Should you buy one?

Absolutely. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is proof that electric cars can be fun. By refusing to take itself too seriously and filling its car with features that are unashamedly designed to appeal to driving enthusiasts, Hyundai has set a new template for performance EVs.

Yes, its £65,000 starting price looks quite high when you compare it to a petrol-powered hot hatchback. But while the Audi RS 3 is cheaper, it still has a starting price of around £56,000 – and this Hyundai will tear it to shreds in a straight line.

The Ioniq 5 N truly is the best attempt we’ve seen yet at making an electric performance car good to drive and, thankfully, it doesn’t compromise in other areas to achieve it. It’s also more powerful than its closest equivalent petrol rival, the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, and – arguably – more interesting than a Porsche Taycan.

What we like

Almost everything. It looks great, it’s practical, it has a good cabin, it’s absolutely rapid and it’s genuinely good fun to drive. The simulated engine noise and gearbox system has also been implemented utterly seamlessly. Hyundai deserves praise for pulling this off ahead of other, more established performance car manufacturers – and the results speak for themselves.

What we don’t like

We’ll reserve final judgement on the ride until we drive the Ioniq 5 N in the UK, along with that official range figure. Also, £65,000 is a lot of money for a hot hatchback – and there’s no getting around the fact that it weighs about the same as a Range Rover.