iCAUR 03T vs Hyundai IONIQ 5

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Discontinued model
iCAUR 03T in South Africa

iCAUR 03T

2WD Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 639,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
VS
Hyundai IONIQ 5 in South Africa

Hyundai IONIQ 5

72kWh AWD Executive Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Discontinued model
ZAR 1,068,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 225 kW 🔧 605 Nm
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

iCAUR 03T vs Hyundai IONIQ 5: the short answer

IONIQ 5 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while 03T remains close.

Recorded price context 03T: current from ZAR 639,900 · IONIQ 5: last listed from ZAR 859,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification 03T IONIQ 5
Maximum Power 03T135 kW IONIQ 5225 kW
Maximum Torque 03T220 Nm IONIQ 5605 Nm
Engine Size 03TNot Applicable IONIQ 5Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 03TNot applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l IONIQ 5Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 03T190 mm IONIQ 5160 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

iCAUR 03T

2WD

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Hyundai IONIQ 5

72kWh AWD Executive

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

03T

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

IONIQ 5

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

03T

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

IONIQ 5

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec 03T IONIQ 5
Model Introduced Year 2026 2022
Generation South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current 03T generation. First generation Ioniq 5 on Hyundai's dedicated E-GMP electric platform; 800V fast charging architecture allows rapid 18-minute charge from 10-80% at suitable DC fast chargers
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status Published discontinued
Segment Electric SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Facelift History - Launched in SA in 2022; updates to battery specifications and charging capabilities followed; the car has been on Hyundai SA's EV flagship from launch
Facelift Launched Since - 2022
Tare Mass Kg - 2190 kg
Spec 03T IONIQ 5
Length 4433 mm 4635 mm
Width 1916 mm 1890 mm
Height 1741 mm 1605 mm
Wheelbase 2715 mm 3000 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 190 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 165 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity Not applicable — battery electric vehicle 72.6 l
Boot/Cargo Space 450 L rear seats up; 1,238 L with rear seats folded; 40 L rear storage box 527 l
Kerb Weight 1600–1950 kg 2190 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2173 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 350–650 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1020 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 990 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1060 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 970 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity - Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This 03T and IONIQ 5 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: 03T 51 vs IONIQ 5 100.

Efficiency index: 03T 99 vs IONIQ 5 90.

Safety-equipment index: 03T 93 vs IONIQ 5 98.

Practicality index: 03T 64 vs IONIQ 5 70.

Ownership-cover index: 03T not separately scored vs IONIQ 5 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

IONIQ 5 leads by 11 points

IONIQ 5 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while 03T remains close.

Evidence leader 86 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 75% source coverage
86
#1 Evidence leader

IONIQ 5

75% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 65
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 70
Ownership 65
Leads by 11 points
75
#2

03T

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 99 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 99
Safety 93
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance IONIQ 5 +49 Efficiency 03T +9 Safety IONIQ 5 +5 Practicality IONIQ 5 +6

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

IONIQ 5

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 70/100
Ownership 65/100

03T

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 99/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 64/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai IONIQ 5 leads the specification evidence index with 86 pts vs 75 pts for 03T

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, IONIQ 5 leads. However, 03T may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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03T vs IONIQ 5 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.