Making a sequel anywhere as good as the original is a difficult task, so thankfully when Hyundai went about refreshing its smash-hit Ioniq 5, it didn’t muck up the electric crossover’s winning original formula. When the Ioniq 5 first hit the market just two years ago in 2022, it was praised for its distinctive styling, daring interior design, and all-around usability. The 2025 update retains much of those traits while adding battery capacity, more standard features, the new Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) port which allows access to the full Supercharger network, and a frankly hideous wanna-be off-road trim. Though details are slim as of now, this facelift will likely make this already appealing EV even more so.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5’s will be the first non-Tesla vehicle sold in the United States with the Tesla-style NACS charging port. This means all Ioniq 5s starting in 2025 will have unrestricted access to all 17,000 Superchargers across the country, while still being sold with a CCS-style charger adapter to allow them to also charge at non-Tesla public chargers. Alongside this unexaggerated game-changing charger accessibility, all 2025 Ioniq 5’s will be built with larger battery packs. Standard-range models gain 5 additional kWh of capacity for a total of 63 kWh, and long-range models gain 6.6 kWh over current models for a total of 84 kWh. No official range estimates have been assigned to the facelifted Ioniq 5, but Hyundai expects ranges to increase by a maximum of 20-ish miles depending on trim, wheel and tire size, and drive wheels.
The new XRT trim gains all-terrain tires, a 0.9-inch higher ride height, cheap-looking black “digital camouflage” accents on the front and rear, matte-black wheels, black accents, red tow hooks and unique seat trim. Despite Hyundai’s best efforts to make the XRT trim seem rough-and-ready, its lifted ride height still only provides about 7-inches of ground clearance, or less than a Honda HR-V. The digital camouflage trim on the front and rear looks like a cheap wrap, but but at least the XRT wheels and tires look cool. Despite improved approach and departure angles versus the standard Ioniq 5, this crossover is still best-suited for dirt or gravel roads, not serious off-road trails.
All 2025 Ioniq 5s receive updated technology and features that include standard wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, new physical controls for seat heaters, a rear windshield wiper and washer (!), a new three-spoke steering wheel design, and more active safety features. It will be the first model built at Hyundai’s new Metaplant in Georgia, so it will qualify for up to $3,750 in federal tax credits for buyers and $7,500 federal tax credits on leases.
The Ioniq 5 was a compelling option from its inception, and the updates it receives for 2025 make it even more so. Despite the NACS charging port living on the rear passenger side which will cause tension at Tesla Supercharging stations, the addition of this charging port negates any advantage the Musk-run company had over the Ioniq. The addition of the XRT trim should appeal to a wider buying audience, making the updated Ioniq 5 a brilliant choice for folks looking for an easy-to-live-with EV, who don’t want to buy a car from a bigot. Pricing and availability dates haven’t been announced yet, but expect to see updated Ioniq 5s on sale toward the end of this year.
