Vehicle Testing Hyundai Fan Raises Eyebrows Over New Ioniq 5 XRT Off-Road Trim

The folks at Hyundai have just hit one out of the park with the sporty new N trim of the 2025 Ioniq 5. The Ioniq 5 just keeps getting better and better, and 2025 will be a big year for the model range. The news this week is that Hyundai is adding an “Off-road” trim. As a fan of the Ioniq 5 and a person who frequently drives off-pavement, I have some concerns. 

How Hyundai Is Marketing the Ioniq 5 XRT
Here are terms and words that Hyundai has used in marketing its new XRT version of the Ioniq 5 five-door hatchback car:

1. Additional off-road capability
2. Off-road-capable
3. Rugged
4. Ideal for venturing further off the beaten path
5. Bolder
6. More Protection, Connection, and Functionality
7. All-terrain tires
8. Play in the dirt
9. More aggressive
10. Heightened capability in the rough stuff
11. Higher ground clearance

As you can see, Hyundai is using all the same types of words that folks who make off-road vehicles like the Wrangler Rubicon and Bronco Sasquatch do. The difference is that those vehicles are proven to handle actual off-road conditions. Does anyone but me worry that driving off of the road in a long-wheelbase vehicle with a massive battery pack as the lowest component could lead to some troubling outcomes? For example, panic at a service visit when the dents and dings from off-road ground contact appear to have possibly compromised the battery pack?

Despite the strong words, in Hyundai's media video clip the Ioniq 5 XRT is shown only driving ON-ROAD. 

How serious is the XRT? Well, front recovery hooks are shown in the media images. This would lead one to think the vehicle may end up high-spotted on terrain - possibly rocky terrain - and need to be pulled out with a winch or other more capable vehicle. The 2024 Ioniq 5 had a minimum ground clearance spec of just 6.1 inches. That’s not an SUV ground clearance spec. Most have over 8 inches, and many models augment this with both a short wheelbase and skidplates. Some add rock rails to the sides. Hyundai says the XRT trim will have a 23 mm suspension lift. That’s less than an inch if you still use Imperial units. So, should we expect that this off-road vehicle will have a long wheelbase and just 7 inches of minimum ground clearance? Yikes! Hyundai has not offered up any images of the vehicle’s bottom, so we don’t know if an unobtanium skidplate is affixed. Let’s hope so.

Like most battery-electric cars, we don’t see any mention that a spare tire is included. While we get that sports cars like the Ioniq 5 N often lack a spare, off-road capable SUVs usually have full-size spares or, at a minimum, a compact spare. Examples of off-road capable crossover vehicles in the Ioniq 5’s size class that offer full-size spares are the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands and Subaru Forester Wilderness. Of course, the body-on-frame Wrangler, 4Runner, and Bronco have one. 

Sensible Tire Choice
Now the good news. Hyundai is reducing the wheel diameter a bit to add a smidge of sidewall. As a New England-based vehicle tester, this I like very much. Low-profile tires are a safety hazard in our area due to frost heaves, potholes, and the fact that good roads don't buy votes. Hyundai’s choice of tire appears to be Continental CrossContact ATR, a tire we have not tested. The tread looks more aggressive than a typical all-season touring tire, but we don’t see the 3PMSF symbol denoting severe snow duty, and Continental does not mention this in its marketing info on the tire. Hmm. Why not a proven choice like one of the Falken WildPeak options? Let’s end this paragraph on a positive note: Any tire with added sidewall is a good thing. 

Our Take on the XRT Trim As Fans of the Ioniq 5
We confirmed with Hyundai shortly after this story was initially published that the XRT will not have any added battery compartment protection. Hyundai also confirmed the 7.0-inch minimum ground clearance spec and did not offer any information on how the warranty might handle off-roading damage.

Our take is that this appears to be a vehicle best used on groomed dirt roads, flat unpaved surfaces, kayak launch access paths, and wet soccer field parking areas. We do not mean to diminish this new trim, but until we see proof that this vehicle is off-road capable, we will suggest caution if you truly want a vehicle capable of going off of the road. 
 

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT images courtesy of Hyundai. 

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John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.