2021 INFINITI QX80 vs 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Reflecting its origins, the 2021 INFINITI QX80 wore a mix of Nissan Armada and Infiniti styling elements. The basic body shell carried over from the Armada, evident in the profile of the roofline and the distinctive curve of the rear windows. Both SUVs also sported vents on their front fenders. While many other SUVs had switched to car-like unibody construction for added rigidity, the QX80 and Armada stuck with body-on-frame construction, featuring a separate body and chassis.

The QX80’s face was all Infiniti, with front-end styling introduced for the 2018 model year, including the same grille (with dark chrome trim available) and headlight design as other, smaller Infiniti SUVs. This gave the QX80 an assertive look that wasn’t overly aggressive or flashy compared to some other full-size luxury SUVs. Standard LED headlights, taillights, and fog lights, along with 20-inch wheels on the base Luxe trim and 22-inch wheels on the Premium Select and Sensory trims, added to its appeal.

The first-ever 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 was a spinoff, not a reboot, of the original Ioniq. It presented a polished exterior appearance with minimal character lines, avoiding the “Look at me!” fashion of other automakers. The Ioniq 5 utilized a Parametric Pixel design, reminiscent of an 8-bit box from Nintendo-based childhoods, used excessively throughout the exterior in all the LEDs and lighting casings. This design made the Ioniq 5 look more like a concept car than a production vehicle.

The Ioniq 5’s interior did a 180 from its exterior, featuring a low-key design available in black, gray, and dark green hues. Hyundai called this design theme “Living Space,” creating a relaxing environment with a legitimate “Relaxation” mode for the driver’s seat. The Ioniq 5 also utilized sustainable materials, with standard stain-resistant cloth seats and leatherette upholstery for higher trims. Recycled fibers and bio-materials were used throughout the interior, maintaining the Parametric Pixel theme in the steering wheel, door inserts, and seat upholstery.

All 2021 INFINITI QX80 models were equipped with a 5.6-liter V8 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) was standard, with 4WD available as a $3,100 option. The naturally-aspirated V8 produced 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, slightly less than a V8 Cadillac Escalade or the twin-turbo V6 Lincoln Navigator, but still plenty to get this big SUV moving. The engine felt responsive in all situations, though transmission shifts could have been smoother.

The QX80 featured front and rear independent suspension with a rear auto-leveling feature, providing a comfortable ride. Sensory models included Hydraulic Body Motion Control to limit body roll during cornering. Despite this, the QX80 felt less composed in corners, with noticeable body roll. The speed-sensitive power steering promoted a relaxed driving style. The QX80’s body-on-frame construction offered towing and off-road capability, with a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 came in two drive configurations, three trims, and three powertrains. Available in SE, SEL, and Limited trims, the Ioniq 5 featured RWD as standard with AWD offered on all trims. The base SE Standard Range had a single 128-kW rear-mounted electric motor, producing 168 horsepower and offering 220 miles of range. The extended-range lineup featured a larger 168-kW rear motor, producing 225 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque, with a range of 303 miles. AWD variants had a dual-motor system with a total power of 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque, but the range dropped to 256 miles.

The Ioniq 5 handled elevation-changing canyon roads and highway straightaways with composure and control. It featured four drive modes, including Sport mode, which re-tuned the torque split and added weight to the steering wheel feel. Paddle shifters were available for adjusting regenerative properties on the fly. The Ioniq 5 was equipped with noise-reducing features, including acoustic tires and sound-deadening materials, providing a quiet ride regardless of the road surface.

The three-row 2021 INFINITI QX80 came standard in a seven-seat configuration, with second-row captain’s chairs and a center console. An eight-seat configuration was optional, with a 60/40 split-folding second-row bench seat. Standard features included a 10-way-adjustable power driver’s seat and an eight-way front passenger’s seat, with two-way lumbar support for both. Passenger space in all three rows was competitive but not class-leading. Cargo space was 16.6 cubic feet with all three rows in place, 49.6 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 95.1 cubic feet with both the third row and the second-row captain’s chairs folded.

The Ioniq 5 sat on an all-new platform known as Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), offering a longer wheelbase to maximize interior space and utility. The five-passenger Ioniq 5 had a longer wheelbase than the seven-passenger flagship Palisade, measuring 118.1 inches versus the Palisade’s 114.2 inches. The Ioniq 5 offered a total interior volume of 133.7 cubic feet, exceeding the overall cabin space of competitors like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4. The Ioniq 5’s interior featured soft touch points and useable spaces, including a moveable center armrest and cubby, and a modern take on the retro front bench seat.

The 2021 INFINITI QX80 featured the standard Infiniti InTouch dual-screen infotainment system with 8.0-inch upper and 7.0-inch lower touchscreens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a built-in WiFi hotspot, and navigation. Optional features included a 17-speaker Bose system and a Theater Package rear-seat entertainment system. The touchscreens were backed up by an array of analog controls, but the user interface was not intuitive. The standard Smart Rearview Mirror and Around View Monitor 360-degree camera system provided helpful tech for easier driving.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 was powered by a next-generation high-voltage, energy-dense system with vehicle-to-load capabilities. It supported charging infrastructures up to 800 volts and could reach 80 percent battery capacity within 18 minutes. The Ioniq 5 offered unlimited 30-minute fast-charging sessions for two years through a partnership with Electrify America. The Ioniq 5 also featured a redesigned Blue Link connected car app, a digital key, enhanced smartphone pairing, and over-the-air updates. The 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment were elegant and intuitive, with an anti-glare coating.

The 2021 INFINITI QX80 received a four-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars for side crash tests, four stars for frontal crash tests, and a three-star rollover rating. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and Backup Collision Intervention.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 was equipped with Hyundai SmartSense, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and front- and rear-collision avoidance. Hyundai Highway Drive Assist I (HAD) was also included, featuring machine-learning adaptive cruise control with stop & go. The Ioniq 5 offered a head-up display (HUD) with augmented reality overlays, though it could be distracting in actual usage. Neither the NHTSA nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had released crash-safety ratings for the Ioniq 5, but Hyundai was expected to earn high marks.