I’ll admit that electric vehicles aren’t exactly my cup of tea. The rapid torque delivery makes me vomit faster than the sight of a Tesla Cybertruck, their customary lack of subtle driving flair makes me cry for the future, and the prospect of taking one on a long-distance road trip is terrifying.

In all honesty, when I first arrived in California, I was skeptical that I’d enjoy driving the Hyundai Ioniq 5. I assumed the somewhat redesigned hatchback/crossover was just another lifeless EV with about as much appeal as one of the numerous golf carts cruising Palm Springs’ streets. I figured I would instead bide my time behind the wheel until I was granted access to the mandatory open bar, where I was free to drink as many “Ioniq Toniq” drinks as I liked.