Compare the2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5VS 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge

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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Ioniq 5 and the XC40 Recharge 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is safer than the XC40 Recharge:

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 XC40 Recharge has not been fully tested, yet.

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 XC40 Recharge’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 5 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40 Recharge. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 Recharge ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai above average in initial quality. With 62 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 108 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 30th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 1 place higher in reliability than Volvo.

On the EPA test cycle the Ioniq 5 gets better mileage than the XC40 Recharge:

The Ioniq 5 can travel longer on a full charge than the XC40 Recharge on a full charge:

The Ioniq 5 stops shorter than the XC40 Recharge:

For better traction, the Ioniq 5 Limited AWD’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XC40 Recharge (255/45R20 vs. 235/50R19).

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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is 11.7 inches longer than on the XC40 Recharge (118.1 inches vs. 106.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Ioniq 5 is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the XC40 Recharge.

The Ioniq 5 Limited AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the XC40 Recharge pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Ioniq 5 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XC40 Recharge (25.6 seconds vs. 26.3 seconds).

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 700 pounds less than the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

The design of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 amounts to more than styling. The Ioniq 5 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .288 Cd. That is significantly lower than the XC40 Recharge (.329) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Ioniq 5 get better fuel mileage.

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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Ioniq 5 has 8.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC40 Recharge (106.5 vs. 98).

The Ioniq 5 has 2.2 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the XC40 Recharge.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ioniq 5’s rear seats recline. The XC40 Recharge’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Ioniq 5 is 1.1 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge (16.6” vs. 17.7”). The Ioniq 5’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the XC40 Recharge’s (17” vs. 18.2”).

The Ioniq 5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 16 cubic feet). The Ioniq 5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 Recharge with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

The Ioniq 5’s cargo area is larger than the XC40 Recharge’s in almost every dimension:

Maximum trailer towing in the Volvo XC40 Recharge is limited to 2000 pounds. The Ioniq 5 offers up to a 2300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Ioniq 5 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Ioniq 5 Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 XC40 Recharge 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 XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Ioniq 5 Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Ioniq 5 Limited’s Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Ioniq 5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC40 Recharge doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Ioniq 5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Ioniq 5 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2022. The XC40 Recharge has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Hyundai Ioniq outsold the Volvo XC40 by 44% during 2022.