Acquainted EV with selection upgrades

As we get able to exit month two of 2025, the alternatives to check drive model-year BEVs are beginning to come up. The latest was a trim to Palm Springs, California, to check out the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5. This flagship BEV noticed a mid- refresh for 2025, so I didn’t expertise essentially the most drastic of adjustments in comparison with earlier variations. Within the locations the place Hyundai did enhance the IONIQ 5, nevertheless, I observed savvy upgrades that took buyer suggestions into consideration and made an already high-quality BEV even higher.

Background on the Hyundai IONIQ 5 as we enter 2025

Whereas the IONIQ 5 just isn’t Hyundai’s first BEV, it should actually go down because the flagship mannequin of its bonafide transition into a completely electrical model. The IONIQ 5 was the primary mannequin from Hyundai Motor Group to reach on its spectacular E-GMP platform, that includes 800V structure. Even simply 4 years in the past, in 2021, when the IONIQ 5 debuted, 800V expertise appeared like overkill, as most public chargers couldn’t ship that degree of energy.

Nonetheless, Hyundai’s determination to spend money on higher expertise from the beginning and ship it to the plenty at an inexpensive worth has paid dividends for its different manufacturers, like Kia and Genesis. For instance, HMG offered 742,000 automobiles within the US in 2024 and held 8.3% of EV market share within the US. It’s now the second highest-selling EV model within the US,the behind longtime chief Tesla. The South Korean model has additionally seen report car gross sales for 4 consecutive years.

Getting into 2025, the IONIQ 5 has been a star in Hyundai’s lineup, reaching 44,000 models offered in 2024, up 93% from its 2022 launch and 31% year-over-year in comparison with 2023. I’ve personally been an enormous fan of the IONIQ 5 since I first obtained eyes on it, and my love solely grew after I obtained to do my first detailed walkthrough with the debut mannequin at Hyundai’s US headquarters in Fountain Valley, California (try that hair!)

Practically 4 years later, Hyundai has delivered the 2025 IONIQ 5 as a mid-cycle refresh. The adjustments aren’t drastic, however they’re sufficient to garner a report again to you loyal readers to grasp what’s completely different. Final week, I ventured out to Palm Springs, California, to take the 2025 IONIQ 5 and the brand new IONIQ 5 XRT out on the roads (and dust) to see the way it rides. I’ve shared my ideas under.

The 2025 IONIQ 5 drives the identical, which continues to be a win

As I discussed above, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 just isn’t that completely different on paper, however the automaker made some refined adjustments that merely bolster an already spectacular all-electric mannequin. Just like the variations that preceded it, the main target of the 2025 IONIQ 5 was a continued pattern of modern design, superior capabilities led by new applied sciences, and uncompromising security (HMG acquired the very best honors from the 2024 IIHS Awards with the Most High Security Decide and TSP+ titles of any auto producer).

Hyundai’s head of exterior design, Brad Arnold, walked us across the outdoors of the brand new IONIQ 5, which, based on Arnold, had beforehand acquired a lot reward about its design that his staff didn’t change that a lot.

For instance, the Hyundai design staff enhanced the entrance, rear, and wheels to seem extra sturdy and ship extra of a “CRV” look. This included a bigger offset to the entrance and rear fascias (seen above). You prospects spoke up and Hyundai heard you – the 2025 IONIQ 5 fashions now include a rear wiper normal!

Final however not least, Hyundai added the NACS port to its 2025 mannequin. That is the primary non-Tesla mannequin to hit the market with NACS, which has grow to be the brand new US normal in charging ports. In case your closest public charger solely provides CCS, you’re nonetheless in luck, as Hyundai will present prospects with a complimentary adapter.

The remainder of the adjustments pertain to the inside and the EV’s efficiency, so let’s make a journey inside.

2025 fashions ship simplified inside, higher efficiency

Transferring inward, the middle console options extra bodily buttons, together with controls for elements like heated seats and parking help (see above). The HVAC controls have been simplified and Hyundai added two dials to the dashboard show for tuning and quantity.

