The 2025 Canadian International Auto Show is on from February 14 to 23 in Toronto, and ahead of the public I was on the ground to check out the latest electric vehicles (EVs).
This includes Volvo’s Polestar, Audi — which expanded on its electric E-TRON lineup with some performance, and regular models — and the Vietnam-based Vinfast, which has made steady progress in Canada.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
I fell in love with the Ioniq when I first saw it at the 2024 AutoShow, and it still took my breath away this year. The all-new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the automaker’s attempt to make electric cars more attractive to automotive enthusiasts and performance car buyers, and it does a phenomenal job at it.
The N variant of the boxy new EV sports a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain, which goes from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 260km/h. It also sports different drive modes, and shifters that allow you to simulate an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (no, I’m not kidding).
Boasting fake revs, electronic crackles and pops to simulate the performance exhaust of an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, which Hyundai dubs N Active Sound+ there’s a very sporty feeling packed into this car. The range is only 356 km, and the MSRP sits at $78,199.
Fiat 500e
It seems strange to point out this little car, but it plays an important role in the electric vehicle landscape. Starting at only $33,910, it’s the least-expensive battery electric vehicle to get into — especially in terms of leasing. It also has a surprising amount of room, considering its size. I’m 6’2″, and most of my height is in my legs, but I fit comfortably in the 500e.
It comes with three drive modes: Normal, Range, and Sherpa, a hypermiling mode that shuts off climate control and other auxiliary features. Range mode mainly prioritizes efficiency, and uses ‘one pedal driving.’
With 227km of range, the 500e isn’t something that can be taken on long road trips, but it is perfect for people with short commutes who need something small to get around.
Kia EV5
Coming in 2026, the EV5 battery-electric SUV was on display at the AutoShow, although it wasn’t unlocked for media to test due to it being pre-production. Notably, the EV5 will be exclusive to Canada in North America.
According to Kia Australia, the all-new EV5 will include an integrated panoramic display, a heads-up display, an interior mood lamp, a shift-by-wire column shifter, and a Harman/Kardon sound system. It also includes a panoramic sunroof and heated/ventilated front seats.
The top-end GT trim has Remote Smart Parking Assist. A couple other interesting features include heated and cooled rear storage and tables for the rear seats. Kia Australia says the EV5 will have up to 555km of range.
Cadillac EVs
The Cadillac Lyric
Cadillac had quite the EV roster at the show. The automaker showed off its all-new Cadillac Escalade IQ, the electrified version of its iconic SUV, the Celestiq, the Sollei concept, and the Lyriq.
The General Motors division revealed at the auto show that this was its fifth year in a row of record sales, and the Lyriq was Cadillac’s best-selling vehicle in Canada for 2024.
The Cadillac Celestiq
The Celestiq also made its first auto show debut globally. The Celestiq is more of a sedan take on the Lyriq, sharing design similarities between the two EV models. It sports an industry-first four-zone smart glass roof controlled by five standard advanced HD interactive displays located on the centre console. There is also a world-first individualized four-zone microclimate system.
The Cadillac Sollei concept.
The Sollei concept is a retro-styled EV adorned in a pale yellow, displayed alongside the Celestiq. Although the Sollei is only a concept, it would be interesting to see it come to fruition as a limited-production luxury EV.
Dodge Charger Daytona
Similar to the Ioniq 5 N, the Dodge Charger Daytona aims to bring fun to the EV market. One small problem, however, is the negative press the Charger Daytona has gotten for replacing the highly popular Charger and Challenger models.
Dodge had the ‘Scat Pack’ trim on display and it sat ‘rumbling’ the entire day, mimicking a V8 engine. This is where the comparisons to the Ioniq 5 N come in, as it also tries to mimic the sound of a performance engine. The problem is, the Charger Daytona got more flack from the general public for it upon launch since it replaced existing gas-powered cars.
The all-electric muscle car sports a 370kW (roughly 496hp) power output for the R/T trim, and a 500kW (roughly 670hp) power output for the Scat Pack trim.
The Charger Daytona starts at $57,790, and a spec similar to the Scat Pack shown on the floor is priced at roughly $104,000.
Lucid Air
Lucid made its Canadian International AutoShow debut with the highly-coveted luxury sedan, the Air. Starting at $96,800 for the base trim (a fully-equipped Air is an eye-watering $327,300!), I was thoroughly impressed seeing it up close for the first time.
The design is striking, yet not too off-the-wall to the point where it looks abnormal. It could very easily be mistaken for a hybrid or ICE vehicle at first glance.
The base model, which was displayed on the show floor, features a max horsepower of 430, with a 0-6100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds. It also sports 676km of range, which can get you from Toronto to Montreal with about 100km to spare.
Overall, this could’ve been so much longer, but it is clear that the electric-only segment has plenty of options to choose from now and caters to more buyers than ever before. It’s an exciting time for those interested in going electric.
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