“Electric vehicles are fast but boring to drive”. That has been the consensus among driving enthusiasts ever since more and more EVs have flooded the market. They don’t provide the same visceral exhilaration that a vehicle with an engine can deliver. But, Hyundai thinks that they have made an EV that can bring some of the excitement of a gasoline-powered car into an EV. So has it worked with their new Ioniq 5 N?
Performance
Motors – As the name suggests, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is based on the brand’s most popular EV. Just like the standard Ioniq 5, this N version utilizes two electric motors at each end of the car for an AWD system. But power has been turned up to 11. The 2025 Ioniq 5 N produces 601 hp & 545 lb-ft of torque (448 kW & 740 Nm). The car is on the heavy side at 2,205 kg, but it can still accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. However, this car can provide a boost for 10 seconds to drop that 0-100 km/h sprint down to 3.4 seconds. By pressing the red NGB (N Grin Boost) button on the steering wheel, the electric motors produce 641 hp & 568 lb-ft of torque (478 kW & 770 Nm). Coupled with launch control, the Hyundai Ioniq 5N sprints from a stop like a proper performance electric car. Top speed is limited to 260 km/h.
But this doesn’t make the Ioniq 5 N any different than other powerful EVs like the BMW i5 M60. What does make it different is selecting the N e-Shift mode on one of the two customizable N steering wheel buttons or in the infotainment system. Pressing this turns on “an engine”. Obviously it’s not really an engine and is instead engine noises being played through the stereo system and a tachometer with “shift” lights appearing on the digital driver display. In this mode, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N perfectly replicates the characteristics of an internal combustion engine and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Everything from the noises, torque curve, rev limiter, and gear changes are accurately replicated. If you put your foot down in a high gear at “low rpms”, the car doesn’t accelerate very quickly. If you rev the “engine” right up to the redline, it cuts power. If you pull on the downshift paddle too quickly and close to the redline, the car won’t downshift. This system is so perfectly replicated that if someone who doesn’t know that the Ioniq 5 N is an EV, they would think it’s powered by an engine. It is an impressive system which adds some excitement to an otherwise familiar EV. Of course, in this mode, the car is slower than if it was left in its normal EV mode without any fake gear shifts or engine torque curve replications.
Speaking of which, the car has Eco, Normal, Sport, N and N-Custom drive modes. Each changes the responsiveness of the electric motors and accelerator pedal, among other characteristics such as the suspension stiffness. The N-Custom 1 and 2 modes allow the driver to set various parameters of the car to their liking. Each mode can be programmed to the two N steering wheel mounted buttons.
Range & Efficiency – The Ioniq 5 N has an 84 kWh battery pack which Hyundai says will provide up to 356 km (221 Miles) of driving range. That number is a bit less than most other EVs but for a performance car, I think it’s ok. The battery can be preconditioned for track use. In the infotainment system, you can select Drag or Track use. These modes ensure that the battery remains in the proper operating temperature for maximum power for the given conditions. The battery can also be set for endurance which allows the car to drive on a track for longer periods. But of course, in this mode, the maximum power is reduced.
During my time with the EV, I averaged 22.9 kWh/100km (2.71 mi/kWh). With some quick calculations, I could have theoretically driven the car for 367 km (228 Miles) with a full charge.
Battery & Charging – The battery is capable of being recharged up to a rate of 350 kW. Of course these types of EV chargers are very rare but if you do find one, it means that 10% to 80% can be achieved in as little as 18 minutes. From a more common 50 kW charger, the battery can be replenished to the same state of charge in just over an hour. From a 10.9 kW level 2 charger, 10% to 100% is completed in around 7 and a half hours.
Braking – With all the extra speed that this car can achieve, it has bigger brakes to help it stop. The front 400 mm discs are clamped down by 4-piston fixed calipers and the rear 360 mm discs have single piston floating calipers. In addition to the larger brakes, the 5N has different modes of regenerative braking. There are levels 0, 1, 2, 3, i-pedal, and Auto. Level 0 doesn’t provide any regen braking while i-pedal is a one-pedal mode with the car stopping without needing to touch the brake pedal. Auto varies the regen force depending on whether there is a vehicle ahead or not, among a few other parameters.
As for the brake pedal itself and how it feels, it’s normal. There’s no real difference that can be felt between regenerative braking and the physical brakes taking over. The pedal is firm at all times and it doesn’t move on its own like how it does in some other EVs.
Handling – Another feature of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N that makes it different from some other EVs are the handling dynamics. For a start, it has a very quick steering rack. It’s akin to one from a BMW M car with the front wheels immediately reacting to the smallest input of the steering wheel. The Ioniq 5 N is still a heavy EV at 2,205 kg (4,861 lbs) but it’s kept under check by the adaptive dampers. In N mode, the car feels rock solid and planted around corners. You can also control how the car behaves through corners. Using N Torque Distribution, the car can send more torque to the front, rear, or both axles equally. This will make the Ioniq 5 N either feel more like a FWD or RWD or AWD car when you’re driving enthusiastically. There’s also an N Drift Optimizer which, as the name implies, can send more torque to the rear wheels and allow the car to perform flawless drifts. And of course as I mentioned earlier in the review, you can customize the N1 and N2 buttons to your liking.
