Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N Is Much Slower With Fake Manual Mode Engaged

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N is a near-perfect response to accusations that EVs are one-trick ponies that can never be as fun as a conventional ICE-powered vehicle. But ironically, one of the features that makes it so fun is a simulated eight-speed transmission that mimics the feel of driving a combustion car. In this case though, more fun means less speed, as Carwow’s latest drag race video reveals.

You’ve probably already seen the 5 N in a drag race video, but what makes this one worth watching is that it shows how much acceleration those simulated manual shifts cost you.

Related: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Vs BMW M4 Competition Isn’t Much Of A Competition

The straight line-obsessed YouTube channel pitted the 641 hp (650 PS) Ioniq 5 N against the new 510 hp (518 PS) Tesla Model 3 Performance to see if the more powerful but substantially heavier (by 847 lbs / 384 kg) Hyundai could beat its Tesla rival over the quarter mile and beyond.

In each of three standing-start runs and a rolling race in which the 5 N is operating as a regular EV, it struggles to get off the line as quickly as the Model 3. But then it reels the Tesla in, nosing ahead before the quarter mile marker in two out of three races, and storming ahead when the pair race on to complete a half mile.

In one race it gives the Telsa too long a leash over the first few yards, but overall the Hyundai is the drag race winner, and a roll-on shootout also results in the 5 N pushing the Model 3 into second place. For the record, Tesla quotes zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2.9 seconds for the Performance and Hyundai says 3.25 seconds for the 5 N, though only Tesla subtracts rollout from its figures, meaning the true numbers are probably almost identical.

But then host Mat Watson suggests running another drag race, this time with the Ioniq’s simulated manual mode engaged. Activating it via a press of a button on the steering wheel makes a conventional rev counter appear on the screen, and gives you the choice of making the computer shift through its seven gears, or letting you do it yourself via a pair of wheel-mounted shift paddles.

Watson opts for the DIY method, but with the electric motors artificially restricted to create the make-believe ICE effect, he’s now much slower than the Tesla. He does say, though, that it felt more fun, and thinks other brands selling performance EVs should offer the same tech. 

Having driven the Ioniq 5 N and spent time playing with its various modes ourselves, we’d agree. Being able to switch between EV and fake manual is a genius move. We already know that Hyundai’s sister company Kia will offer a manual shift feature on the facelifted EV6 later this year, and hope the idea spreads far and wide.