There are wonders in purchasing used electric vehicles (EVs). For one, thanks to how steeply they depreciate, you, on the receiving end of this depreciated EV, will hugely benefit. For the same money as an affordable and probably rudimentary internal combustion engine (ICE) car or hybrid, you can get something that feels far more modern and high-tech for the same price.

Yes, part of an EV's rapid depreciation is how fast the pace of innovation in EVs is, but let's be honest, most EVs will feel more modern and be at the bleeding edge of technology than any ICE car. That's pretty much the case with the used EV for under $25,000 in today's topic. You see, for the same price as a mid-spec Corolla Hybrid or gas-powered Civic, you can get an electric crossover that has won so many awards, it'll be a vehicle that you'll regret ignoring in favor of a brand-new gas-powered or hybrid compact sedan. Furthermore, if lowering your ownership costs is also your goal, this EV offers unparalleled industry-leading warranty and, by being an EV, lower fueling (or in this case, charging) and maintenance costs.

Remember when the Hyundai Ioniq 5 debuted in 2022? It was a revolutionary EV that won the world over. A year later, in 2023, it won numerous accolades at the World Car Awards. Not only was it the World Electric Car of the Year, but it was also the World Car Design of the Year and thus, the World Car of the Year. The 2022 Ioniq 5 has an average used price of $21,950 - $27,575, and listings on iSeeCars thankfully reflect these figures.

Depreciation is still considered when it comes to ownership costs, but that's not something to consider when it has already depreciated significantly in the first place. Therefore, the only factors you have to think about are possible charging costs, maintenance, and insurance costs. Insurance costs will vary greatly depending on where you live and your accident history behind the wheel. CarEdge says that nationwide average insurance costs for the Ioniq 5 are at $2,354 per year, $723 more than the national average for SUVs.

Now, as for charging costs, this will heavily depend on your reliance on public or your home charger. It's almost universally known to people already that home charging is the cheapest, which grossly undercuts gas prices. This is why EVs are best for those who have a home garage. Otherwise, if you live in a condo or an apartment, public charging can sometimes cost more than gassing up. Finally, an EV has fewer things to maintain, therefore leading to cheaper maintenance, and no, your fear of failing EV batteries down the line is invalid.

Why are your battery fears invalid? Well, that's because there's a model that has been driven more than 400,000 miles (413,992 miles, to be precise). That's 378 miles per day for a certain traveling salesman living in South Korea - the owner of the high-mileage Ioniq 5, which I'm sure only 0.01 percent of all of you will be doing over their lifetime. Its battery was replaced by Hyundai for free at 360,000 miles, which is beyond its 10-year/100,000-mile warranty validity, but this is due to Hyundai itself wanting to study how the battery ages with such extreme usage.

What did Hyundai learn after getting the battery from the high-mileage Ioniq 5? Indeed, there's nothing to worry about EV battery life, because its battery health was still at 87 percent despite the fact that the owner regularly uses DC fast chargers to charge to 100 percent. This is already an extreme case of high Ioniq 5 utilization, which, as proven here, you have nothing to worry about, even when purchasing a used Ioniq 5.

This is the used EV SUV you should be looking at if you want a good deal.

Getting a sub-$25,000 Ioniq 5 means opting for the pre-facelift version. Though it doesn't get the same visual improvements as the current Ioniq 5, there's still a lot to like about its award-winning design.

Great design isn't just defined by how fresh it looks when it first came out, but how well it endures ever-changing design trends and remains fresh. That's exactly what the Ioniq 5 has achieved, because, thanks to its retro-futuristic design, it was a trendsetter as well. The enlarged hatchback-like proportions hark back to the Hyundai that started it all--the Pony. Only this time, futuristic touches such as the Parametric Pixel exterior lighting contributed to its Iconiq (sorry, can't help it) looks in 2025.

Since you're getting a depreciated Ioniq 5 in the first place, don't just settle for the Standard Range model, and go right away to the Long Range models, which will most likely be fitted with striking 20-inch multi-spoke wheels. Flushed door handles also contribute to its slippery shape, while a powered tailgate has been fitted to higher trims.

Now, as we move towards the interior, one of the Ioniq 5's highlights is how Hyundai has revolutionized this space. Apart from being made out of nice materials, some of which are even recycled, the E-GMP bespoke EV platform's skateboard architecture was taken full advantage of during the Ioniq 5's development. For instance, rather than having a glove box, it came with a drawer. The center console also slid fore and aft, while the dash space also came with magnetized surfaces for design creativity for its owners.

The interior of the Ioniq 5 also came with a lot of character. The twin 10.25-inch screens ran a previous version of Hyundai's operating system (OS) before today's connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) OS came out, but even in 2025, this infotainment remains very responsive and easy to use. That's where you can also control the 64-color ambient LED lighting and play tunes through the Bose sound system. Finally, a large glass roof was offered on the Limited trims, filling the interior with light.

Every feature in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is as exciting and one-of-a-kind as the car itself.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was a revolutionary EV in every country where it debuted, and here, from where I live, I was fortunate enough to have it as a press car. Apart from falling in love with its design, I was equally impressed with its German car-like refinement and unparalleled functionality made possible by its E-GMP platform.

At a time when EVs were still a novelty, the Ioniq 5 took full advantage by offering a quiet and serene drive that nearly matched what a German luxury EV can offer. There are copious amounts of sound insulation, too, and it made for a very quiet cabin, even at triple-digit speeds. Furthermore, the Ioniq 5's electric motors gave refined yet instantaneous power, one that's augmented by its various drive modes.

The chassis is ultra-rigid, resisting shakes and vibrations, while the ride quality, even on 20-inch wheels, remains supple and compliant.

-Isaac Atienza on the Ioniq 5's performance

Handling-wise, it was also competent. Not sporty, but it was pleasant to hustle around corners. The low center of gravity of its batteries kept it planted even at high-speed cornering, while the steering, though lacking in feel and weight, was precise enough to confidently hustle through corners. It was an all-around pleasant EV that, especially at its depreciated price tag, will offer a far more delicate driving experience than any brand-new ICE or hybrid car at its price.

Hyundai, at the time, was also very creative about what you could do to the Ioniq 5's E-GMP platform. Thanks to what's called vehicle-to-load (V2L), who knew that using an EV to power your home during a blackout or power your camping gear could be useful? V2L makes it possible to go camping without leaving the comforts of your home, while it also enables you to trickle charge other EVs.

Finally, E-GMP's other advantage is that it was one of the first EVs to come with an 800-volt electronics architecture. As a result, it was one of the first EVs that could support up to 350 kW of DC fast charging, enabling you to top up from 10 to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes. All of these things were game changers in the EV segment, especially at the prices that Hyundai was asking for at the time. It wasn't until today, in 2025, that other EVs finally caught up or started to exceed the capabilities of Hyundai's E-GMP-based EVs.

Source: https://www.topspeed.com/stylish-25000-ev-makes-more-sense-a-new-gas-guzzler/