to 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. 

A hotter Ioniq 5 N model comes online this year with up to 641 hp and 568 lb-ft, with an estimated 0-60 mph sprint in less than 3.3 seconds. 

The Ioniq 5 uses Hyundai’s E-GMP platform with an 800-volt electrical architecture that enables CCS DC fast-charging from 10-80% in about 18 minutes. Charging on a 240-volt Level 2 charger takes less than seven hours, thanks to the system’s ability to accept up to 10.9 kwh. 

While the Ioniq 5 isn’t the spryest car on the road, its suspension quietly soaks up broken pavement. Four levels of regenerative braking can be controlled via the steering wheel paddles, including the one that delivers one-pedal driving.

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Inside, the Ioniq 5 is quiet and comfortable with lots of interesting details. There’s much more space for passengers than in similarly-sized gas-powered cars. The battery pack perches the seats up a bit higher than taller drivers may like, and headroom may be tight. The rear seat slides on a track to trade rear-seat legroom for cargo space. Three people across in back won’t mind short trips around town, and a road trip for four will be comfortable. The cargo area holds 27.2 cubic feet of stuff, which expands to 59.3 cubic feet with the second row folded. The detailed interior features Ioniq-specific touches with a little Chiclet design throughout, plenty of storage cubbies, and easy-to-use buttons and knobs. One baffling touch: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both still require a wire for connectivity. 

Costing $42,985, including a $1,335 destination charge, the Ioniq 5 delivers a long-list of standard equipment including a 12.3-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 19-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, and navigation. A loaded dual-motor Limited trim slots in just under $60,000 and adds a head-up display, remote park assist, a power front passenger seat, and cooled front seats. Regardless of which trim is chosen, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 continues to stand out as a value with a knockout design among the growing crop of electric crossover SUVs.