You’ve seen it. You’ve wondered what it would be like to drive it. (Spoiler alert: it’s rad.) Even if you don’t drive it, you’re happy it exists because the IONIQ 5 is unique in a world where being weird is becoming less cool. It’s the kind of car where the designers made something crazy, brought it to an engineer to pack it full of goodness and some brilliant, brave executive said, “Hey, maybe they’ll buy it.” And buy it we did. In fact, the IONIQ 5 became such a success that we’ve now got the IONIQ 5 N (the performance model), the IONIQ 6 (which is also daring, but unfortunately ugly), and the IONIQ 9 (which will undoubtedly be a hit). But then they rolled out the IONIQ 5 XRT. Say what? Is this funky little EV going off-road? That’s nuts! Or is it? I went to Palm Springs to find out.
First, IONIQ 5 News
Before we get into the XRT, and trust me, you will want to, let’s talk about what’s new with the IONIQ 5 refresh. I’m not going to drag this out. I swear. Because this is big. Are you ready? It’s like, huge. I mean, you’re gonna love it. Fine. Here you go:
You see that? That’s an IONIQ 5 charging at a Tesla Charging station! Well, hooray and hallelujah. Yup, now you’ve got a great reason to dump your Tesla, yet keep the network. The new IONIQ 5 charges at a NACS V3 Charger in under 30 minutes. Yes, please.
MORE IONIQ 5 News!
Hyundai told us at the Palm Springs event that starting at the end of March 2025, they would be shipping adapters to existing EV owners so they can start cutting Cybertruck owners in line at the charging station. Payback is a b*tch, Elon.
My Test Drive Was One For The Books!
A press event in Palm Springs sounded dreamy in February. Blue skies, some sunshine, and even some poolside writing could be good for a girl like me—or so I thought! No, my friends, we experienced torrential rain, wild wind gusts, and even some snow and ice in the higher elevations. But we soldiered on, and honestly, it was the best thing to really show off what this car is capable of.
See those clouds? Yup, we drove straight into them. I would’ve taken photos of me shivering in the hail, but trust me, neither of us wants to see that. The point is, the drive was great!
Let’s Talk XRT
If you don’t want to read this whole thing and want to watch my video, that’s fine, too. Here it is:
Or do both. Or send cash. Any of those work for me.
The IONIQ 5 XRT is an exciting little vehicle that adds a few special features to make it off-road worthy such as:
- XRT18” wheels with all-terrain tires
- +23mm Suspension lift w/ unique tuning
- Ground Clearance 7” (vs. 6”)
- Approach Angle 19.8° (vs. 17.5°)
- Departure Angle 30° (vs. 25.4°)
Does that mean you’re taking this on the Rubicon trail? No. Does it mean that you can drive this vehicle through snow, rain, ice, sand, and gravel without a problem? Yes, you can. How do I know? Because I just did.
How The XRT Works
In addition to the new features stated above, here are some vital stats on the XRT:
- Drive Type: AWD
- Range: 259 miles (more in the non-XRT variants)
- Terrain Modes: Snow, Mud, and Sand
What’s that? Do you want to know more about Terrain Mode? I’ll bet you do. There’s plenty of fun content in the video above, but basically, the Terrian Mode adjusts the:
- throttle calibration
- wheel slip
- 50/50 AWD split at all speeds
- regen braking
It’s perfect for the person who wants an EV but doesn’t want to treat it with kid gloves, worry every time they go over a speed bump, or be laughed out of a parking lot when they head up to the slopes (here’s looking at you again, Cybertruck!).
What’s The Verdict?
There’s a lot to say about the IONIQ 5, but mainly, the answer to most questions is YES. Now, with this XRT trim, I’m reminded a bit of what Subaru did when they launched the Wilderness trims–they met their customers where they were instead of watching them go through an aftermarket nightmare. It makes a lot of sense– people who like EVs often like going outdoors. Duh. Not all want a truck or a huge SUV, so what should they get? (I’ll wait.) Exactly! This is the first off-road EV we’ve seen, but it won’t be the last.