Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the 2021 News Corp Car of the Year

In what has been a massive year of change for the auto industry, a surprising winner emerges to take the 2021 Car of the Year crown.

David McCowen

4 min read

December 3, 2021 - 12:01AM

News Corp Australia Network

Hyundai Ioniq 5 wins 2021 News Corp Car of the Year

New Cars

Don't miss out on the headlines from New Cars. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 has made history by becoming the first electric vehicle to win News Corp’s annual Car of the Year award. The Hyundai stood out in a strong field of new vehicles with hybrid, petrol and diesel power.

It’s not Hyundai’s first electric car but the Ioniq 5 is the first dedicated electric car built by a brand with a commendable commitment to the environment.

COMMENT: AWARD WINNER OFFERS GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE

This year also marked the first year we have awarded an Electric Car of the Year. Prior to the main event, we compared five of the best new electric cars released this year, before pitting the top two against the conventional cars in our field.

Seven of the best new cars to arrive in 2021 battle it out. Picture: Mark Bean

Judges examined a field of seven vehicles according to five criteria: value for money, performance, design, technology and safety.

A test loop combined highway motoring with sweeping country bends, a low-speed suburban run and a broad variety of road surfaces.

Volvo’s electric car spin-off, Polestar, was a first-time finalist.

The judges marked the cars on five criteria. Picture: Mark Bean

Its Polestar 2 is an impressive sedan that is beautifully finished inside and out, delivering luxury-car presentation for a surprisingly affordable price – $64,900 plus on-road costs in long-range, single-motor form with a big battery driving the front wheels.

But a firm ride and noisy suspension eroded its appeal.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric SUV is this year’s Car of the Year. Picture: Mark Bean

The Polestar was also compromised by the brand’s decision to charge $5000 for safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control and rear cross-traffic alerts fitted to every other finalist as standard.

The Volkswagen Golf, a previous COTY winner, impressed on the road, but its price tag prevented it from making it into our top three.

The Polestar 2 has a cheap starting price. Picture: Mark Bean

The eighth-generation Golf is the best car in the hatchback class, helped by a new eight-speed automatic transmission and masterfully integrated driver assistance technology.

But the cheapest model in today’s Golf line-up costs $34,450 plus on-road costs – about $39,000 drive-away. That’s lot for a 1.4-litre hatchback, even if it is lovely to drive.

Toyota’s Kluger Hybrid takes a different approach.

The VW Golf is the benchmark small hatchback, but it’s expensive. Picture: Mark Bean

Prioritising comfort over poise, the seven-seat Kluger builds on the success of Toyota’s acclaimed RAV4 Hybrid.

Loaded with safety gear, the big Toyota impresses with fuel economy to rival tiny hatchbacks.

But the entry-level GX model tested here felt basic alongside plush opposition and the big unit felt unwieldy on a winding road.

It doesn’t come cheap, either, starting at about $60,000 on the road.

The Toyota Kluger hybrid is very fuel efficient for a big SUV. Picture: Mark Bean

Kia will take on Toyota with a fuel-sipping hybrid version of the medium-sized Sportage in 2022.

Until then, the pick of the range has a punchy turbo diesel engine that sidesteps the turbo petrol version’s awkward dual-clutch auto.

Tested in range-topping GT-Line trim, it impressed judges with a huge curved dual-screen display and clever blind-spot monitoring cameras.

The Kia’s cabin had some serious wow features. Picture: Mark Bean

Loaded with features, the Kia’s high price ($54,900 drive-away) and firm ride saw it fall short of a podium place.

But its eight-seat cousin, the Kia Carnival GT-Line, made it through to our top three.

Judges were impressed by the Carnival’s comprehensive standard equipment – dual sunroofs, heated and cooled seats, power sliding doors and three-zone climate control.

Clever touches such as prominent USB points, fuss-free folding seats and a solid diesel motor won favour with our team, as did the Carnival’s butch looks.

The Kia Carnival shows just how far people-movers have come. Picture: Mark Bean

Kia’s people-mover is a class leader and a fine machine.

But fully loaded it lacked a little composure over bumps and the brakes could have done with more bite. It also lacks the go-anywhere capability of rival SUV seven-seaters.

Ultimately, judges felt that it didn’t move the needle enough to take the gong.

The Subaru Outback won more support from judges, who appreciated the luxurious ride and a classy and spacious cabin trimmed in wetsuit-like water repellent material with neon green stitching.

The Subaru Outback has a smooth ride, soaking up bump and road imperfections better than the others. Picture: Mark Bean

The mid-range Outback Sport priced from $44,490 plus on-roads (about $49,500 drive-away) has a comprehensive array of safety gear, including a facial recognition system that can detect signs of drowsiness.

A proper all-wheel-drive system, decent ground clearance and a useful wagon body make it a practical pick.

Judges didn’t like the Subaru’s underwhelming non-turbo four-cylinder engine, a coarse-sounding unit with doughy responses blunted by a CVT transmission.

The Outback and Carnival attracted one vote each as the best new car of 2021.

But four judges picked the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The Ioniq 5 has futuristic styling and an innovative layout and uses plenty of sustainable materials. Picture: Mark Bean

A family SUV shaped like a hatchback, the Ioniq’s futuristic styling turns heads on every drive.

Its long wheelbase accommodates a luxuriously airy cabin made from sustainably sourced materials.

Perky responses from its 160kW/350Nm electric motor deliver effortless, near-silent acceleration.

The electric motor delivers plenty of oomph off the mark. Picture: Thomas Wielecki

Rear-wheel-drive traction adds to its appeal, though its soft suspension didn’t deal with bumps as well as some rivals.

Faster to charge than the majority of battery-powered rivals, the Ioniq’s 450-plus kilometres of claimed range make it viable for Australian families.

The catch is that it’s not cheap at about $71,900 plus on-road costs.

Hyundai offsets the price with luxury features including heated and electrically adjustable seats in the front and rear, a Bose stereo, panoramic sunroof and twin wide-screen displays as standard.

There is plenty of equipment included in the Ioniq 5.

It includes an enormous array of safety gear, along with convenient touches such as smart keys, a powered tailgate, wireless phone charging and smartphone mirroring for both Apple and Android.

Though it’s not cheap, the Ioniq 5 is a future-focused, innovative machine with cutting edge technology, sustainable materials and daring styling.

As growing numbers of people consider an electric car for their next set of wheels, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 represents an important step in the evolution of motoring.

It’s a clear winner as our 2021 Car of the Year.

THE JUDGES

Richard Blackburn, national motoring editor

David McCowen, digital motoring editor

Dom Tripolone, motoring writer

Claire Haiek, parenting editor, Kidspot

Toby Hagon, editor EV Central

Mark Short, automotive consultant

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2020 Skoda Kamiq

2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

2018 Hyundai i30 N