I don't know about the Hyundai Ioniq, but the Kia Niro has no way to permanently disable keyless entry, which would be the obvious, super easy s/w fix. You can disable it each time you lock your car by holding extra buttons on the fob for a few secs, but it's auto re-enabled next time you unlock. It's everything you need to know before you make your smart decision not to buy a Kia. Cheap(er) for a reason.
But looks from their point of view. It's the most stolen car in the UK. The brand doesn't seem to be suffering much. Having terrible security just helps sales!
We are not scared of regulation in the UK. And this car has existed, in the UK, with this flaw, for over 6 years. Quite clearly nobody is interested in doing either of those things you suggest.
Plus the UK is about to reintroduce financial incentives for private EV purchase, they want to push sales, not clamp down on crap products.
Also be aware that homologation means there is no one-sized-fits-all, canonical vehicle for all markets but many variations for different markets with variations in security and safety features. Some markets get proper security measures while others get screwed.
Do you mean the button on the door handler or the button on the key fob? The former is their keyless entry and is vulnerable to attack. I was under the impression all Ioniq 5s had this feature, but obviously I defer to your experience.
It looks like the 2023 model has keyless entry with a smartphone, I guess it was new at that point. (and it doesn't seem to involve a button on the handle either!)
But looks from their point of view. It's the most stolen car in the UK. The brand doesn't seem to be suffering much. Having terrible security just helps sales!