‘Fortunate me,’ I assumed 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 Commonplace port; it was time to check out how nicely Hyundai would match up with the Tesla Supercharging community.
The expertise uncovered a niche — within the literal sense. And whereas Hyundai shouldn’t shoulder all of the blame, it did illustrate how a seemingly good concept doesn’t all the time translate in the true 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 way in which over on the driver-side of the automobile.
Uh, Hyundai, we have now 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 won’t 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 known as the North American charging Commonplace, or NACS.
Automakers started to shift to NACS in Could 2023 after Ford reached an agreement that may give house owners of its EV entry to greater than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the U.S. and Canada. GM followed and inside six months practically each automaker had struck the same take care of Tesla. Entry would initially be achieved 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 all these.
After all, not all of that is Hyundai’s fault. The Ioniq 5 has all the time 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.”
Consumers of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 can 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 refill will price you as much as half-hour at a NACS charger.
Hyundai makes it a bit simpler along with your selection 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 via the MyHyundai proprietor portal beginning in March.
Hyundai house owners will even have entry to the deliberate Ionna charging community. The Ionna community, which is predicted 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 measurement.
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 tips too.
The digital key perform now works along with your cellphone inside a pocket or purse, a pleasant improve for whenever you’re juggling youngsters, groceries and a drink.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are actually 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 routinely. 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 gives 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 way in which off – it’s a must to manually push the traction management button to do this. It does regulate the brake regen properties so the car doesn’t routinely begin to decelerate whenever you raise. It additionally splits the torque 50/50 for optimum traction.
It’s enjoyable to toss it into corners and get a bit of slidey, however the ABS system — whereas nice on pavement — can intervene 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 method as nicely. Nonetheless, the moment electrical torque means it’s straightforward to get on the throttle and energy out of a flip and scream in the direction of the following one, slinging dust rooster tails within the course of.
The XRT will not be some sort of rock crawler. The full 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 experience.
A part of my first drive took me to larger elevations the place the all-season tires had been put to the slushy snow take a look at. 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 payment for a base SE mannequin in rear-wheel drive with the usual battery. The off-roady XRT could be had for $56,875 whereas a high Restricted trim in all-wheel drive will set you again $59,575.
You will 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 payment to make use of the expertise, however Hyundai doesn’t provide something prefer it.
If you happen to’re into futuristic appears to be like, the Kia EV6 is a worthy competitor, particularly should you’re searching for efficiency. The GT AWD trim nets 576 ponies and 545 pound-feet of torque. Yowza.
It’s robust to search 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.
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