The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 won the MotorTrend SUV of the Year Award. In a world where every other vehicle in a parking lot is an SUV, this is quite an honor for this all-electric compact crossover. When you ask people what an SUV should be and what it should do, many can’t agree, but everyone is sure they will “know it when they see it.”

Did the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 hit all the points for this award?

According to MotorTrend, a great SUV has some specific characteristics, but mostly they know one when they drive it. This seems to be pretty consistent with the way most of us feel about these vehicles. From the boxy, traditional body-on-frame models like the Chevy Suburban and Ford Expedition down to the small crossovers of the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR, SUVs span a wide world of vehicles.

The qualities required could be covered in this quote from MotorTrend:

“A great SUV must inspire confidence; it’s capable of commuting comfortably, road-tripping for days, and tackling both snow and light off-road trails. An SUV must be spacious, with each row offering room for both passengers and things they carry. It also must be safe and relatively efficient. Stylish looks don’t hurt, either.” – MotorTrend

Does the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq hit some of these marks? Let’s explore.

What are the powertrains and charging times for this electric SUV?

The Ioniq 5 has two battery and motor configurations to offer various driving ranges and power levels. The base SE Standard Range trim has a 58.0-kWh battery pack with a single rear-mounted electric motor. This powertrain delivers 168 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, along with a 220-mile driving range.

Moving up to a higher trim brings a 77.4-kWh battery pack for the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The single-motor layout provides 225 horsepower,258 lb-ft of torque, and 303 miles of driving range. Add a second motor to this powertrain, and you’ve got an AWD version of the Ioniq 5. This added motor increases the power to 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. The driving range for the AWD version is 266 miles.

When you need to charge the Ioniq 5, this SUV has an 800-volt architecture to make this easy for you. Plug in and use one of the 350-kW Level 3 DC fast charger, and you’ll see this SUV charge from 10 to 80% in only 18 minutes.

Can the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SUV handle the commutes and road trips of an SUV?

Most consumers won’t use all of the driving range of this Hyundai electric SUV in a single day of commuting, which makes it ideal for this task. When it comes to road trips, we have a different story. Even if the longest-range version of this SUV is used, road trips might be time-consuming and frustrating.

While using the Level 3 DC Fast Chargers, this SUV can only reach 242 miles of driving range. Once you reach 30 miles of the remaining range, it’s time to plug in once again. This translates to a recharge every three to four hours during a road trip.

The value offered in the Ioniq 5 could be why MotorTrend loves this SUV

Even though you’ll stop often during road trips, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 could be a useful electric SUV to handle nearly all of your daily driving requirements. This SUV also brings a starting price of $42,745, and an excellent standard warranty that covers the vehicle for 5 years/60,000 miles with powertrain protection to take things to 100,000 miles.

The Ioniq 5 delivers an impressive level of value with its all-electric powertrain, respectable driving range, affordable price, low insurance costs, and high resale value. It’s pretty easy to see why MotorTrend chose this vehicle as the 2023 SUV of the Year.

Next, check out the trade-offs between gas and electric vehicles, or watch this video comparing the Ioniq 5 to the Kia EV6.