Kia EV6 vs Hyundai IONIQ 5

Let's talk real numbers. The EV6 Air RWD lists at $72,590 and the IONIQ 5 RWD at $63,900. That's an $8,690 gap, which is not nothing. On-road in most states you're looking at roughly $76k driveaway for the EV6 and $67k for the IONIQ 5. The IONIQ 5 saves you close to $9,000 before you've even turned a wheel.

Running costs are a virtual wash. At $0.32/kWh and 15,000km per year, the EV6 costs about $792 annually in electricity. The IONIQ 5 is marginally thirstier at around $816. That's $24 a year, or less than fifty cents a week. Either way, both of these cars cost roughly $15 per week to charge at home. Compare that to a petrol SUV burning 8L/100km at $1.90/litre — that's $2,280 a year. You're saving over $1,400 annually regardless of which EV you pick.

Insurance sits in a similar bracket for both, typically $1,400–$1,800 per year depending on your postcode and driving history. Servicing is dead cheap on both thanks to fewer moving parts — expect around $300–$500 per service, and intervals are roughly every 15,000km or 12 months. Neither has a timing belt, clutch, exhaust system, or oil changes to worry about.

Where it gets interesting is resale. Kia's 7-year warranty gives buyers confidence when purchasing second-hand, which tends to prop up residual values. Hyundai's 5-year coverage is still solid but two years shorter. Over a 5-year ownership period, factoring in the purchase price gap, the IONIQ 5 will almost certainly cost less to own overall.

Both cars hold a full 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and both share the same E-GMP platform safety architecture underneath. That means identical crash structures, similar crumple zones, and the same fundamental approach to keeping occupants safe.

Standard safety tech on both includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The EV6 adds Kia's Highway Driving Assist 2, which offers semi-autonomous driving on highways. The IONIQ 5 gets Hyundai's equivalent SmartSense suite, which is functionally identical.

One area where EVs genuinely excel is the lack of a large engine block up front. Both cars have a spacious front crumple zone that absorbs impacts without a heavy lump of metal being pushed into the cabin. For families with kids in the back, that extra protection is meaningful.

There's no meaningful safety difference between these two. Pick either one and you're getting as safe as any vehicle on Australian roads in 2026.

The EV6 Air gets Kia's wide curved display — dual 12.3-inch screens that sweep across the dashboard. It looks premium, responds quickly, and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Kia's interface is clean and fairly intuitive once you learn where things live. You also get vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, which lets you plug in appliances, power tools, or charge other devices from the car's battery. That's a genuine lifestyle feature for camping trips or job sites.

The IONIQ 5 counters with the same dual 12.3-inch display setup, just styled a bit differently. Hyundai's infotainment is slightly more straightforward in its menu layout. It also gets V2L, wireless phone mirroring, heated front seats, and the same digital rear-view mirror option on higher trims.

In terms of charging tech, both support 800V architecture. That's the headline. Plug into a 350kW DC fast charger and you'll go from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes. That's quicker than most people take to grab a coffee and stretch their legs at a servo. On a home wallbox (7kW), a full charge takes around 7–8 hours overnight. On the standard included charger from a powerpoint, you're looking at significantly longer, so a wallbox is strongly recommended.

Both cars also get a heat pump for more efficient cabin heating in winter without chewing through the battery. Seat heating and cooling are available across the range. In terms of interior quality, the EV6 leans slightly sportier while the IONIQ 5 has a more lounge-like, retro-futuristic cabin. Both are well built, though neither feels quite as premium as a European EV at this price.

Underneath, these two are siblings. Both use Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) with a single rear-mounted motor producing 168kW and 350Nm of torque. Performance is essentially identical: 7.3 seconds to 100km/h for the EV6 and 7.4 seconds for the IONIQ 5. You'd never notice the difference in real life.

Both are rear-wheel drive in these variants, which gives them a natural, well-balanced driving feel. The EV6 is slightly firmer in its suspension tune, giving it a sportier character through corners. The IONIQ 5 is a touch softer and more comfort-oriented. On Australian roads riddled with potholes and speed bumps, that extra compliance in the IONIQ 5 can be appreciated.

The EV6 edges ahead on efficiency at 16.5kWh/100km versus 17.0kWh/100km for the IONIQ 5. Over 15,000km, that translates to about 75kWh less energy consumed per year. At 32 cents per kWh, you save $24 annually. Hardly earth-shattering, but the slightly better efficiency also translates to roughly 21km more range on a full charge (around 528km vs 507km WLTP). On a long road trip where charger spacing matters, that extra buffer could be handy.

Regenerative braking on both is adjustable via paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, and both offer a one-pedal driving mode that brings the car to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal. Once you've driven with one-pedal mode in city traffic, going back to a conventional car feels weirdly crude.