First Drive - EV Review - Hyundai Ioniq 6
EV Review: Hyundai Ioniq 6
What is it?
Hyundai has quickly risen to become one of the big names in the electric car world. Though often seen as one of the more value-orientated brands around, Hyundai has outclassed a lot of the opposition with its battery-powered cars that bring cutting-edge technology at a very affordable price.
The new Ioniq 6 which we’re looking at today is a continuation of this. It boasts a similarly outlandish design to the futuristic Ioniq 5, but tied up in a sleeker saloon car body. We’ve been finding out what it’s like.
What’s new?
Hyundai refers to the Ioniq 6 as a ‘streamliner’, or a car that has been designed to be as aerodynamically efficient as possible. Less drag means you can go further on a single charge, of course, so there are some technical reasons backing this design idea.
But underneath the Ioniq 6 sits what is becoming a very tried-and-tested platform. It’s gone to underpin cars like the Genesis GV60, while you’ll also find it underneath the Ioniq 5.
What’s under the bonnet?
Because of that platform, the Ioniq 6 is able to deliver some pretty impressive figures when it comes to range. Coupled with that soap bar-slippery exterior the electric powertrain should return up to 339 miles of range, though all-wheel-drive versions see this drop slightly to a still-respectable 322 miles.
But it’s the all-wheel-drive one that you’ll want if you fancy some real zip away from the line. It’ll manage 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds, in fact, meaning that it’ll happily outpace most hot hatches.
What’s the Hyundai Ioniq 6 like to drive?
The whole experience you get when behind the wheel of the Ioniq 6 is calm and collected. Of course, you’ve got the absence of any real noise - bar a little bit of tyre noise - and this all contributes to a serene driving style. But there’s some good body control here, too, while the all-wheel-drive system provides assured acceleration in all conditions.
Although the Ioniq 6 is more than happy to tear away from the line, it’s more of a car to enjoy the journey in rather than rush through it. It’ll be a great alternative to a conventional petrol or diesel, that’s for sure.
How does it look?
Hyundai is definitely on a roll with its car design. The Ioniq 5 hatchback has been one of the standout models of the past few years courtesy of its futuristic exterior, and now the 6 has followed in its footsteps with an altogether eye-catching design. As mentioned it’s all about the aero, which is why the front end is almost pebble-smooth. Around the back, there’s quite a complex-looking spoiler arrangement which gives things a sporty flavour.
It could be that this design is one which does age a little more quickly than most, but for now it’s easily one of the most exciting-looking cars around.
What’s the Hyundai Ioniq 6 like inside?
Hyundai’s great attention to detail follows through into the Ioniq 6. There’s actually a fair bit more headroom than you might expect given the sloping roofline, while there’s plenty of space to stretch out for those sitting in the back as well. There’s also a proper three-pin plug under the rear seats, so you can charge domestic appliances. You could, in theory, plug in a kettle if you wanted.
The way the cabin is designed backs up that calming driving experience, too. Everything is nicely laid out with controls that are placed just where you’d expect them to be.
What’s the spec like?
You can get the Ioniq 6 in one of two flavours - Premium and Ultimate. Premium-grade cars still get a handsome amount of equipment, with dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and a 12.3-inch infotainment setup all coming straight off the bat.
Opt for the Ultimate and you’ll find digital side mirrors included as standard, which uses clever side-mounted cameras to relay an image onto screens mounted on the inside of the doors. It’s a quirky function, but we reckon that most people would be happy enough with ‘normal’ mirrors instead.
Hyundai Ioniq 6 Verdict
The Ioniq 6 feels like another feather in Hyundai’s cap. It’s relaxing and easy to drive, has a great range and plenty of on-board tech, but it’s all put together in a way that would shame many more premium models.
With prices starting from £47,040 it’s definitely not cheap, but with all of the equipment - not to mention a strikingly good exterior - it feels more than worth the outlay.
