2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2025 Hyundai Kona

The 2025 Hyundai Kona retained its distinctive appearance from the previous year, maintaining a fresh look that set it apart in the crossover class. Its design featured a largely flush, single-piece grille and ultra-slim LED light bars, giving even the gas-powered models a futuristic vibe. The Kona's design, with its curves, bulges, and sharp angles, was not traditionally handsome but offered a satisfactory aesthetic from most angles. The 2025 model was notably larger, about six inches longer than its predecessor, enhancing interior space and road presence. The new N Line S trim, along with the N Line, introduced a sportier design with body-colored bumpers and cladding, while other trims like SE, SEL, SEL Convenience, and Limited added visual flair with larger alloy wheels and rear privacy glass. The interior remained unchanged from 2024, offering a solid, airy feel with ample tech features. Notably, 64-color ambient interior lighting became standard on N Line, N Line S, and Limited trims.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 continued to stand out with its distinctive retro-inspired design, reminiscent of the 1986-1991 Lancia Delta. The mid-cycle refresh brought subtle changes to the lower front fascia while retaining the iconic "Parametric Pixel" headlights and taillights, round wheel arches, and high rear spoiler. The new XRT trim was easily recognizable with red tow hooks and black plastic bumper cladding featuring a "digital camouflage" pattern. Exclusive colors like Ultimate Red and Cosmic Blue Pearl were introduced for the XRT, while the overall color palette expanded with Atlas White Matte and Ecotronic Gray Matte. The Ioniq 5's interior saw minor changes, maintaining its open and uncluttered space with a modern feel. The new XRT trim added a rugged touch with a dark interior, all-weather floor mats, and debossed XRT logos on the seats.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a choice between a fully electric drivetrain and two gas-powered options. The SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience trims featured a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). This setup prioritized fuel efficiency but lacked in performance excitement. The N Line S, N Line, and Limited trims boasted a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This turbo engine provided a broader torque band, enhancing performance, although it could feel flat at low revs. All-wheel drive (AWD) was available across the lineup for an additional $1,500, offering active on-demand drive to the rear axle and a dedicated Snow mode. AWD models also featured a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension for improved ride and handling.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 introduced the XRT trim with a Terrain Mode button on the steering wheel, offering Snow, Mud, and Sand options that adjusted throttle mapping, wheel slip, power distribution, and regenerative braking. The XRT handled off-road conditions well, with AWD as standard. The Ioniq 5's battery capacity increased for 2025, extending the range to 318 miles in single-motor, RWD configuration, while the base trim offered 245 miles. AWD reduced the range slightly, with the XRT achieving 259 miles. Power output varied with the powertrain choice, with RWD models producing 168 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque with the standard-range battery, or 225hp and 258 lb-ft with the long-range option. AWD models featured dual motors, delivering 320hp and 446 lb-ft of torque, providing ample fun with instant electric torque.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a surprising amount of cargo space, with 25.5 cubic feet available with the rear seats up and 63.7 cubic feet when folded. Rear legroom measured 38.2 inches, with 38.3 inches of headroom, providing adequate comfort for most passengers. The front seats offered a generous range of movement, and the steering wheel was adjustable for reach and height. The interior featured excellent storage options, with numerous shelves, trays, and cubbies. Upholstery varied by trim, with cloth on SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience, Alcantara sport seats on N Line S and N Line, and H-Tex leatherette on Limited. Heating and ventilation options progressed from basic single-zone air conditioning on SE to dual-zone automatic climate control on higher trims.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 addressed previous complaints by adding a rear windshield wiper and revising the center console for improved functionality. Heated front seats were standard, with a heated steering wheel available from the SEL trim. The Limited trim offered front seat ventilation and driver's seat memory, while heated rear seats were not available. Interior dimensions remained unchanged, with headroom ranging from 39.1-39.8 inches in the front and 37.5-38.7 inches in the rear. Legroom was generous, with 41.7 inches up front and 39.4 inches in the back. Cargo space measured 26.3 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 58.5 cubic feet when folded, with an additional .85 cubic feet in the frunk. The Ioniq 5 transitioned to the North American Charging System (NACS), allowing access to the Tesla Supercharger network, and included a Combined Charging System (CCS) adapter for public and fast charging.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona featured a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, offering wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. SEL Convenience trim and above included wireless smartphone charging and Hyundai's digital key. The SE and SEL trims had a 4.2-inch color multi-information display, while SEL Convenience and higher trims boasted a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. N Line and Limited trims offered an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system, while lower trims had a six-speaker setup. Built-in navigation was available on SEL Convenience, N Line, and Limited trims, with Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity enabling over-the-air software updates.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 retained its pair of 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and digital instrumentation, with improved functionality and faster processing speeds. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became standard. The Bose Premium Audio system was available on the XRT and Limited trims, while SE and SEL had a six-speaker system. All trims featured standard navigation, dynamic voice recognition, and Bluetooth connectivity for two devices. The Ioniq 5 included five USB-C ports, with a central port offering customizable functionality. A head-up display was exclusive to the Limited trim, and a wireless charging pad was available from the SEL trim.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its standard safety features, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and Safe Exit Warning. Higher trims added Highway Driving Assist and enhanced Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist. Limited trim offered parking assistance features like Parking Distance Warning and Surround View Monitor. All Konas included six airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Kona earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 continued its strong safety record, earning a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and five stars from the NHTSA. New standard features included an enhanced driver attention system and parking-distance warnings. The XRT and Limited trims offered a surround-view monitor and blind-spot view monitor. Highway Driving Assist 1 was standard on the base trim, while HDA 2, available on higher trims, added lane-changing capability and machine learning for adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist.