You gotta hand it to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The moment it starts production in the United States, it gets camo-print bumpers, tow hooks, all-terrain tires, an inch of extra ride height and driving modes designed for off-roading. Talk about knowing your audience.
This new trim level for one of the world’s finest electric vehicles, dubbed the Ioniq 5 XRT, feels uniquely suited to American tastes. But is it the Ioniq 5 you really want?
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Source: Patrick George
(Full Disclosure: Hyundai loaned me an Ioniq 5 XRT for a week of testing.)
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Specs And Overview
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
EV Range
259 miles EPA-estimated (XRT only)
As-Tested Price
$57,085, incl. destination
Base Price
$55,500 (2025)
Battery
84 kilowatt-hour
Drive Type
Dual-Motor AWD
Output
320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque
Speed 0-60 MPH
5.0 seconds (est.)
Charge Time
10%-80% in <20 min, 350 kW DC; 30 min on Tesla Supercharger
At this point, the Ioniq 5 has cemented itself as arguably the best electric-vehicle crossover that isn’t the Tesla Model Y. It packs style for days, excellent range, class-leading fast-charging times and a ton of capability. It’s consistently one of our go-to recommendations, and for good reason.
The Ioniq 5 also comes in a surprisingly varied set of flavors, from the basic but affordable SE Standard Range to the eats-your-M3-for-breakfast Ioniq 5 N. The XRT rounds out the family with rugged, off-road vibes. It comes with a one-inch lift, revised high-clearance bumpers and all-terrain tires.
But make no mistake: it’s much more Subaru Crosstrek than Toyota 4Runner. As in, it’s built to handle itself when the weather gets bad or when the pavement ends, but if you want a rock-crawling EV, you should save up for a Rivian. And there are some real tradeoffs involved if you want to get rugged.
Photo by: Patrick George
Like other members of the 2025 Ioniq 5 lineup, power here comes from a new 84-kilowatt-hour battery. The XRT is dual-motor-only, so you get the standard 320 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque. But those Continental CrossContact ATR all-terrain tires are a different animal from the other Ioniq 5s’ street tires, and that’s reflected in their range and efficiency.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Driving Experience
Even in XRT form, the Ioniq 5 is as pleasant to drive as ever. Any Ioniq 5 feels tailor-made for someone switching to EVs for the first time, and that’s probably part of why it’s been such a hit.
Photo by: Patrick George
The controls are largely straightforward and it’s quick enough to dust any gas crossover in this price range. Even if a Model Y or a Mustang Mach-E has it beat on naked athleticism, the XRT is reasonably fun in the corners despite its ultra-light and vague steering.
Like other Hyundai Motor Group EVs, you get adjustable levels of regenerative braking using the paddles on the steering wheel, and this allows for a very customized experience. That includes the full-on Auto mode, which optimizes regenerative braking depending on cars detected around you or curves in the road ahead of you.
Photo by: Patrick George
I started my drive in New York City before heading upstate, where I live, and where the XRT is most at home. In city settings, those tires will add the roughness you’d expect. The ride quality isn’t brutal, per se, but it’s certainly tougher than other Ioniq 5 trims. (It’ll take an NYC pothole, that’s for sure.)
The tires have other drawbacks. At the extra-legal sort of highway speeds that you can easily hit in an EV, the XRT’s tires can feel a bit more squirrely than other types of rubber. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s unstable, but highway-only driving isn’t its forte.
When the pavement ends, the XRT can shine. Here, a steering wheel button activates the Snow, Mud and Sand modes, exclusive to this model. The Ioniq 5 has always had some rally car vibes, and that’s never been more true than now, when the electric motors’ torque can be optimized for different types of terrain.
Photo by: Patrick George
Just get any rock-crawling out of your head. There’s no spare tire here, no skid plates and no extra-tough battery armor. While breakover and departure angles are better than your standard Ioniq 5, don’t expect much here. The long wheelbase means you get a maximum breakover angle—how steep an obstacle you can cross without bottoming out—of just 13.5 degrees, per MotorTrend. I tried to position my tester atop a relatively easy rock during a photo shoot and abandoned ship when I heard a slight scraping sound.
Subaru Crosstreks and Foresters provide about 20 degrees of breakover angle, and even the Chevy Blazer EV—which does not portend to have off-road credibility—has a 15-degree breakover angle. The Blazer also has a stronger approach angle, though its departure geometry is noticeably worse. So despite the Ioniq 5 XRT offering a noticeable improvement in dirt-road feasibility, it’s still not going to tackle anything steep.
But that sort of thing isn’t the point here. This is meant to be a go-anywhere EV, the kind of car Subaru should’ve made years ago. If you live near the beach, or frequently deal with snow, or regularly go off-pavement in muddy conditions, and you want an EV, the XRT may be the most attainable factory-built choice.
Photo by: Patrick George
I will say this: somebody needs to give the XRT the full overlanding treatment. You know, a roof basket, a light bar, a spare tire, a grille guard. Hell, throw in a snorkel for comedic effect. It would look badass.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Interior
I hope you like black, because that’s your only interior color choice on the XRT. I suppose this makes sense. Nobody wants to trash white upholstery with all that sand and dirt, right? The XRT offers fewer colors than other Ioniq 5 variants, and the result can be a bit dark and drab. I think the Ioniq 5 interior works best in one of the lighter and more airy shades.
Photo by: Patrick George
There’s also no glass roof or sunroof here, adding to the muted vibe inside the cabin. But hey, at least you get more camo accents everywhere.
