2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N

The Ioniq 5 N is one of those “look what we can do” cars. It’s a flex of engineering muscle — not because Hyundai should, but purely because it can. We might have assumed that an operation like Porsche would be the first to create and sell a fully electric vehicle built to excel on race tracks. But Hyundai, erstwhile merchant of modest econo-sedans, takes the checkered flag.

This version of the Ioniq 5 (one of our top-rated electric vehicles) comes out of Hyundai’s N department. We asked what the N stood for. Apparently, there’s an appropriate Korean word that begins with an “n” sound. A lot of testing and development is also performed on Germany’s famed Nürburgring track. And BMW already had M.

It wasn’t just a case of upping the power and fitting wider tires. A slew of changes and upgrades have endowed the Ioniq 5 N with a particular set of talents that includes speed and poise. Like the rest of the Ioniq 5 lineup, though, this model is civilized on regular roads and fitted with all the same safety features. Unlike its stablemates, the N has a sound system that emulates the kind of noises produced by combustion engines, like an exhaust snarl or how the note drops in register along with the revs. It’s kind of fun, but we wish it was easier to turn off.

The regular Ioniq 5 is reviewed separately.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of electric vehicles, including the Ioniq 5 N.

What’s New for 2025

This N derivative is an entirely new Ioniq 5 variant. It comes with a more powerful drivetrain, stiffened body, upgraded suspension, specialized tires, and stronger brakes than its everyday counterpart.

This Ioniq 5 N model is the most powerful production car Hyundai has made. Two electric motors generate a mighty 641 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque (in boost mode — otherwise, it’s still a considerable 601 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque), driving all four wheels. It’s also fast. The company claims a standstill-to-60 mph time of 3.25 seconds with boost mode engaged. We didn’t get the stopwatch out, but we definitely felt the acceleration.

For a little context, the Kia EV6 GT makes 576 horsepower and hits 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, while the BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe has 536 horsepower and does the same dash in 3.7 seconds. In our experience, all three cars are impressive and wonderful to drive on public roads. Despite being a track-worthy machine, the Ioniq 5 N still comes with an adaptive suspension as standard, so it doesn’t have to be a feel-every-bump ride whenever it pulls out of the garage. It will stream through corners, aided by quick and direct steering. The grip from the all-wheel-drive system and special Pirelli P Zero tires is also incredible. These tires were developed to cope with high torque, while also using noise-suppression technology to complement the quiet running of typical electric vehicles.

One thing: The Ioniq 5 N weighs 4,861 pounds. An average gasoline-powered BMW 3 Series is less than 4,000 pounds. There’s no getting around the fact that EV batteries are heavy. And although it’s located under the floor, helping to keep the vehicle’s center of gravity low, that heft is still perceptible. Luckily, we’ve found the brakes are also strong enough to deal with such daunting forces. The N treatment applied to this Ioniq 5 results in a car that keeps its composure on the other side of a race track’s gates. Not many cars can do that — a feat made all the more remarkable because this is an EV

Apart from about 30 seconds adjusting for the ideal position, we never really gave another thought to the excellent front sport seats. That’s a good sign. It means they’re comfortable yet still hold occupants snugly in place even through the quicker corners. Hyundai has lowered the seating position compared with the regular Ioniq 5, which makes sense from a driving sensation point of view, although we’re not talking about “tush scraping the tarmac” here.

The cabin shows some checkered flag design cues, like the pedals and the scuff plates. And it might just be the darker color scheme, but we feel the N is a little cozier than usual. It’s still just as spacious, though, while the overall quality is clearly evident, along with great tech like the high-resolution instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen. We had no issues pairing an iPhone with the wireless Apple CarPlay feature. Several controls are on the steering wheel, such as the boost button and driving modes.

SUV or hatchback, whatever the regular Ioniq 5 might be (we call it an SUV), this N version leans more toward the latter, with a lower ride height than the standard vehicle. As it turns out, we think the Ioniq 5’s cooly distinct overall styling lends itself well to this more driver-focused version.

A few aerodynamic additions, red pinstriping, a splash of carbon fiber, specially designed alloy wheels, plus exclusive colors (we’re particularly keen on the matte blue finish, even though it costs an extra $1,000) all contribute to the overall effect. The wheel wells are also more flared on this variant, to accommodate wider tires. The cabin’s checkered flag theme extends to the outside, such as the rear reflectors (the non-N model has horizontal lines).

In-cabin tech
Both the driver’s instrument cluster and the infotainment touchscreen are big, clear, and easy to use. Wireless phone integration is standard, as is Wi-Fi, wireless charging, and voice recognition.

V2L
Vehicle-to-load, meaning that the Ioniq 5 N can charge other things if necessary.

One-pedal driving
In common with a lot of electric vehicles, the Ioniq 5 N offers a high enough level of brake energy regeneration to bring the vehicle to a halt just by lifting off the accelerator. We have something to confess, though. This feature doesn’t work in Sport mode, which is where we spent virtually all of our time in this car — hey, it’s a driver’s machine.

Blind-Spot View Monitor
This shows real-time video, in the instrument cluster, down the side of the car when the turn signal is activated.

Advanced Rear Occupant Alert
Using radar to detect the breathing of a child or pet, even under a blanket, this feature alerts drivers of any loved ones left in the vehicle inadvertently.

Alcantara seating surfaces
Alcantara is a lightweight, suede-like material used a lot in racing cars, and we like seeing it as standard in the 2025 Ioniq 5 N.

The maximum range of the 2025 Ioniq 5 N is 221 miles. Naturally, it will be less than that if there’s some enthusiastic track-day action going on. But one of the clever things about the Ioniq N is that the battery can be set for sprint work, or a somewhat conservative energy delivery more suitable for endurance racing.

For comparison, the Kia EV6 GT can run for 218 miles, while the BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe is rated at 269 miles.

Every Ioniq 5 (including this N model) is capable of quick charging, going from 10% capacity to 80% in 18 minutes on a DC fast charger — that’s at the speedy end of the spectrum.

5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

Hyundai has some of the best warranties in the business. New-vehicle coverage is for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever happens first. The powertrain warranty lasts 10 years or 100,000 miles, and EV batteries are protected for eight years or 100,000 miles. Hyundai also includes free scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The regular, non-N Ioniq 5 was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and took a maximum 5-Star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A comprehensive array of driver assistance features comes as standard.