A retro electric Toyota Prado alternative? 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT gets apocalypse-ready makeover that might make it to Australia

If there’s one thing that everybody can agree on, it’s that off-road versions of any car look awesome.

Hyundai has proven this true again, giving its Ioniq 5 the all-terrain treatment with an XRT edition — and we'd love to see it in Australia as a city-friendly alternative to a Toyota Prado.

In the US, XRT is Hyundai’s rugged badge, with the company selling XRT versions of Palisade, Santa Fe, Tucson and Santa Cruz ute. All of them look like vehicles ready for the apocalypse with tough body kits, darkened grilles, aggro bumpers and black wheels, but the Ioniq 5 XRT somehow appears more at home in its new combat gear than any of the others.

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Looking like a futuristic dune buggy, the Ioniq 5 XRT has 18-inch black wheels, 235/60 R18 all-terrain tyres, rugged front and rear bumpers and camouflaged cladding and black side sills. 

The Ioniq 5 XRT also comes in exclusively Ultimate Red and Blue Pearl colours.

The changes aren’t just cosmetic; the Ioniq 5 has a 23mm suspension lift, with increased angles of approach (19.8 degrees) and departures (25.4 degrees), with a front tow tow hook rated to three tonnes.

The all-wheel drive Ioniq 5 XRT has two motors and an 84kWh battery, for driving range up to 450km.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT

The only problem is the Ioniq 5 XRT isn’t available in Australia. But we’re not the only ones who want this in our lives: Hyundai Australia echoed CarsGuide's enthusiasm but there’s one snag.

"We think XRT would make a great addition to the Australian Ioniq 5 line-up,” a Hyundai Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide. “But currently it is only built in the United States and hence available in the US market.”

Hmmm. What's interesting is that Hyundai applied to trademark the nameplate "XRT Pro" earlier this year, so there may be more to this model coming to Australia than the company is letting on.

The Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s best selling electric car in Australia with more than 700 having been sold here since the start of the year.