Road section B-road raptures
Wales is looking a lot flatter than last year, and the abundance of bumpy roads suggests this will turn out to be a rather different contest from before. Except, of course, this is not Wales but Lincolnshire, because for the first time in four years, we have decamped from Anglesey and instead chosen Cadwell Park for the track element of our Britain’s Best Driver’s Car contest.
That’s not because we’ve grown tired of North Wales (how could you?) but because Anglesey Circuit has decided it doesn’t want to deal with electric cars for now, or more specifically what might happen to them in the event of a violent interface with trackside objects.
Two of this year’s most intriguing driver’s cars just happen to be electric, so we needed a new home. We’ll get to the track component in a minute; first it’s time to see how this year’s crop fares on the bumps of a British B-road.
Why not start with the reason we’re here? The big blue lump is hard to miss among the more low-slung machinery, so Imake a beeline for it to see if it has lost any of its shine. After multiple gushing early drives and a five-star road test verdict, the Hyundai Ioniq 5Nhas a lot to lose.
Ioniq 5 N’s drive modes take some configuring, but it really engages
Ariel leads the way, but its compromises require a certain commitment
“How do I get in without clouting my head on a piece of scaffolding?”
LOTUS EMEYAS
Feels a lot like a Porsche Taycan but not quite as good. Fairly nice steering and balance and doesn’t feel as big as it is. No glaring drivability issues, either. But it’s not a driver’s car, just a nice big electric saloon with a slight sporting edge. Centre screen is awful, though, and trying to find the drive settings through it puts me off.
Illya Verpraet
Unfinished business? Divisive Noble M500 sparked much debate
With its freakishly believable simulated gears and engine noise, along with fancy differentials to keep the entertainment going in the corners, this trompe-l’œil SUV-cum-hatchback has been hailed as the saviour of fun in the electric era.
You need to sit stationary for about 10 minutes to figure out all the drive modes, but once you get going the Ioniq immediately reveals itself to be incredibly absorbing. The gears give it credibility for the sceptics, while the way it loves to pivot around its central axis – on or off the throttle – keeps you coming back for more. It’s heavy, and bumpy roads expose a slight lack of sophistication in the damping, but, goodness, what an achievement. The Ioniq is here not as an electric novelty but because of its layered and entertaining personality.