2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT Review and Test Drive

Hyundai adds off-road capability to its popular Ioniq 5 EV lineup.

Perry Stern | 

Feb 19, 2025 | 7 min read

Perry Stern

Not including the N variant, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available in five trim levels: SE Standard Range, SE, SEL, XRT, and Limited. Base prices range from the mid-$40,000s to the high $60,000s, including the destination charge to ship the EV from the brand-new Hyundai Metaplant America facility in Ellabell, Georgia, to your local dealership.

For this Ioniq 5 review, I test-drove the XRT in Palm Springs, California. The only factory option on my test vehicle was floor mats, and the manufacturer's suggested retail price was $57,085, including the $1,475 destination charge. Hyundai provided the vehicle for this review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

Perry Stern

Is the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 a Good Electric Vehicle?

If you are ready to take the plunge on an electric vehicle, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be one of the smartest choices on the market. Boasting a spacious cabin with plenty of room for occupants and cargo, this compact electric crossover delivers excellent performance, a maximum driving range exceeding 300 miles (depending on which one you buy), and rapid recharging rates. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV6, and Tesla Model Y are notable rivals, but I believe the Ioniq 5 easily holds its own in this company.

Perry Stern

What's New for the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5?

Though the Ioniq 5 has been on sale for just three years, the compact crossover receives welcome updates for 2025 and an improved driving range. While there is a slight exterior styling refresh, the changes are negligible. Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade is the new rear wiper — a helpful feature for clearing the dust from the rear window when off-roading in the Ioniq 5 XRT.

Changes within the cabin may seem minor, but Hyundai improved it where it counts. I found during my test drive that the revised climate controls are easier to use, while a new center console incorporates a convenient wireless phone-charging pad and physical buttons for controlling the heated seats and heated steering wheel.

The infotainment system gets a faster processor for quicker reaction time, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and over-the-air update capability.

Battery capacity increases for the 2025 Ioniq 5, giving the EV a longer driving range. Single-motor variants with the long-range battery can now travel an estimated 318 miles between charges.

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In addition, the Ioniq 5 can use the new North American Charging Standard, or NACS, which allows owners to plug in at one of the more than 17,000 Tesla Superchargers. Those Superchargers aren't the only option, though, because every Ioniq 5 also comes with an adapter to access other public chargers that use the more common CCS (combined charging system) connector. When plugged into a 350-kilowatt DC fast charger, the long-range version of the Ioniq 5 can add nearly 180 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

While buyers are likely to appreciate those improvements, the biggest 2025 Ioniq 5 news is the introduction of the new N and XRT versions of the EV. The XRT brings off-road capability and distinctive styling to set it apart. It joins the Palisade, Santa Cruz, and Tucson in Hyundai's XRT lineup.

Also, it is worth noting that the 2025 Ioniq 5 is the first model assembled at Hyundai's new Metaplant America, a dedicated electric-vehicle production facility located near Savannah, Georgia.

Perry Stern

Rugged Styling and Features of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

At Hyundai, an XRT designation signals added off-roading capabilities. With the Ioniq 5 XRT, that means rugged black cladding to protect the front bumper, fenders, and side sills, imprinted with a camouflage appearance matching the EV's pixel-design headlights and taillights.

Ultimate Red and Cosmic Blue Pearl are new colors exclusive to the XRT model, and red tow hooks, 18-inch black wheels, and all-terrain tires complete the look. Interior appearance changes include synthetic leather upholstery with XRT logos embossed into the front seatbacks, XRT badges on the door handles, and standard all-weather floor mats.

To help establish its off-roading credentials, the Ioniq 5 XRT has 7 inches of ground clearance — an inch more than the standard Ioniq 5. In addition, Hyundai tuned the suspension for an improved ride during off-pavement excursions.

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A button on the steering wheel gives drivers access to the XRT's exclusive Terrain modes. Choosing Snow, Mud, or Sand adjusts the throttle response and amount of allowed wheel slip to best suit the situation. Those modes lock the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system to provide an equal power split between the front and rear wheels.

The XRT's powertrain delivers 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. With its extended-range battery, the Ioniq 5 XRT supplies an estimated 259 miles of range with a combined efficiency rating of 94 MPGe, according to the EPA. The trip computer indicated 2.5 miles per kilowatt-hour, or about 85 MPGe, during my drive.

Perry Stern

On and Off Road in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

I've driven the dual-motor Ioniq 5 Limited and found it to be an excellent EV with a comfortable ride and reasonably good handling. Unfortunately, the changes to the XRT that give it modest off-roading capability negatively affect how the Ioniq 5 feels on the road.

While driving around Palm Springs, California, the difference in handling was immediately apparent to me. The steering was less responsive than in the Limited, and there was more body lean when rounding corners. The all-terrain tires didn't provide the same level of grip, and I could hear them grappling for traction under hard acceleration from a stop.

That said, the XRT displayed many of the same qualities that make the Ioniq 5 a great EV. The ride is quiet and comfortable, and there's always plenty of power to quickly merge into traffic or overtake a slower vehicle on a two-lane back road. While I found that its softer suspension wasn't as conducive to spirited driving, it certainly soaked up rougher sections of pavement.

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Because the XRT is capable of off-pavement adventures, Hyundai provided an opportunity to hit the trail at Metate Ranch near Palm Springs, California. The surfaces were a mix of gravel, loose rocks, and sand — perfect for showcasing the Ioniq 5 XRT's capability.

As I headed for the course, I selected Sand mode in the Terrain menu. This mode allowed more wheel spin and helped maintain momentum when the sand got deep. The tires provided good grip in those conditions, and the smooth power delivery from the electric motors made the Ioniq 5 easy to manage on changing surfaces.

Launching from a stop on loose gravel was quite impressive. The XRT was easy to control as it found traction and built speed quickly, and the suspension kept the ride comfortable and stable, even at higher speeds.

It's important to note that while the XRT can handle unpaved terrain, its modest capabilities make it more appropriate for driving a logging road or well-traveled trail. This EV is unsuitable for extreme off-road conditions because its 7 inches of ground clearance don't provide enough space to traverse larger rocks or deeper holes. Without underbody protection, it would be easy to damage the undercarriage.

Perry Stern

The Ioniq 5 was already a sales success story for Hyundai, and the smart updates made to this compact electric crossover should help it maintain that status. Adding the rugged, adventure-ready XRT version brings even more fun to the 2025 Ioniq 5 lineup, bolstering the appeal of this popular EV.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.