Hyundai's Electric Box Likes a Good Muck-About
Image Credit: Hyundai.
These days, it's all about the electric revolution, and while I'm all for a bit of silent, instant torque, I do approach some of these battery-powered creations with a healthy dose of experienced curiosity. And I'm not the only one - a gaggle of automotive journalists, nineteen of them to be precise, were let loose in the wilds of Washington State at something called "Mudfest." Sounds like my kind of party, if I'm honest. Their mission? To prod, poke, and generally abuse twenty-one different crossovers, SUVs, and pickups on and off the road.
And who emerges, blinking into the sunlight, clutching two shiny trophies? None other than the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 XRT. An electric car. At Mudfest. The times are changing. Fast.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
The IONIQ 5 XRT didn't just win "Best Electrified Activity Vehicle" – which, let's be fair, you'd sort of hope an electric activity vehicle might win in its own category. It also waltzed off with the "Best Two-Row Family SUV." This is where it gets interesting. A family wagon that's also keen on a bit of rough and tumble?
The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA), the folks behind this muddy Olympics, apparently put these vehicles through their paces. Day one was all civilized tarmac stuff at The Ridge Motorsports Park – acceleration, handling, braking, and general ride comfort. Day two, however, was when they swapped the cucumber sandwiches for dirt clods, testing traction, how well the suspension copes with lumps, and all those clever terrain-handling gizmos.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
What's this XRT badge all about then? Hyundai says this new Ioniq 5 is "built for adventure." It has a bit more ground clearance – we're talking an extra inch. An entire inch? Revolutionary! Before you scoff, in the world of not scraping your car's expensive belly on a rogue pebble, an inch can be the difference between a smug grin and a rather large bill. The suspension has also been "enhanced," which is wonderfully vague but hopefully means it should cope with a particularly aggressive curb.
And because looking the part is half the battle, the IONIQ 5 XRT gets some rugged styling cues - aggressively styled front and rear bumpers that look like they mean business, chunky side cladding, and proper all-terrain tires wrapped around XRT-specific 18-inch alloy wheels. It's the automotive equivalent of putting on hiking boots with your business suit – a statement, if you will.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
This particular IONIQ 5 XRT, by the way, rolls out of Hyundai's shiny new "Motor Group Metaplant America" in Georgia. That's right, assembled in the good ol' US of A. It's not just an award-winner, it's a home-grown award-winner, which probably adds a nice little cherry on top for the Hyundai folks.
Tom Voelk, the president of NWAPA, seemed rather taken with it. He called it a "well-rounded adventure vehicle." Apparently, those all-terrain tires and that crucial inch of lift make it ready for "the good hiking trails." But he also said it "remains fun to sling around on city streets." See? It can indeed do both. He also praised its "useful size, solid range, and blazing fast charging speed."
Image Credit: Hyundai.
The source material was a bit coy on exact figures for range and charging for this specific XRT, but the standard IONIQ 5 is known for its 800V architecture, which means if you can find a powerful enough DC fast charger, you can theoretically go from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes.
The "civilian" IONIQ 5 offers a couple of battery options, typically a 58 kWh and a larger 77.4 kWh pack. Power outputs vary too, with rear-wheel-drive models kicking out around 225 horsepower and the all-wheel-drive versions (which the XRT presumably is, given its adventurous aspirations) boasting a more spirited 320 horsepower and a hefty 446 lb-ft of torque.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
That kind of grunt usually translates to a 0 to 60 mph sprint in a sub-5-second region for the AWD. As for dimensions, think compact but surprisingly spacious inside – a wheelbase of around 118 inches contributes to that roomy feel. The standard IONIQ 5 has about 6.1 inches of ground clearance, so add that extra inch for the XRT, and you're looking at around 7.1 inches. Not exactly "climb every mountain" height, but certainly better for those "unmaintained county roads" that satnavs love to find.
Ricky Lao, who's the director of product planning over at Hyundai North America, chimed in saying the IONIQ 5 XRT was designed to be "a rugged, versatile and fun-to-drive electric SUV for customers seeking adventure off the beaten path." It seems those NWAPA judges agreed that Hyundai has managed to tick quite a few of those boxes.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
Am I saying this electric chariot will conquer the Darién Gap? Probably not. Is an extra inch of ground clearance and some knobbly tires going to turn it into a dedicated off-road monster? Let's be sensible. But for what it is – a family-friendly electric SUV that isn't afraid to get its boots a little muddy, that can handle the school run on Friday and a moderately challenging trail to a scenic viewpoint on Saturday – it's clearly hit a sweet spot.
It's a sign of the times, isn't it? Electric vehicles are no longer just quirky city runabouts. They increasingly are becoming capable, increasingly versatile, and, dare I say it, increasingly desirable for folks who want more than just zero tailpipe emissions. They want a bit of character, a bit of capability, and maybe, just maybe, the ability to win a Mudfest.
Image Credit: Hyundai.
The idea of an "Electrified Activity Vehicle" is still one that makes me chuckle slightly, but then I remember when "Sport Utility Vehicle" sounded like a marketing department's fever dream. If Hyundai can make an EV that's genuinely good on the road, reasonably capable off it, charges quickly, and doesn't look entirely like a science experiment, then they're onto something. And winning a couple of awards from journalists who've actually thrashed it about in the mucky stuff? That speaks volumes, doesn't it?
