Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Chevy Bolt EV: Which One Wins?

When it comes to electric cars, there has never been a better selection of vehicle choices for buyers than there is today. Where Tesla once dominated, the EV space is now wide open for automobile manufacturers of all shapes and sizes to strongly compete. Nowhere is that more true than in the likes of the Chevy Bolt EV and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Even as both of these vehicles are different in their own right, they both pose a significant threat to the Tesla Model Y in terms of price, features, and value. While the Chevy might not have the cool factor of the Hyundai, it’s a solid choice for anyone looking to buzz around town. Hyundai is laser-focused on grabbing Tesla‘s market share and they are doing so with long-range and a more futuristic interior and exterior.

Let’s take a look at how both the electric Chevy Bolt and Hyundai Ioniq 5 compare and see which of these two excellent EVs is right for you.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Chevy Bolt EV: Side-by-Side Comparison

	Chevy Bolt EV	Hyundai Ioniq 5
Date of Release	December 2016	May 2021
Starting Cost	$27,495	$41,450
Range	259 Miles	220-303 miles
0-60 Speed	6.5 seconds	5.2 seconds (model-dependent)
Charging Speed	Up to 100 miles of range in 30 minutes, 6.5 hours using a 240V charger	10-80% in 15 minutes, under 7 hours on 240V charger
Number of Seats	5	5
Cargo Space	16.7 cubic feet	27.2 cubic feet
Self-Driving	Chevy Safety Assist	Level 2 autonomous driving in mid and high trim levels
Warranty	3-years 36,000-mile bumper to bumper 8-year 100,000-mile battery warranty	5-years 60,000 miles new vehicle 10-year 100,000-mile powertrain warranty (battery warranty)

Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Chevy Bolt EV: What’s the Difference?

Pricing

Trying to compare pricing between the Chevy Bolt EV and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is no doubt going to come out in favor of the Chevy. With an MSRP starting at $26,500, it’s not just less expensive than the Ioniq 5, it’s more affordable than just about every mainstream electric vehicle on the road now. This is especially true for the 1LT trim level which is the lower of the two available models available for the Chevy Bolt EV. If you want to jump up a little in price (and features), you can opt for the 2LT trim level which has an MSRP of $30,695.

Between these two cars, you’ll find cloth seats on the lower trim level versus leather-appointed on the 2LT. The 1LT only offers a rear vision camera whereas the 2LT offers 360 degrees of view as well as an optional infotainment package that includes a 7-speaker Bose premium sound system, wireless charging, and dual USB ports for rear passengers, among other available options. With all available packages on the 2LT trim level, it’s easy to push the price tag above $32,000, which is still priced well below the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

For its model lineup, Hyundai has made available four different trim levels of the Ioniq 5 starting with the SE Standard Range which begins with an MSRP of $41,450. From there, you can go to the SE, SEL, and Limited, which start at $45,500 all the way through $52,600, respectively. All of these prices are before you opt into extra features like premium exterior paint colors, which can quickly bring the SE Standard Range to a price tag of over $43,000.

On the high end, if you add a premium exterior paint color and the optional AWD package to the Limited trim level, it’s easy to bring the price tag to just below $60,000 which immediately shows just how different Chevy Bolt and Hyundai Ioniq 5 pricing can be.

Hyundai‘s Ioniq 5 definitely has a wider price range than the Chevy Bolt EV, as add-ons and AWD capability increases the price. ©ginger_polina_bublik/Shutterstock.com

Range

Looking at the range for the Chevy Bolt EV is an exercise in making it as easy as possible for potential buyers. No matter which trims level you choose, be it the 1LT or the 2LT, you receive 259 miles of range as standard. There are no features or options which can impact this range and it’s available on both trims as standard.

Instead of range, Chevy opted to focus more on interior changes to help separate the two available trim levels. Compared to Tesla, Kia, or Hyundai, 259 miles might not seem all that impressive for range, but compared to the Nissan Leaf which tops out at 212 miles for roughly the same price, the Bolt starts to look like a really strong value.

When it comes to the range of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, it’s a little more complicated than the Chevy Bolt EV. With four different trim levels, there are a number of range options that are partially driven by the choice between all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. Starting with the SE Standard Range, you receive 220 miles in RWD and it’s the only option available for the entry-level Ioniq 5 vehicle.

For the SE, SEL, and Limited, you can achieve up to 303 miles of range in RWD but if you go for AWD instead, the available range drops down to 266 miles of range, a difference of 37 miles total on one charge.

Charging

As important as the range is for electric vehicles, so too is charging time as you don’t want to be stranded for anywhere too long waiting to recharge. The good news is that both the Chevy Bolt EV and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 are both reliably fast chargers. When looking at using a Level 2 240V home charger, buyers can expect to receive around 39 miles of charge per hour or a full charge time of approximately 7 hours total. As a wonderful incentive, Chevy is covering the installation of a Level 2 home charging outlet for eligible customers leasing or purchasing a new 2022 or 2023 Chevy Bolt EV.

Another bonus for Chevy buyers is that If you find yourself at any of the available 40,000 charging stations supported by the Chevy Bolt EV around the U.S., a DC Fast Charger will provide up to 100 miles of range in 30 minutes.

