“Fortunate me,” I believed as I navigated the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 into the final spot of a Tesla Supercharging station in Palm Springs.
The EV didn’t really want any juice. However this refreshed compact all-electric SUV comes geared up with Tesla’s North American Charging Customary port; it was time to check out how nicely Hyundai would match up with the Tesla Supercharging community.
The expertise uncovered a spot — within the literal sense. And whereas Hyundai shouldn’t shoulder all of the blame, it did illustrate how a seemingly good thought doesn’t at all times translate in the actual world.
For instance, I reversed into the parking spot, opened the cost port on the passenger-rear quarter panel, and grabbed the charging wire, nestled within the cupboard sitting all the best way over on the motive force’s facet of the automobile.
Uh, Hyundai, now we have an issue. It didn’t attain.
I may wait for an additional Tesla to vacate its house and use that charging cable, basically taking over two areas, or I may use the in-car navigation to discover a CCS-equipped charging station and use the adapter that comes with the automobile.
I selected to toddle on with my day as I had loads of battery, however others may not be so fortunate.
CCS, or Mixed Charging System, was the usual in North America and utilized by each automaker aside from Tesla, which developed its personal port and charging station referred to as the North American Charging Customary, or NACS.
Automakers started to shift to NACS in Might 2023 after Ford reached an settlement that might give house owners of its EV entry to greater than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the U.S. and Canada. GM adopted and inside six months practically each automaker had struck an identical take care of Tesla. Entry would initially be completed with a Tesla adapter, however most of those automakers — Hyundai and Kia included — additionally agreed to combine the NACS charging tech into their future EVs.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one in every of these.
In fact, not all of that is Hyundai’s fault. The Ioniq 5 has at all times had its charging port on the rear passenger facet, and transferring it will be a spendy proposition. And Tesla says the issue needs to be solved with the rollout of its V4 charging stations with longer cables, though its web site says, “we encourage all car producers to standardize cost port areas to the rear driver facet or entrance passenger facet.”
Patrons of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 may have higher luck discovering a CCS station and utilizing the adapter. Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 can go from 10% to 80% of cost in about 20 minutes at a CCS charger. The identical fill-up will price you as much as half-hour at an NACS charger.
Hyundai makes it a bit simpler together with your alternative of a $400 charging credit score or a free ChargePoint residence charger with the acquisition of an Ioniq 5 and people with an older Hyundai EV with a local CCS port can get a free NACS adapter by the MyHyundai proprietor portal beginning in March.
Hyundai house owners can even have entry to the deliberate Ionna charging community. The Ionna community, which is anticipated to have 30,000 NACS and CCS charging factors by 2030, is a collaboration between BMW, Common Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Stellantis, and Toyota.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5: Larger batteries, extra vary, new trim
The 2025 Ioniq 5, which can are available SE, SEL, XRT, and Restricted trims in rear- or all-wheel drive, could appear to be its earlier mannequin years. However there are some key variations, beginning with the battery dimension.
The usual vary battery ratchets up 5 kWh to 63 kWh, whereas the prolonged vary sits at 84 kWh, a rise of 6.6 kWh. Relying on the mix of drivetrain, battery, and trim, anticipate to see 245 miles of vary on the low finish and as much as 318 miles of vary for a rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 with the bigger battery.
Energy output varies, too, beginning with 168 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, rising to 225 ponies within the prolonged vary battery. Probably the most highly effective setup settles in at 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque for all-wheel-drive vehicles with the larger battery.
Tech upgrades
The 2025 Ioniq 5 has some new parlor methods too.
The digital key operate now works together with your cellphone inside a pocket or purse, a pleasant improve for once you’re juggling youngsters, groceries, and a drink.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at the moment are wi-fi and all fashions have over-the-air updates.
Moreover, Hyundai Pay permits house owners so as to add their bank card to the infotainment system to pay for reserved off-street parking mechanically. Drivers additionally get up to date blind-spot collision avoidance and parking help.
Let’s get soiled
For these wanting a bit extra journey with their electrical SUV, the Ioniq 5 now comes within the XRT trim.
This mannequin is designed for venturing off the trail only a bit due to a one-inch raise and 29-inch Continental CrossContact ATR tires for higher efficiency within the dust and over gravel. This mannequin additionally will get a Terrain button on the steering wheel that provides up modes for Snow, Mud, and Sand.
Hyundai let me free on a enjoyable dust loop and I discovered that the automobile has sufficient playfulness in it to induce a smile. Sand mode doesn’t flip the traction management all the best way off — you must manually push the traction management button to do this. It does modify the brake regen properties so the car doesn’t mechanically begin to decelerate once you raise. It additionally splits the torque 50/50 for optimum traction.
It’s enjoyable to toss it into corners and get slightly slidey, however the ABS system — whereas nice on pavement — can intrude with traction and off-road stopping distances by not permitting any dust to construct up in entrance of the tire.
It might be nice if the drive modes additionally tweaked this technique. Nonetheless, the moment electrical torque means it’s straightforward to get on the throttle and energy out of a flip and scream towards the following one, slinging dust rooster tails within the course of.
The XRT will not be some type of rock crawler. The entire floor clearance is barely seven inches — that’s two inches lower than a Subaru Forester Wilderness. The off-road geometry, whereas higher than the Toyota RAV4 Woodland Version, is supposed extra for small obstacles and undulations.
I discovered the restrict of the 19.8-degree strategy angle on my drive and returned with a part of the XRT-exclusive entrance fascia tworked only a bit. There isn’t any particular underbody safety for the battery within the XRT, however the departure angle is a wholesome 30 levels and the automobile comes geared up with two entrance tow hooks.
The place the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 shines
On the pavement, the Ioniq 5 is simply as pleasing because it ever was, with zippy acceleration, well-balanced dealing with, and a cushty trip.
A part of my first drive took me to increased elevations the place the all-season tires had been put to the slushy snow check. The automobile by no means misplaced grip, inspiring confidence on this desert dweller.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 begins at $43,975, together with the vacation spot charge for a base SE mannequin in rear-wheel drive with the usual battery. The off-roady XRT may be had for $56,875 whereas a high Restricted trim in all-wheel drive will set you again $59,575.
You may get a Ford Mustang Mach-E at a decrease beginning worth and comparable vary, and all Mach-E vehicles are customary geared up with the hands-free/eyes-up BlueCruise freeway driving help. You’ll pay a subscription charge to make use of the expertise, however Hyundai doesn’t provide something prefer it.
When you’re into futuristic appears to be like, the Kia EV6 is a worthy competitor, particularly for those who’re in search of efficiency. The GT AWD trim nets 576 ponies and 545 pound-feet of torque. Yowza.
It’s powerful to seek out fault with the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5. This refreshed Ioniq 5 maintains its pavement poise and provides a little bit of journey thrills with the brand new XRT trim. However house owners could discover themselves avoiding Tesla Superchargers regardless of that built-in NACS port.
