Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Motor1
Motor1
Sport
Christopher Smith

Watch the Ioniq 5 N Melt a Bunch of Ugly SUVs in a Drag Race

Looks are subjective. A purple Rolls-Royce Cullinan with a Mansory body kit doesn't look that bad, right? And the nostrils on the Brabus-tuned Mercedes-AMG G63 remind us of a ram air Pontiac Trans Am, circa 2001. As for the Lamborghini Urus Performante Essenza SCV12, it's not exceedingly different from the standard Urus. Though we'd feel a bit self-conscious driving a bright green SUV with racing numbers on the doors.

This is a very eclectic collection of ultra-expensive SUVs, but they have the power to back up the visuals. The Cullinan has a 6.75-liter V-12, whereas the G63 has its much-loved 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8. It's unclear what mechanical modifications are done on these tuner SUVs—at the very worst there's 591 and 577 horsepower under those respective hoods. In Lambo land, we know its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 makes 627 hp. It's a special version of the Urus that only owners of the Essenza SCV12 track car can buy.

And then there's the Hyundai, looking quite (perhaps refreshingly) dull amid this sea of colorful kitted-out SUVs. Starting at $66,100, the Ioniq 5 N punches way above its weight class. But is it epic enough to slay these titans in a drag race?

The crew at CarExpert grabbed some video of these four performers in action. The Mercedes and Rolls-Royce line up first, and to no real surprise, the lighter G63 takes the win. Round two pits the G against the Urus, and it's actually close for a little while. The Lambo's power advantage comes in at the far end of the track, leaving the Mercedes and its Brabus-installed nostrils far behind.

Whether the film crew had prior knowledge of this forthcoming smackdown, we have no idea. Sorry combustion fans—the Ioniq 5 N absolutely owns the Urus through every aspect of several runs. Due to low mileage, the Lambo driver couldn't use launch control. But it didn't matter. Be it from a dig or a roll, it was all Hyundai.

The final numbers tell the tale. With a quarter-mile time of 13.29 seconds, the Mansory Rolls-Royce couldn't outrun its purple paint or any of the competitors. The Mercedes-AMG G63 went 12.59, certainly not slow but slower than the 12.43 time posted by the Urus. But they were all much slower than the Ioniq 5 N, which ran 11.32 seconds at 121.7 mph.

Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily.
For more information, read our
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.