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At Munro & Associates, we’re all about design efficiency, smart engineering, and brutally honest teardown analysis. So when Hyundai unveiled its 2025 IONIQ 5 N, we had to ask—does this update really move the needle? Especially when it comes to the IONIQ 5 N interior, which plays a crucial role in user experience and manufacturing complexity.
We’ve previously torn down the IONIQ 5 base model in detail, so this latest hands-on inspection gave us a chance to directly compare the new and the familiar. From seat structures to center consoles, here’s our breakdown of what’s changed, what hasn’t, and whether it’s worth the premium Hyundai’s charging.
Subtle Exterior Tweaks, Same Core Structure
Before we dive into the cabin, it’s worth mentioning a few exterior changes. Hyundai’s decision to apply a Gulf oil-inspired matte paint finish to an electric vehicle certainly raised eyebrows. Matte finishes are expensive and notoriously difficult to maintain—but they do give the IONIQ 5 N a unique showroom presence.
Structurally, the platform appears identical to the earlier IONIQ 5 we tore down. However, Hyundai has adjusted plastic trim components, especially around the wheel arches and doors. These updated pieces now blend body-color finishes with high-gloss accents, giving the vehicle a sleeker visual profile—without modifying the core door stampings.
But from a manufacturing standpoint, these trim decisions may be more about styling continuity than engineering improvement. Hyundai is locked into earlier tooling decisions, which means they’re layering new components to adapt an existing design—potentially increasing part count and long-term complexity.
Door Panels: Cosmetic Upgrades, Same Foundation
At first glance, the interior doors appear fresh, especially with new stitching colors and handle finishes. But a side-by-side teardown reveals this is largely aesthetic. The thermoformed skins, armrest zones, decorative inserts, and D-style handles are virtually identical to those in the original IONIQ 5.
A fake seam line adds visual interest, but it’s a design choice rather than a structural change. Essentially, the IONIQ 5 N interior features upgraded materials and stitching—but retains the same core panel design. That’s not necessarily bad; it’s just not an engineering leap.
Dashboard Efficiency: Improvements in Integration?
The wide-screen display setup and soft-touch upper panels remain consistent. However, Hyundai has extended the styling across the dash without an unnecessary break, potentially reducing part count.
This is a welcome move. In previous Hyundai and Kia vehicles, we noted excessive layering in instrument panels. These added complexity, labor, and cost. While we haven’t torn down this exact dash, we’re hopeful that Hyundai streamlined the dashboard integration this time around.
Center Console: Still Overengineered?
Hyundai’s center consoles have often frustrated Munro engineers due to their structural excess. In the original IONIQ 5, cantilevered surfaces, redundant fasteners, and decorative overdesign made the console harder and more expensive to build than necessary.
The IONIQ 5 N’s new console has a unique design, but appears to retain similar issues. Deployable cupholders and pop-up features might seem cool to buyers, but from a lean design standpoint, they add failure points and manufacturing headaches.
One interesting potential use case: by removing these cupholders, the center space could support purse management—a known issue, especially for female drivers with expensive handbags. That might solve a real pain point, albeit through an arguably inefficient design.
Front Seat Structure: Now That’s New
The standout engineering change is the front seat design. This is no carryover. The seat has a thin profile, fixed headrest, racing-inspired trim, and most notably, a side airbag system that exits through a dedicated plastic trim panel—not through the sewn seam as in most seats.
This is significant. Typical seat-mounted airbags must burst through fabric seams, which poses aftermarket and repair complications. By externalizing the airbag housing, Hyundai may be improving serviceability and long-term reliability.
We suspect the internal seat frame is custom-built to support this structure. In earlier teardowns—including Tesla’s Cybertruck—we’ve seen fixed headrests achieved via brackets attached to standard frames. That doesn’t appear to be the case here. Hyundai likely engineered an all-new frame to accommodate the slim form and non-adjustable headrest. We’d love to fully tear it down to verify the cost, weight, and complexity.
Rear Seats: Built-In Tradeoffs
The rear seating looks standard at first—but the structural support choices are unique. Most vehicles use the C-pillar for upper seatback support in the event of a crash. Hyundai opts to support the seatback entirely from the lower hinge, likely to enable multiple recline positions.
While this does offer comfort benefits, it introduces a structural tradeoff: the lower cushion frame must bear all crash loads. That likely explains the overbuilt under-seat structures—up to 5–6mm of steel in some cases, which is more than many truck frames.
This approach is consistent across several Kia and Hyundai models we’ve analyzed. While it adds safety and adjustability, it inflates material costs and weight.
Load Floor Simplicity: A Win for Cost and Design
One area we applaud is the load floor construction. Instead of using complex hinge hardware, Hyundai uses carpet-backed compression material with a clever fold point. A hot-melt adhesive secures the carpet edge, and the carpet itself provides the hinge flexibility.
It’s a clean, cost-effective solution that works. We’ve seen luxury automakers overengineer this element with ornate closures and mechanisms. Hyundai shows restraint here—kudos for keeping it simple.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth the Price?
The IONIQ 5 N sits in the mid-$60,000 range, which is above many EVs we’ve reviewed. While the refreshed design looks sharp and some elements—like the seat airbag integration—are clear upgrades, the value proposition is debatable.
From a manufacturing perspective, many changes feel cosmetic or stylistic, not cost-saving or performance-enhancing. We see excess complexity in the center console, limited true integration upgrades, and structural tradeoffs in the rear seat.
So is it an upgrade? Yes, in some areas. But is it worth the price bump? That depends on what you value: style or substance.
IONIQ 5 N Interior Takeaways
- The IONIQ 5 N interior sees notable upgrades in styling, but many components remain carryovers.
- The front seat design and airbag deployment are genuine engineering improvements.
- Center console complexity and rear seat overbuilding persist as cost and weight concerns.
- Load floor design is a highlight of lean execution and smart materials use.
- At over $60K, it may not deliver enough value purely from an engineering standpoint.
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