Now that the mainstream electric car market has established itself somewhat, manufacturers have begun looking for ways to cater to the enthusiast market. Sure, it’s relatively easy to make an EV fast, but fast isn’t always synonymous with fun.
In their defense, EV engineers are working from behind. While aerodynamics are equally important for both performance and efficiency, the two conditions require very different engineering approaches. Performance cars want aero components that produce downforce to improve grip, which in turn generates drag—the enemy of efficiency.
And then, of course, there’s the weight problem. The Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack in this video weighs 5,800 pounds—half a ton more than the already-hefty Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. And while the two generally rely on the same strategies in an attempt to please enthusiasts, they go about it in very different ways.
We haven’t encountered many folks who are in love with fake engine noise, but there are probably those out there who feel that way. Most of the opinions shared with us range from indifference to an almost improbable degree of loathing. The Drive‘s Editor-in-Chief, Kyle Cheromcha, and our race-car-driver-in-residence, Nik Romano, decided to evaluate them a bit more objectively.
Hyundai went the digital route, giving the 5 N a zippy sound reminiscent of a small, high-revving race engine. Dodge has a physical resonator system that uses speakers and motors to generate sound and vibration for a more muscular feel.
However it’s accomplished, fake powertrain noise in an EV actually contributes something very real to the experience, especially if you’re pushing the limits of a car’s capabilities.
“Sound is feedback; sound is information,” Romano says.
Engine noise and fake shift “blips” provide reference points drivers can use as mental shortcuts, rather than relying on guesswork. The absence of audible feedback can also make it difficult to understand what a car is doing at any given moment. Synthesized noise may be fake, but because it’s synced to the car’s performance systems, it still reflects both the electronic and mechanical behavior of the machine itself.
“As humans, we’re really good at pattern recognition,” Romano says. “So if I’m coming into a corner, and I’m hauling butt towards the corner, and I come off the gas and I do one downshift, listening to the sound of the engine is giving me a really good idea of what speed I’m entering that turn with.”
This proves a strength for the Hyundai, which also incorporates a simulated “transmission” with equally simulated “gears” selectable via traditional wheel-mounted paddles. Sure, it’s a gimmick, but Romano gives it high marks for tying in nicely with the rest of the car’s performance gadgets.
Cheromcha echoed Romano’s praise for the Hyundai after a back-road drive.
“It feels like any other sports car, in its element, doing what it’s supposed to do,” he said. “It feels like the 5 N is designed specifically for the driver experience.”
Without the feedback they provide, it’s much more difficult to establish a rhythm. This comes up again later, when Romano takes the Charger on track. Unlike the Hyundai, it has no stepped “gears,” and the awkward throttle map is both finicky and unreliably synchronized with the car’s synthesized feedback, offsetting the utility gained by having it in the first place.
It’s subtle, but it’s enough to throw off Romano’s flow, highlighting just how important good sound feedback is to the experience. But don’t take our word for it. You can try it for yourself at home.
“If any of you watching this play on simulators, or even something like Forza or Gran Turismo, turn off the engine sound and try to set your best time,” Romano says.
Some of the Charger’s less performance-focused features help redeem it somewhat, at least. Romano calls its donut mode “objectively fun” despite the fact that it robs the car of half of its power output. But hey, look at it this way: with only one motor running, you can make the tires last twice as long.
Amusingly, one of Romano’s biggest beefs with the Ioniq 5 N has nothing to do with the way it actually drives. Instead, it’s the simple fact that adjusting the performance features requires lots of prodding at the touchscreen—and remember, this is Hyundai, which prides itself on buttons.
“I’ll tell you what’s not fun: playing with menus.”
Preach, brother.
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