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We’ve all seen platform sharing. That’s when a manufacturer takes a car, redesigns some of it, and slaps on a different badge. General Motors is famous for it, with the Cadillac Escalade basically being a Chevy Tahoe with lots and lots of chrome and leather. The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are mostly the same car, but they do have some key differences.

Do the differences between these two Korean sibling cars come down to more than styling?

What’s the same between the Ioniq 5 and the EV6?

Both cars (or crossovers) ride on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform. They both get the Korean company’s 58-kWh hour battery pack or an upgraded 77.4 kWh pack with all-wheel drive. Each car puts out 320 horsepower, and can quick charge. If you look at the spec sheets side by side, even down to the tire size (though not brand), they’re the same cars.

Both cars also come with Level 3 DC fast charging capability. Fast charging allows these two to take advantage of 800-volt chargers, unlike competitors like the Mustang Mach E or the Tesla Model Y. According to ElecTrek, Hyundai sells more Ioniq 5s than Kia does EV6s.

What’s different between the two on the spec sheet?

Black and Silver 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Electric SUV parked in a field
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Hyundai
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 dash
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 dash | Hyundai

The Kia is tuned for a sportier ride and handling. The suspension is tuned slightly stiffer in the Kia, and it has a 114.4 inch wheelbase compared to the Hyundai’s 118.1-inch wheelbase. That extra length does improve the cargo handling and legroom in the Hyundai, but only by a few inches here and there. The Hyundai starts at $55,725 and the Kia starts at $57,115, though both are eligible for tax credits. As a side note, the Ioniq 5 won MotorBiscuits’s EV of the Year award.

Most likely due to a slight increase in weight and a less wind-cheating style, the Ioniq 5 has less range. It can go 256 miles on a charge, while the Kia EV6 can go 256 with the upgraded motors. Even in the more efficient base trim, the Kia eeks out seven more miles of range than the Hyundai, with 310. Other than that, the differences on the spec sheet are hard to find.

Styling sets the EV6 and Ioniq 5 apart

Seats in 2023 Kia EV6, most reliable electric car, not a Tesla or Toyota, says Consumer Reports
2023 Kia EV6 | Kia
A gray 2023 Kia EV6 electric compact SUV model parked on a hill overlooking foggy sea water
2023 Kia EV6 | Kia America

Do you favor the modern station wagon look of the EV6 with its cool hatch that kind of resembles a Porsche Taycan? Or, do you prefer the retro blocky styling of the Hyundai with four square headlights that gives it more of an SUV stance? In the Kia, however, you do sit considerably lower than you do in the taller Hyundai.

Inside, though, both brands really worked to differentiate the cars. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a bright modern interior with a long flat dash and a floating console. It sort of has the look of something an Ikea or Apple designer might put out. The Kia, on the other hand, focuses on broad black plastic and has a, dare we say, more conventional feel inside with everything canted towards the driver. Both cars have long infotainment screens that merge into the gauge cluster.

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.