This car has multiple personalities based on the settings that are activated. It can be an everyday, normal EV or it can pretend to be a gasoline powered, 600 hp hot hatch. The latter is what makes the 2025 Ioniq 5 N a lot more exciting to drive on a back-country road than any other EV that has come before it.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – With the standard equipped adaptive dampers, the Ioniq 5 N has a comfortable ride over most city streets. The ride is a bit firmer when driving over rougher roads than the standard Ioniq 5, but overall, it’s more than acceptable for daily commutes. With the dampers in N mode, the ride is very jarring and almost as though it’s a race car.
Unlike the standard Ioniq 5, the 5N receives sport bucket seats that are divine. They may look uncomfortable upon first glance but they are far from it. Not only do the front seats keep you planted in them through fast corners but they have just the right amount of padding. Sadly, they are not power operated but they have a cool illuminated N logo.
Interior Space – While on the outside the Ioniq 5 N may look like a hot hatch, it’s actually similar in size to a crossover SUV. As such, there is a lot of passenger space for both front and rear occupants.
For my above average height of 6’4”, there is ample space in the front. The bucket seats are height adjustable so shorter individuals should have no problem seeing over the hood. Visibility around the car is equally good and the Ioniq 5 N receives a rear wiper. For 2025, the standard Ioniq 5 will also receive one but pre-2025 models do not come with one.
In the back seats, the 5 N has a completely flat floor with air vents located in the B-pillars. Space is great for taller individuals with plenty of leg space and headroom. However, if the front seat is at its lowest position, there is almost no space for your feet under it. The back rests can have a few different recline angles, the seats can slide forwards or backwards, and there are manual sun shades.
Behind the seats, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has 740 L (26.1 cu-ft) of cargo space. With the rear seats folded, that number increases to 1,680 L (59.3 cu-ft). There is a small storage compartment under the floor for the charging cable and a tire repair kit but no spare wheel. Also, the Ioniq 5 N does away with the small store space under the hood.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The Ioniq 5 N can be as quiet as a traditional EV or it can be as loud as a Hyundai Elantra N. At least from the inside.
When the car is driven like a normal EV, the motors are silent, there’s almost no wind noise on highways but there is a noticeable amount of road noise from the tires. When the N e-Shift is activated and the N Active Sound+ is enabled, the car sounds very similar to a Hyundai Elantra N. It’s not a perfect replication but rather a synthesized version with the same crackles, pops and bangs at higher rpms. The Ioniq 5 N also has a speaker on the outside of the car which plays these sounds; however, it is very, very quiet, almost impossible to hear on the move. The other two Active Sounds that can be selected are Evolution and Supersonic which, to me, don’t sound anywhere near as good as the standard Ignition sound. You can also play these sounds with N e-Shift turned off.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – As is to be expected, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is expensive. It will cost you $78,199 CAD ($66,100 USD) with the only options being the paint colours. This one is “Soultronic Orange” and it’s a $250 CAD ($470 USD) option. The two matte colours, Performance Blue & Ecotronic Grey are $1,500 CAD ($1,000 USD) options.
Gadgets – For the price, the 2025 Ioniq 5 N is a fully loaded car. It has heated & ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, dual zone automatic climate control (the car comes equipped with a heat pump and battery preconditioning), 8-speaker Bose audio system, built-in navigation system, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto connectivity, power liftgate, a head-up display, and plenty of USB charging ports throughout the car.
One convenience feature that left me frustrated were the front “rain sensing” wipers. For some reason, Hyundai can’t get them to work properly whether it’s on this car or another one of their cars. These wipers hardly ever wipe when it rains heavily but they go at full speed when there’s a light drizzle. Hyundai should make an option in the infotainment system to change between rain sensing and regular intermittent wipers like Mazda.
Interior Design – Unlike the regular Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 5N has a more traditional center console with a large wireless phone charging pad and a few USB charging plugs. The cupholders are further in between the seats and of course the 5 N has a few more buttons on the steering wheel than the regular Ioniq 5. But otherwise, the design of the interior is the same with dual 12.3” displays, a mix of quick access physical buttons and touch screen climate controls along with the same gear selector protruding from the steering column which reminds me of a woman’s pleasure tool… Anyway, the seats are covered in leatherette and suede but you will not find a sunroof in the Ioniq 5 N.
Exterior Design – The exterior looks the part of a hot hatch. It has a larger roof spoiler with the triangular 3rd brake light that was found on the Hyundai Veloster N. It has 21” wheels which look really big on this car. There are flared wheel arches with air vents. And finally the front has a unique bumper design with active flaps for improved aerodynamics.
Safety – With this being a fully-loaded vehicle, it has every passive & active safety feature equipped. These include everything from automatic emergency braking to blind spot sensors to safe exit warning to lane following assist among many others. Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist is one of the best with the system keeping the car perfectly centered in a lane while maintaining a set speed & distance from other vehicles. It can also aid with lane changes and can adjust its speed based on highway speed limit changes. This is not a hands-free system and the car will notify the driver if it doesn’t detect a hand on the steering wheel.
Warranty – The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is covered by a 5 year / 100,000 km new vehicle limited warranty. The battery components warranty is 8 years / 160,000 km. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – From the performance to the everyday usability, Hyundai made a great EV that really is deserving of all the accolades it received over the past year. But one thing that may put buyers off is the price. Paying over $78,000 CAD (before fees, taxes, or any government rebates) for a car with a Hyundai badge may not sit well with some but Hyundai has come a very long way from where they were even 2 decades ago. Plus look at this way, what other EV is there that offers this much power and practicality for this price? The only one I can think of is the Tesla Model Y which comes close but it doesn’t provide anywhere near the same driving enjoyment.
Thank you to Hyundai Canada for providing the vehicle. www.HyundaiCanada.com
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Gallery
