Compare the2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5VS 2023 Lucid Motors Air

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Ioniq 5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Air doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Ioniq 5’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Air doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Ioniq 5 has standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Air doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Ioniq 5 and the Air have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ioniq 5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Air has not been tested, yet.

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Ioniq 5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Lucid Motors doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Air.

There are almost 29 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Lucid Motors dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Ioniq 5’s reliability 11 points higher than the Air.

The Ioniq 5 stops much shorter than the Air:

The Ioniq 5 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Air doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Air (118.1 inches vs. 116.5 inches).

The Ioniq 5 Limited AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Air Grand Touring pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 950 pounds less than the Lucid Motors Air.

The Ioniq 5 is 1 foot, 1.4 inches shorter than the Air, making the Ioniq 5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Ioniq 5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Air doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Ioniq 5 has 5.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Air (106.5 vs. 101).

The Ioniq 5 has .2 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Air.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Ioniq 5’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Air doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Ioniq 5 offers up to a 2300 lbs. towing capacity. The Air has no towing capacity.

The Ioniq 5 Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Air doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

On a hot day the Ioniq 5’s driver can lower the front windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Air can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Ioniq 5’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Air’s power mirror controls are embedded in the infotainment system, seriously distracting drivers who have to adjust them while driving.

When the Ioniq 5 Limited is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Air’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

On extremely cold winter days, the Ioniq 5 SEL/Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Air doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Ioniq 5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lucid Motors Air isn't recommended.

The Ioniq 5 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2022. The Air has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Hyundai Ioniq outsold the Lucid Motors Air by over 12 to one during 2022.