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XRT increases Ioniq 5’s ground clearance and rides on all-terrain tires
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Dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain makes 320 hp
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Ioniq 5 XRT gets more cladding, no skid plates
Driving on a silty, sandy, rocky trail at Metate Ranch in Indio, Calif., I really want to treat this like a rally stage, but I’m worried the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT can’t really handle it. Yes, with 7.0 inches of ground clearance it sits an inch higher than standard, and yes it rides on a square set of 235/60R18 Continental CrossContact all-terrain tires, and yes I’m switching between Sand and Mud modes. But this isn’t a full-on off-road beast.
For instance, it lacks any underbody skid plates, and a punctured battery in the name of off-road thrills isn’t the best idea.
The XRT joins the Ioniq 5 lineup as part of a refreshed 2025 model year. It’s all part of the industry trend toward more off-pavement capability marked by sub-brands that include Wilderness, TrailSport, Rock Creek, and Tremor. Like other XRT models, it’s a half step, best built for modest off-roading, inclement weather, and dirt trails.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
The changes versus other Ioniq 5s are modest but effective. They start with those tires, the taller ground clearance, and the addition of Mud, Sand, and Snow modes, but they also include styling changes inside and out. On the outside, that includes standard front tow hooks, a more protective layer of cladding with a black “parametric pixel” camo pattern, and redesigned front and rear fascias that lean heavily into the black theme and improve the approach and departure angles. Inside, the changes are limited to embossed XRT logos on the seats and the Terrain mode button on the steering wheel.
Hyundai equips the Ioniq 5 XRT with its dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain that is good for 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. It also gets the 2025 model’s larger-capacity battery pack that comes standard with dual-motor and long-range models. It gets its boost from 77.4 to 84 kwh from changes in the battery chemistry of the nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) pouch cells.
On these trails, the dual-motor powertrain offers plenty of punch, and it’s easier to access in the Sand and Mud modes, especially when I hit the traction control button for reduced intervention. I step deep into the throttle in short spurts in sections without washboard surfaces, deep ruts, or jagged rocks and find that Mud mode lets the tires do their job best. By allowing the most wheel spin, Mud mode helps the CrossContacts dig in and swipe away the sand like a swimmer efficiently pushing through the water. That lets the XRT build speed quicker than in Sand mode. Sand still has a sensitive throttle pedal, but it’s not on high alert like Mud mode. For the heck of it, I also try a launch in Snow mode. Snow is usually programmed with a lot of traction control intervention to let a car start slowly and find traction on very slippery surfaces, and that’s the case here as well. Snow makes the XRT crawl away from a stop; it’s dull and boring here, while Sand and Mud turn up the excitement.
Hyundai didn’t allow us to drive the XRT on pavement, but the company quotes a 5.1-second 0-60 mph time, which is 0.2 second quicker than other dual-motor model versions. That seems odd, as I’d expect it to be slightly slower due to less traction on pavement from the knobby tires.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
Ioniq 5 XRT: Just shy of a rally machine
The first section of Hyundai’s curated trail is strewn with jagged rocks and dotted with a few small hill climbs and deeper ruts. It requires low speeds for the whoops and a keen eye for those dangerous rocks. At low or high speeds the tires deal well with the sand and silt and provide consistent traction to climb the small hills. Without any extreme angles to deal with, I encounter no issues with the 19.8-degree approach angle or the 30.0-degree departure angle.
Those aren’t particularly aggressive angles, but they’re improved from the standard 17.5- and 25.4-degree angles of the standard Ioniq 5. By comparison, the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands has a 30.4-degree approach angle and a 33.1-degree departure angle. However, the XRT’s most rally-like competitor, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally, has lesser geometry, with a 16-degree approach angle and a 27.2-degree departure angle, though some of that is likely due to standard skid plates and a lower 5.8 inches of ground clearance.
Next up on the trail is a big loop that has one 2-3-foot drop that can’t be taken at high speed. Otherwise, this section is largely devoid of rocks and has undulating sandy terrain with some deeper ruts dug out by previous drivers.
This is my chance to slide around like I’m on a rally stage.
I start out in Sand mode and soon find that this car is a blast in the right conditions.
The XRT’s 320 horsepower is plentiful, but it’s the way it’s delivered that makes it so fun. All three Terrain modes apportion the power in a 50:50 split for best traction, which gets this EV moving and keeps its momentum through the ruts that I’m making deeper and deeper. Steer the Ioniq 5 XRT into a corner, goose the throttle, and Sand mode allows the rear end to slide out. Let off and the tail tucks back in, then steer the opposite direction, goose it again and it swings the other way. Let off, rinse and repeat. I find myself grinning from ear to ear as I slide/drift from one corner to the next. Like it was for launches, Mud mode with ESC stepped down is even better, with less stability intervention for an even more pure experience. Fantastic.
Those deepening ruts scrape the steel underbody, but I’m not smashing it against rocks or high-centering the car. It pulls itself out of the deeper ruts and just keeps moving. I’d like some bash plates down there like the Mach-E Rally has in case I would encounter a rock, but that’s not a problem today. It could be a problem for an overly ambitious buyer, though, so I do recommend Hyundai add them, or at least make them available for anyone who would want to hoon their Ioniq 5 XRT through the desert.
My little rally route has no jumps or big dips that would fully extend or compress the suspension, and that’s wise because the Ioniq 5 XRT has no special Fox shocks or external-bypass dampers to handle those kinds of sudden shocks to the suspension, as well as no secondary damping to prevent bottoming out on the bump stops, especially with 4,707 pounds to control. The Mach-E Rally uses its magnetic dampers for both of those purposes.
The rest of the driving dynamics are like other Ioniq 5s: overly light steering without much feel, a ride that doesn’t beat you up (even over off-road ruts and bumps), and predictable brakes. The XRT could use some of the Ioniq 5 N’s tuning to add more road (or sand) feel.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
Ioniq 5 XRT: Minor on-road compromises
Without a street drive, I can’t say for sure how the Ioniq 5 XRT’s dynamics compare to standard models. However, I expect the same behavior we’ve seen with other soft-roaders: a softer ride due to taller tire sidewalls that also leads to less traction for cornering on dry pavement and less immediate turn-in response. Add the additional inch of ride height and occupants can expect more body lean in corners and a bit more head toss over bumps and through turns. Some would say that amounts to a compromise.
The other slight compromise will be less range; but EPA ratings suggest the penalty won’t be so significant. While the dual-motor AWD Limited model has 269 miles of range, the XRT’s tires give it 259 miles of range.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT
The XRT costs $56,875 including $1,475 for destination, $2,700 less than the comparable Limited and $2,400 more than an AWD SEL. It’s equipped like the SEL but adds a Bose audio system, a surround-view camera system, a blind-spot camera, a sliding center console, remote automatic parking, side parking sensors, and rear automatic braking.
With the addition of the XRT model, Hyundai now has two versions of its delightful EV hatchback that are aimed at fun. The Ioniq 5 N provides the track thrills, so much so that we named it Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2025, and now the XRT ramps up the fun off-road. It would need skid plates, more advanced dampers, and perhaps a Baja mode to step up to rally car territory, but it’s a fun off-roader for the way most buyers will want to use it. Just be careful to curate your rally route.
Hyundai paid for travel and lodging for Motor Authority to kick up sand and bring you this firsthand report.