Aside from all that, the interior’s a win, especially with the other 2025 updates that include more buttons and a sliding center console to maximize interior space. The materials, including the plastics, feel high-quality, and the displays, buttons and touch screens are all easy to understand and operate. It offers a better user interface than the related Kia EV6, which makes you switch between climate and audio controls with a little toggle button.
The rear seats are surprisingly roomy. But with 26.3 cubic feet of space behind them and 58.5 cubic feet with them folded down and a frunk fit only for charger and adapter storage, the Ioniq 5 is outmatched in every dimension by the Tesla Model Y, which offers more rear legroom, more cargo space out back and a real trunk.
Photo by: Patrick George
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Tech
The Ioniq 5’s whole tech suite got a nice update for the 2025 model year with new graphics, faster processing and better GPS accuracy. I like to think of Hyundai’s system as being among the best of “now”: it offers outstanding voice controls, EV route-planning and a surprisingly robust energy and charging management system. Also, it finally has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, unlike the previous-generation Hyundai Motor Group EVs.
Photo by: Patrick George
But as a purely automaker-developed tech system, it’s starting to show its limits a bit. The smartphone app won’t keep Tesla’s tech team awake at night. The UX isn’t as fast or as customizable as newer systems, like those powered by Android Automotive OS, such as the General Motors and Volvo EVs. Also, Hyundai’s navigation system is as baffling as ever, making you pine for the dead-on accuracy of something like Google Maps.
Hyundai apparently has a big tech upgrade planned for 2026. I’m not telling you to wait for that, but a Hyundai EV with Android Automotive OS tech could be borderline unbeatable.
Photo by: Patrick George
Lastly, your driver-assistance tech is also good, but not class-leading. Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist 2 system is a lane-centering adaptive cruise control setup with stop-and-go traffic navigation, but you do have to keep your hands on the wheel. It’s good for what it is, but not in the same league as GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Range And Observed Efficiency
Here’s where the XRT falls down a bit. Other all-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 trim levels offer up to 290 miles of range, but with these tires, you’ll make do with only 259. (RWD Ioniq 5s can offer up to 318 miles on a charge.) That definitely makes the XRT a shorter-range EV in 2025, when around 300 miles is starting to feel like table-stakes for any family vehicle.
For 2025, you get a useful minimum range and maximum range estimate.
Photo by: Patrick George
Having said that, I saw as much as 290 miles of predicted range in Eco Mode, which disconnects the front motor to go rear-wheel-drive only. That’s a useful party trick on these cars, and one you may end up using more than you think.
Normally, the Hyundai Motor Group EVs are efficiency monsters. In temperate weather, I can regularly manage 3.5 to 4.0 miles per kilowatt-hour in my personal Kia EV6. I’ve had similar results in other Ioniq 5s. But with these tires and the extra ground clearance, I only ever maxed out around 3.0 miles per kWh, usually a bit less. As ever, your mileage may vary, but it’s worth considering when deciding if the XRT is right for you or not.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Charging
Photo by: Patrick George
When it’s time to plug in, the XRT performs the same as any Ioniq 5—which is to say, great. It has a built-in Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug now, but using an included CCS adapter, it’ll see maximum speeds of up to about 260 kilowatts on a 350-kW fast-charger. That means going from 10% to 80% in about 18-20 minutes, a leader in its class and still among the best at any price. Thank the 800-volt electrical architecture for that performance.
You’ll need to do some adapter-swapping for the new NACS-equipped Ioniq 5, but it’s not a bad experience.
Photo by: Patrick George
On a Tesla Supercharger, most of which still use 400-volt systems, you’re looking at a 10% to 80% charge time of just under 30 minutes. The highest speeds we’ve seen are around 126 kW, which sounds unimpressive, but due to the car’s flat charging curve it stays consistent throughout the experience.
Keep in mind that not every Tesla Supercharger is open to all non-Tesla EVs. They still reserve some for the home team’s cars only. But with access to this many Tesla plugs and its usual fast-charging excellence, the Ioniq 5 can get you back on the road pretty fast.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: Pricing And Verdict
Photo by: Patrick George
For 2025, the XRT trim tops the range at $55,500, excluding destination fees. All in, my tester came out to $57,085, including fees. I’d argue you may want to wait for the 2026 model-year version to arrive, because like the rest of the Ioniq 5 family, it gets a serious price cut—now starting at $46,275. No other major changes are expected.
It’s truly hard not to like the Ioniq 5. It’s one of those crossovers that just does everything really well. It feels perfectly designed for someone going electric for the first time from, say, a Toyota RAV4 or the like. And when they try this, they probably won’t ever go back to gas.
Photo by: Patrick George
But is the XRT trim the one to get? For people who live on long, dirt roads, frequently deal heavy snow, or have a job or hobby that occasionally requires going off-pavement, it’s worth considering. For most people, the hits to range and ride quality don’t feel worth it. And for those that do tougher dirt trails, the XRT still won’t be capable enough.
Let me put it this way: I live in upstate New York and deal with some nasty blizzards well into April. Yet my choice would be a regular Ioniq 5 SEL AWD, with 290 miles of range, and some winter- or snow-rated all-season rubber. Still, I’m glad the XRT exists. It may have a narrow use case, but it is an example of how more and more EVs are coming to market that can meet many different needs.
I reserve the right to change my tune when somebody builds that dedicated overlanding version. Everything’s better with a roof basket.
InsideEVs Rating: Top Recommendation
Photo by: Patrick George
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
