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Pros
Cons
The all-electric 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been refreshed, including some styling tweaks and a larger battery for more range.
There’s also an off-road-oriented XRT model on its way; and Hyundai is introducing a Tesla-style (North American Charging System (NACS) port. The Ioniq 5 comes in one trim but with three different powertrains to pick from. The Preferred Standard Range is rear-wheel drive (RWD), while the Preferred Long Range is the same but with a bigger battery. Tested here is the Preferred Long Range AWD that adds four-wheel traction.
Styling 8 / 10
The Ioniq 5’s styling isn’t to all tastes, but it’s growing on me. I’m not sure it’s going to age well, but it certainly stands out right now. All trims get 19-inch wheels, while my tester’s Ultimate package ($6,000) added silver cladding and fascia accents and a panoramic sunroof.
Safety 9 / 10
The refreshed Ioniq 5 hadn’t yet been tested by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at time of this writing, but the 2024 version got the highest five-star crash-test rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has smacked up the 2025 version and given it the highest Top Safety Pick+ designation. It got the highest “Good” in crash tests, including the updated moderate front overlap that now assesses potential injury to a rear-seat passenger, as well as to those in front. It received the next-step-down “Acceptable” for its pedestrian collision avoidance and ease-of-use of its child seat tether anchors.
All trims include emergency front braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping and following assist, adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic, automatic high-beam control, highway driving assist, and the backup camera that’s mandated by the government. The Ultimate package further adds surround-view cameras, blind-spot avoidance assistance with real-time monitor display, an in-cabin camera, parking avoidance assist, and an upgraded highway driving assist system.
Features 8 / 10
All Ioniq 5 models include heated cloth seats, a heated steering wheel, power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation and wireless connectivity, five USB-C ports, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument display. The Ultimate package, available only on the Long Range AWD, adds such items as power-folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, faux-leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a power passenger seat, auto-dimming mirror, premium stereo, head-up display, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, hands-free tailgate, and cargo privacy cover.
User-Friendliness 7 / 10
As do several automakers with their EVs, Hyundai uses aerodynamic flush-mounted door handles, which pop out electrically so you can open the door. But they stick out on an angle and are shaped like popsicle sticks. They’re awkward enough when it’s dry, but I’ve used these in winter with damp gloves and my hand kept sliding off them. These handles really need to be improved.
Otherwise, most of the Ioniq 5’s controls are straightforward. There are hard buttons to bring up the screen menus, and for the heated and ventilated seats; and while the climate functions are icons under glass, they’re easy enough to use.
Practicality 8 / 10
The Ioniq 5 is roomy inside, with more cargo space — 745 L with the rear seats up — than most rivals, and with a fairly low liftover to pack your stuff in. There’s a storage bin under the hood, known to many as a frunk, but it’s reserved for the smallest items at just 24 L. The Ultimate pack includes a sliding console with a bin under it. That centre console doesn’t reach all the way to the dash, so there’s space to stash a bag on the floor within easy reach.
Comfort 9 / 10
The Ioniq 5 has more front headroom than most rivals, while about midway for legroom in front; but it outdoes them for its generous rear-seat leg space. The seats are supportive and the ride is smooth, and overall, this is a very comfortable vehicle for all occupants.
Power 8 / 10
The standard-range model uses a 63-kWh battery, up from 58-kWh in 2024, and its single electric motor drives the rear wheels with 168 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Long Range with RWD uses an 84-kWh battery, up from last year’s 77.4-kWh version, and its motor makes 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.
The Preferred Long Range AWD tested here uses the same 84-kWh battery but with two motors, and they combine for 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. Those are decent numbers and the Ioniq 5 can definitely move along, but it’s more about smooth acceleration rather than flat-out grunt, which makes for a pleasant driving experience. There’s no worry about not having enough on tap when you need to pass at highway speeds.
Driving Feel 8 / 10
Along with that smooth acceleration, the Ioniq 5 has responsive steering and handling, and it’s more engaging to drive than you might expect. It tucks well into curves with a confident, well-planted feel; but in downtown traffic it stays calm and collected, without being too “on the muscle.” [There’s a reason Hyundai built a high-performance version.–Ed.]
It uses regenerative braking, capturing energy otherwise lost during acceleration and feeding it into the battery. This can be increased or decreased by tapping the wheel-mounted paddles. In the strongest setting you get so-called one-pedal driving, where the car slows and stops when you take your foot off the accelerator, so you seldom have to use the brake pedal. It’s well-done and I used it almost exclusively, but it has an annoying habit. If you shut the vehicle off with the maximum setting engaged, it defaults to a lower level when you turn it back on and you have to tap the paddle again for max. If I obviously wanted max before, why doesn’t it just come back on? And it was especially aggravating when I forgot to activate it and discovered my Ioniq 5 wasn’t stopping, and I had to hit the brakes.
Fuel Economy 9 / 10
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates the Ioniq 5 in standard range at 373 km on a full charge; the long-range RWD at 504 km; and my long-range AWD at 463 km, and that’s up from 410 km in the 2024 AWD model. Among its closest rivals, only its Kia EV6 cousin tops 500 km. Of course, real-world range depends on factors such as driving habits and ambient temperature. In addition to its average range, the gauge also estimates the maximum or minimum you can expect, depending on whether your right foot is light or heavy.
The Ioniq 5 has 800-volt architecture and can charge at speeds as fast as 350 kW, if you can find a station that supports it. My tester had a CCS charging port, but the Ioniq 5 is moving over to the Tesla-style NACS port, which should happen later in 2025. Once the Ioniq 5 switches over to the new port, you’ll need an adapter if your home charger or your closest public station is a CCS model.
Value 7 / 10
The Ioniq 5 starts at $54,999, including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $2,000. The Preferred Long Range in RWD is $57,499, while the Preferred Long Range AWD starts at $59,499. Mine was further equipped with an Ultimate package plus a coat of Cyber Grey Metallic paint for $250, bringing it to $65,749 before taxes and putting it at the upper end of its close rivals.
Its Kia EV6 cousin is $51,145 to $60,645; while the Volkswagen ID.4 is $50,695 to $62,695; and the Nissan Ariya starts lower at $52,168 but finishes higher at $64,168. Pricing for the refreshed Toyota bZ and similarly overhauled Subaru Solterra wasn’t yet announced as of this writing.
The Verdict
Despite a couple of sore spots, I was really impressed overall with the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5. It’s great to drive, it’s got tons of range, it’s roomy and comfortable, and there’s no mistaking it for anything else on the road. If you’re ready to go electric, be sure to plug this one into your test-drive list.