The infotainment has additionally been bolstered with quicker CPU processing speeds and higher GPS accuracy. The inside cabin additionally options wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, WiFi hotspot, and USB-C shops.

2025 IONIQ 5 homeowners cal additionally make the most of Hyundai Pay, which has been added to the infotainment and allows drivers to hyperlink a bank card to extra seamlessly pay for issues like parking and charging, all from the car’s system. The brand new 2025 mannequin additionally comes with Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 capabilities, which make the most of Bluetooth along with beforehand outfitted RFID expertise.

There have been additionally a number of additions to the 5’s ADAS, together with haptic suggestions, driver consideration warnings, and a few elective warning alerts. All that apart, a extra notable improve within the 2025 IONIQ 5 fashions within the improve in vary on all trims, because of bigger battery packs and improved cell chemistry. See under:

The 2025 mannequin 12 months variations of the IONIQ 5 additionally provide some charging perks for future drivers, together with the beforehand talked about NACS plus, providing simpler entry to Tesla’s Supercharger community of over 17,000 plugs throughout the US. To start, IONIQ 5 homeowners might want to use the Tesla app in an effort to reap the benefits of such public charging choices; the automaker informed us that Plug & Cost capabilities are within the works to reach “within the coming quarters.”

Regardless of the 2025 fashions having bigger packs, Hyundai’s improved battery chemistry allows even quicker cost charges, a minimum of for CCS plugs. For instance, the 2025 IONIQ 5 can attain a peak price of 257 kW at a the 350 kW charger, an enchancment from 233 kW in earlier mannequin years.

Whereas entry to the Tesla community is a welcomed addition, these cost charges will initially dip compared as a result of Tesla’s V3 Superchargers solely provide peak charges of 135 kW, however ought to enhance with the V4 chargers.

The 2025 IONIQ 5 is a well-known buddy

In contrast to most of my first-drive critiques, I don’t have that a lot to say in regards to the general drive of the 2025 model-year IONIQ 5 as a result of it’s just about the identical BEV by way of efficiency as a 12 months in the past, simply with higher vary and doubtlessly quicker CCS charging speeds.

The IONIQ 5 was a well-known and welcomed journey after I obtained behind the wheel. In case you’ve learn my driving impressions earlier than, you’ll know I’m a stickler for regenerative braking and it’s one pedal driving all day for me. Hyundai’s i-Pedal all the time delivers the stiffness I want.

Chopping up and round at elevation above Palm Springs, I solely needed to hit the brake pedal as soon as (I got here in a little bit too scorching following a straightaway). I like that. Hyundai has additionally applied a brand new characteristic referred to as Sensible Regen System 2, which may be activated by holding the precise paddle on the steering wheel and may routinely alter regen ranges utilizing a radar sensor on the car’s entrance.

Apart from that, the 2025 IONIQ 5 stays a homerun of a BEV possibility with its E-GMP platform, an enormous wheelbase (longer than the Hyundai Palisade) which provides a sneaky quantity of inside house, and a easy AWD journey. It’s not essentially the most nimble of BEVs, however it’s’ nonetheless a blast to speed up with and hit some winding curves at any time when potential. It nonetheless handles fairly properly and helps you stay in management.

Typically, I want it was tuned a little bit higher, however Hyundai put all that effort into the IONIQ 5 N, one other improbable possibility within the IONIQ lineup. Total, many of the updates to the 2025 IONIQ are beauty or embrace enhancements to the battery. Nonetheless, for a mid-cycle refresh, its enhancements are greater than sufficient and will assist this mannequin proceed as a best-seller, furthering Hyundai’s clout as a blossoming chief in tech-forward BEVs whereas remaining comparatively inexpensive.

The 2025 IONIQ 5 is offered now and begins at an MSRP of $42,500 earlier than taxes and costs.