As for the Hyundai Ioniq 5, fast charging was a staple of the Hyundai electric car build so they’ve gone all in on making sure their vehicles charge as quickly as possible. To that point, on an 800V DC Fast Charger, you can expect to go from 10-80% of battery life in approximately 18 minutes. If you are using a 400V DC Fast Charger, that same charge percentage can be accomplished in around 25 minutes.

On a home Level 2 240V charger, Ioniq 5 owners should anticipate a complete charge from 10-100% in around 7 hours of time. These numbers put the Hyundai right in line with the competition from not just Chevy, but also the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes when using a Fast Charger.©Mike Mareen/Shutterstock.com

Driver Assistance and Safety

As is the case with all car purchases, electric or otherwise, safety should be at the top of anyone’s list. Along with general safety practices, EVs are also making huge advancements with driver assistance to help make driving even safer. Chevy is doing its part with the standard Chevy Safety Assist package available on both trim levels of the 2023 Bolt EV.

This package starts with Front Pedestrian Braking that automatically stops the car when it senses a pedestrian in front of you at speeds under 50mph. This same technique works for vehicles as well with Forward Collision Alert under speeds of 50mph. Chevy also includes some standard features that are very helpful for all drivers, like lane keep assist and lane departure warning, along with a follow distance indicator that ensures you are far enough away from other vehicles on the road.

Hyundai brings a little more to the table for both driver assistance and safety over Chevy with its SmartSense technologies. One of the primary features is Highway Driving Assist II which incorporates smart cruise control and automatically keeps you centered in your lane and at a safe distance from vehicles in front of you. This same feature will also utilize GPS and highway data to keep you driving at the right speeds with the flow of traffic.

Remote Smart Parking Assist will help you parallel or perpendicular park, even if you are not in the car, and it can pull the car out of the space through the smartphone app so you can get in. Other features like blind spot detection, lane keep assist, and surround view monitoring are all standard across all trim levels.

The Chevy Bolt is a crossover hatchback with an affordable price tag.©James Mattil/Shutterstock.com

Technology

Even as most EV buyers looking for family crossover types of vehicles aren’t making decisions based on technology, it’s definitely nice to have. The Chevy Bolt EV is sort of a cross-pollination of old school and new school. On the one hand, you still have plenty of buttons and knobs for climate control, volume, heated seats, etc. The rest of the car‘s functions are controlled through the 10.2-inch screen which serves as both infotainment and informational.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard but with the large display, you’ll also learn everything you need about the car’s current energy use, battery life, and charge status. An 8-inch driver display provides insights into the car’s energy use and driving stats as well as critical information like real-time range.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 leans more into the future as far as technology goes with dual 12.3-inch touchscreen displays standard. This includes real-time range data, onboard navigation, traffic flow data, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and more. There are still plenty of buttons for climate control and volume but the look and feel of the touch screens help you leap more into the idea of what EVs will look like in the future.

Wireless charging is also available on some trim levels as is a plenty loud Bose premium sound system.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Chevy Bolt EV: 5 Must-Know Facts

The Chevy Bolt EV is not to be confused with the Chevy Bolt EUV, its six-inch longer sibling that looks almost the same but only provides 247 miles of range.
Between the two vehicles, there is approximately a $14,000 difference in starting price based on MSRP.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is considered a crossover SUV while the Chevy Bolt EV is considered a hatchback.
Hyundai has its sights set on the Tesla Model Y market while Chevy is looking to capture buyers who are hesitant to move to EVs based on their higher price tags.
Chevy has yet to promise their autonomous driving technology, Super Cruise, will come to the Chevy Bolt EV as of February 2023.

Recent Advancements to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Chevy Bolt EV

Both Hyundai and Chevy continue to develop their EVs to bring consumers top-of-the-line products. Since February 2023, we have seen the following updates to the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Chevy Bolt EV:

Both Hyundai and Chevy have released software updates to improve their battery management system, making it a more intuitive experience for consuemers.
Hyundai has begun working on a sportier version of the IONIQ 5 called the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N which will boast a more powerful electric motor and improved suspension.
The Chevy Bolt EV now comes standard with a DC fast-charging port, cutting regular charge time down significantly.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Chevy Bolt EV: Which One is Better?

At the end of the day, both the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Chevy Bolt EV are really great cars in their own right. The Chevy is perfect for trips around town, hauling gear to kids‘ activities, grocery store runs, or just all sorts of errands. The Hyundai is great for all of these things, but with its higher trim levels in RWD, it‘s really great for road trips as well.

The bottom line is that you cannot go wrong with either vehicle, but if you care most about safety, features, technology, and charging speed, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the way to go.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Chevy Bolt EV: Looking Forward

With breakthroughs in EV technology being made every day, we are bound to see even more great updates to these cars. In the following six to 18 months, we could potentially see the following:

Improved battery technology to cut down on charge times even more and extend the battery life, allowing for a wider drive range.
New charging technologies, such as wireless charging, as well as even more EV compatible charging locations throughout the country.
Features such as blind spot monitoring to improve the overall safety of the cars.
Driver assistance features such as autonomous driving capabilities and adaptive cruise control.