Compare the2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5VS 2026 Tesla Model Y

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 Model Y 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 Model Y 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 Model Y 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 Model Y 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is safer than the Tesla Model Y:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Ioniq 5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Model Y’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 5 2 years longer than Tesla covers the Model Y. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Model Y ends after only 8 years.

There are over 4 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

The Ioniq 5 N’s electric motors produces 181 more horsepower (641 vs. 460) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 487) than the Model Y Performance’s optional electric motors.

As tested in Car and Driver the Ioniq 5 N electric motors is faster than the Model Y Performance electric motors:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ioniq 5 N electric motors is faster than the Model Y Long Range AWD electric motors:

The Ioniq 5 N’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Model Y doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Ioniq 5 N’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model Y:

The Ioniq 5 stops much shorter than the Model Y:

For better traction, the Ioniq 5 N’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model Y (275/35R21 vs. 255/35R21).

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 Model Y doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Ioniq 5 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Ioniq 5 flat and controlled during cornering. The Model Y Performance suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Model Y (118.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Ioniq 5 N handles at .96 G’s, while the Model Y Long Range AWD pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Ioniq 5 N executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Model Y Long Range AWD (24.1 seconds @ .82 average G’s vs. 25.6 seconds @ .74 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Ioniq 5 XRT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Model Y (7 vs. 6.6 inches), allowing the Ioniq 5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ioniq 5 is 5.3 inches shorter than the Model Y, making the Ioniq 5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Ioniq 5 has .1 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 3 inches more rear hip room and 3.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model Y.

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

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ioniq 5 has a standard rear wiper. The Model Y doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Ioniq 5’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model Y doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Ioniq 5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Model Y doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ioniq 5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model Y doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Ioniq 5 is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model Y, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Ioniq 5 offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model Y.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Ioniq 5 equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model Y, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Hyundai Ioniq 5 empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model Y’s traditional radio, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

The Ioniq 5 Limited has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the rear seat, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Model Y doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 retains 40.85% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 39.16% resale value of the 2025 Tesla Model Y after five years, which can save the Hyundai’s owner up to $11303.29897 in depreciation.

The Ioniq 5 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 4 more times in the last 4 years. The Model Y has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.