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The 2025 Ioniq 5 N isn’t simply Hyundai’s first electrified N performance brand model, it is also one of the most fascinating cars we at America on the Road have ever driven — and we’ve driven one heckuva lot of cars. The Ioniq 5 N offers a bevy of electronic features almost too numerous to count, plus adjustable torque distribution, upgraded suspension, and 641 horsepower from its twin electric motors. Its 84 kWh battery gives it a range of 221 miles, but, as host Jack Nerad found out in his weeklong vehicle test, that isn’t even close to the point.
The Ioniq 5 N is not so much a car as an incredibly quick, rolling arcade game that offers a wide variety of ways to play. Features like N Pedal and N Drift Optimizer do more than simply enhance handling and dynamic driving. Along with modes like N Grin Boost and N Race, they give the driver new opportunities that are as much like gaming as they are like driving. Throw in aggressive styling, N-exclusive design cues, and sustainable materials, and you have a vehicle that is worthy of discussion. We’ll have that discussion for you right here.
Our other road test vehicle is equally exciting but in a completely different way. You might say the 2025 Toyota GR Supra is an analog sports car while the Ioniq 5 N is digital. The GR Supra is offered in two grades: 3.0 and 3.0 Premium, both with a manual or an automatic transmission. Under the long, sleek hood is an inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers up to 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. Co-host Chris Teague had the opportunity to take the GR Supra through its paces on the backroads of Maine, and he’ll offer us a full report.
This week, our special guest is Thomas Broberg, a longtime Volvo Safety expert who has appeared on AOTR many times before. He and Jack Nerad sat down for a chat during the recent 2025 Volvo EX90 SUV drive event, discussing the special opportunities and challenges battery-electric vehicles present on the safety front. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the exclusive interview.
In the news this week, the 2025 model year is about to start, and we’re about to say goodbye to several well-liked sports and performance vehicles. We’ll have the details. Meanwhile a famous American brand is about to return to the market, and we’ll have the details on that, too.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seems to be asking the question: Are some vehicles just too big? It’s proposing a new rule designed to reduce pedestrian deaths, and we’ll tell you what it will mean to you.
Are vehicle owners becoming overwhelmed with technology features that don’t solve a problem or don’t work? The results of the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index suggest that could be the case. And we’ll tell you more and offer our comments.
Plenty of show this week. Thank you for joining us.
America on the Road is brought to you by Driving Today.com, Mercury Insurance, and EMLandsea.com , the publisher of Nerad’s latest book, Dance in the Dark, which is available HERE on Amazon.com
