Skip to main content

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N makes one of the coolest EVs ready for the track

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is getting even more powerful. Hyundai has unveiled a new variant of the now-loved EV, giving it the classic N treatment — and making for the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

If you’re familiar with Hyundai’s N cars, you’ll know what this variant means. The new car boasts racing-style accents, turns the pixel design up to eleven, and, as you would expect, offers a new powertrain and a range of performance-focused features that will make driving the new Ioniq 5 N a whole lot more fun.

Recommended Videos

IONIQ 5 N was developed to take driving fun to a new level by utilizing the latest technologies available,” said Till Wartenberg, vice president and head of N Brand and Motorsport at Hyundai Motor Company. “Starting with IONIQ 5 N, N brand aims to deliver its signature fun driving experience regardless of petrol, electric or hydrogen. To accomplish this, we’ve closely monitored the voices of our N fans in order to fine-tune our first all-electric N with the goal of electrifying the driving passion of our most demanding N-thusiasts.”

Ioniq 5 N on a track
Hyundai

First, the styling. The car offers N branding throughout, including on the steering wheel, seats, and metal pedals. The steering wheel itself has N buttons that allow drivers to shift between N drive modes, and the modes themselves can be customized to be more easily accessible through the N buttons on the wheel. The center console is built with knee pads for more comfortable track driving and cornering.

Hyundai is quick to note that the car boasts a range of technical improvements over previous iterations of the Ioniq 5. For example, the car offers a new 84kWh battery with a two-stage inverter that enables up to a whopping 641 horsepower — with the N Grin Boost, which delivers maximum power to the wheels for 10 seconds, engaged.

Ioniq 5 N rear
Hyundai

Hyundai typically bills its N cars as being built for the track. The car is reinforced in an effort to better support track driving, with 42 additional welding points, and 6.9 feet of added structural adhesives. And, the steering system was strengthened in an effort to improve rigidity, helping improve overall steering response. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 N offers a quicker steering ratio. This should make for a more nuanced steering experience overall.

Because of the fact that Hyundai had to counteract the weight of an electric car to deliver a sporty driving experience, it built the new N Pedal system, which adds an additional layer of regenerative braking that can help make for sharper cornering when coupled with more aggressive steering.

Ioniq 5 N interior
Hyundai

The Ioniq 5 N is built for drifting too. It has a new N Drift Optimizer feature that is aimed at taking in the multiple inputs of the car and simulating the feel of drifting on a combustion engine car. According to Hyundai, the N Drift Optimizer reacts in milliseconds, so the feel of drifting the Ioniq 5 N should be more or less the same as other cars.

While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is clearly a cool car, it’s definitely not for most people. The base Ioniq 5 certainly is one of the better EVs for most people — but most drivers that aren’t performance-minded should consider one of the entry-level models instead. Still, that’s not to take away from the Ioniq 5 N — and it’s nice to see that Hyundai is continuing the tradition with its electric cars.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
Hyundai 2025 Ioniq 5 is under $44,000, with more range and NACS port
hyundai ioniq 5 44000 nacs 64149 large631652025ioniq5xrt

Hyundai is on a roll. In October, the South Korean manufacturer posted its best U.S. sales ever, largely driven by sales of its popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV.

Now, all eyes are on the Ioniq 5’s 2025 model, which is set to become available at dealerships before year-end. As Digital Trends previously reported, the crossover model adds a more rugged-looking trim level called XRT and provides additional driving range as well as new charging options.

Read more
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 evolves in a more outdoorsy direction
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Hyundai is giving the electric Ioniq 5 a wide range of updates for the 2025 model year. The crossover gains a more rugged-looking trim level called XRT, additional driving range, new standard and optional features, and access to Tesla's network of Supercharger charging stations.

The big news is the launch of the XRT trim level, which is exclusively offered with dual-motor all-wheel-drive and the larger battery pack. It stands out from other Ioniq 5 variants with an array of off-road-inspired styling cues such as specific 18-inch wheels, black exterior trim, a redesigned front end, and H-Tex upholstery. Hyundai also lifted the suspension by about an inch to increase the approach and departure angles. It's not a true, hardcore off-roader, but it should be capable of venturing a little further off the pavement than the regular Ioniq 5.

Read more
Should you buy or lease an EV? We asked the experts
The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

The world of car-buying is changing, and quickly. Just a decade ago, the concept of leasing a car was reserved for the relatively wealthy, who simply wanted to be able to trade in their vehicle every few years for a newer, faster model. But cars are changing -- they’re no longer simply machines designed to get you from point A to point B. These days, they’re big, rolling computers -- and that means that you’re probably going to want to upgrade them much more frequently.

The result? Suddenly, leasing a car has become a whole lot more appealing. Leasing essentially allows you to “rent” a vehicle long-term, paying a monthly fee to drive it for a set term, with the ability to stop paying to use the car at the end of that term. That offers a clear advantage -- cars are rapidly improving, and a car released in 2026 or 2027 is likely to be a whole lot better than a car released in 2024, in meaningful, life-improving ways.

Read more