As electric vehicles continue to evolve, we’re increasingly finding emotional reasons to praise them in addition to purely practical concerns. That is why, after driving dozens of new EVs this year, CarBuzz has awarded the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N as the Best Electric Vehicle to buy in 2025. The Ioniq 5 N proves that in the very near future, many driving enthusiasts will find themselves drawn to the allure of performance EVs such as this.
Of all the EVs we’ve driven, this has the greatest potential to convince the EV agnostics to take the plunge and buy an electric car.
Related
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N First Drive Review: Setting The Bar For Electric Performance
Taking on Laguna Seca Raceway in an electric crossover? Hell yeah.
“Hyundai has found the solution to making EVs cool. By giving the Ioniq 5 N the sounds of a gasoline car and the simulated shifts of a transmission with its N e-Shift feature, Hyundai has created the most entertaining driving experience available in an EV today, and one that feels more organic than even some genuine combustion cars. Every other automaker needs to copy Hyundai’s homework immediately.”
Best EV
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
- Base MSRP
- $66,100
- Engine
- Electric
- Horsepower
- 601 hp (641 hp N Grin Boost)
- Torque
- 545 lb-ft (568 lb-ft N Grin Boost)
- Drivetrain
- AWD
- 0-60 MPH
- 3.2 seconds
- Top Speed
- 162 mph
There are quicker EVs on the market, but Hyundai’s decision to focus on driving pleasure rather than outright speed differentiates the Ioniq 5 N from its competitors. Don’t get us wrong, the Ioniq 5 N still produces up to 641 horsepower if you push the N Grin Boost button, so it’s still insanely quick. Zero to 60 mph takes just 3.2 seconds, but we are more impressed with the 800-volt architecture that allows the car to charge from 10-80% battery in just 18 minutes. While other automakers are still releasing 400-volt EVs that are stuck in the past, Hyundai is off in the future.
In crowning the CarBuzz Best Electric Vehicle, we consider an EV’s affordability, driving range and recharge speed, ease of use, and impact on the environment as factors. Bonus consideration is given to EVs that are good enough to change perceptions around electric cars, particularly those that are good enough to change the minds of devout combustion lovers.
The EV To Convert The Haters
Hyundai is not the first company to attempt a track-focused EV, but it’s the first one to get it perfect. The combination of simulated gears, fake engine sounds, and advanced thermal management make this a fantastic track car. In fact, CarBuzz’s Ian Wright says the Ioniq 5 N “sets the bar for electric performance” and even gives established brands like BMW M a run for their money.
Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.
“The Ioniq 5 is grin-worthy in the way only the best performance cars can be. In the all-electric game, N comes way before M.”
Ian Wright, CarBuzz Senior Road Test Editor
Hyundai’s N sub-brand has already made the industry rethink affordable performance, and now it’s doing the same for electric performance. It’s easy to make an EV that launches to 60 mph in under three seconds, but it’s much harder to build one with a soul. Hyundai may have just created the blueprint that every performance EV will soon follow.
The Runners-Up: EVs Taking A Big Step Toward The Mainstream
The EV category is still a broad one, and while we’re still technically in the early adoption phase, this year, plenty of EVs gave us food for thought, including runners-up, the 2025 Rivian R1S and 2024 Kia EV9.
Rivian made major improvements to its R1S SUV on a software level, but minimal changes to the exterior and interior designs limit the wow factor of these changes. The updated Quad-Motor version is one of the quickest EVs available with over 1,000 hp, but as our winner shows, pure speed is not the only thing we want from an EV. Kia’s EV9 does its best to democratize the three-row SUV, but it’s still more expensive than the average gas-powered equivalent, meaning its appeal is still capped. But if you’re looking for an EV in 2025, both of these should be on your shortlist.
-
2025 Rivian R1S SUV
- Base Trim Horsepower
- 533 hp
- Base Trim Torque
- 610 lb-ft
- Base Trim Battery Capacity
- 135 kWh
- Base Trim All Electric Range
- 316 miles
- Base MSRP
- $75,900
- Base Trim Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
-
2024 Kia EV9
- Base Trim Horsepower
- 215 hp
- Base Trim Torque
- 258 lb-ft
- Base Trim Battery Capacity
- 76.1 kWh
- Base Trim All Electric Range
- 230 Miles
- Base MSRP
- $54,900
- Base Trim Drivetrain
- Rear-Wheel Drive
