- The 2025 Frankencar is electrical
- It’s a steal at $67,685 in make-believe land
- You’ll by no means discover something prefer it in the marketplace
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N bested the competitors to be named Motor Authority Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2025.
Every of the sturdy, and principally electrical, opponents posed its personal argument for profitable, however the Ioniq 5’s worth and enjoyable issue stood out from the pack.
Nothing’s good, and that consists of the Ioniq 5 N. Every of this yr’s finalists had redeeming qualities we admired. In an ideal, make-believe world the Ioniq 5 N would have some attributes from every of our finalists—extra from some than others.
Name it flight of fancy. We name it Frankencar, and it’s rattling enjoyable to daydream about.
Be a part of us as we piece collectively the 2025 Frankencar, a automobile that grabs one of the best bits from the Motor Authority Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2025 finalists.
Rivian motor programs
Powertrain
Each competitor besides the Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53 had an electrical powertrain. The powertrain for the 2025 Frankencar isn’t up to now out of the realm of risk. It sticks to the EV method, nevertheless it goes past the 641 hp of the Ioniq 5 N to the 850-hp triple-motor setup from the Rivian R1S. With one motor on the entrance axle and two within the rear, our Frankencar has rear torque vectoring. We additionally need the G 580 with EQ Expertise’s G Flip, which is a tank flip function that enables the automobile to spin in place. We’ll hold the Ioniq 5 N’s sound mills (… audio system), for many who are into that form of factor. However the candy tune of the AMG CLE 53’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 is what we’d like to listen to if these sound mills are turned on. None of our opponents had a handbook transmission this yr, so a single-speed automated transmission it’s, however we’ll hold the Ioniq 5 N’s out there pretend shift factors, with applicable torque curves. Immediate energy and torque together with smoother operation make for a heck of a drug, no?
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Expertise
2025 Rivian R1S
Styling
We’ll take the general packaging and design of the Ioniq 5 N, as a result of who doesn’t love an overgrown scorching hatch? However we’ll mix it with components of the enduring and distinctive fashion of each the electrical G-Class and Rivian R1S. Arguably, we simply created a bigger, overgrown Rivian R3X, didn’t we?
2024 Porsche Macan Electrical Turbo
2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Expertise
2025 Rivian R1S
Dynamics
All six finalists have their very own capacity to shine dynamically, however the Ioniq 5 N was the winner on account of its participating total really feel. Nevertheless, the Porsche Macan Electrical had one of the best steering of the group, and it was faster than the Ioniq 5 N round Atlanta Motorsports Park’s lengthy carousel. The suspension additionally didn’t undergo from any of the bounding motions within the Hyundai exhibited in Sport and Sport+ modes. The Ioniq 5 N may stick and rip, nevertheless it was the Porsche’s brakes, composure, and steering that set the bar. We’ll take all these in our Frankencar, please. Oh, and let’s add the Acura ZDX’s lift-off oversteer, as a result of that’s simply enjoyable, and we’ll additionally use the R1S’s McLaren-like hydraulic-linked dampers to raised management physique lean. Whereas we’re on this flight of fancy, we’ll make it into an off-roader, too, by going with the R1S’s air suspension, which might differ floor clearance from 8.0 to fifteen.0 inches to clear just about all of the obstacles. Lastly, we’ll add the electrical G’s three digital locking differentials for extra traction in all types of conditions off the overwhelmed path.
2024 Porsche Macan Electrical Turbo
2024 Acura ZDX Kind S
2025 Rivian R1S
2025 Rivian R1S
Inside
We’ll take the Porsche Macan Electrical’s rock-solid match, end, and construct high quality. All the pieces feels prefer it was screwed along with care. Nothing wiggles that shouldn’t, jiggles, or feels prefer it’s going to fall off. We’ll modify it with the Rivian’s easy and clear dashboard, however add buttons, knobs, and toggles from the Ioniq 5 N, ZDX, Electrical G-Class, and Macan Electrical. We’ll hold the Rivian’s three rows of seats and beneficiant cargo space, together with its terrific sight traces. By some means we’d like to mix the Rivian’s supportive and cozy seats with the much more supportive high-back sport buckets discovered within the Ioniq 5 N.
2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Expertise
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Worth
Arguably, each automobile on this yr’s aggressive set felt prefer it was priced pretty, although the electrical G-Class at $190,420 as examined is kind of the celeb piece of glitz. Whereas anybody would love a automobile to price nothing, that’s not cheap. Given the ability and functionality of our 2025 Frankencar, the Ioniq 5 N’s $67,685 sticker value looks like a steal.
Welcome to our fantasy. Somebody, please, flip the switches, energy up the tubes, and get the metallic affected person on the desk to deliver this Frankencar to life. I’ll take mine in Rivian Blue, thanks.