Hyundai has already demonstrated its commitment to electrification since it released the original Ioniq and Kona electric models several years ago. The arrival of the Ioniq 5 was a big step towards success as it was the first true fully dedicated EV platform from South Korea. Hyundai’s versatile E-GMP platform allows the brand to bring new models in different body layouts including the new Ioniq 6 to compete with other heavy hitters in the segment.
The Looks – Exterior and Interior
Even though the new Ioniq 6 shares its platform with the Ioniq 5, it looks completely different. Aside from the obvious differences (sedan vs crossover), the Ioniq 6 does not have the boxy shape or straight lines. The front fascia has lots of curves, including the LED headlights. There are lots of glossy black plastic pieces in the front fascia, but there is no front grille, which gives the Ioniq 6 a sleek and clean look.
As we move along to the side, the Ioniq 6 has a traditional sedan body layout with not-so-traditional details. The curvy design continues here, especially the sloping roof line and giant 20″ wheels give the Ioniq 6 a very sporty look. As expected from an EV, there have to be some quirky design details such as the auto-retracting flush door handles.
Just like the front fascia, the rear end looks quite unique but there are more sporty design elements and sharper angles. In fact, there is a lot going on, especially with the one-piece huge taillight with pixel LED bulbs that go across the rear end. There is a small spoiler located right under the rear glass, and the rear bumper has a huge glossy black area that gives the Ioniq 6 a more rugged and sportier look.
Behind the steering wheel is where you feel the corporate Hyundai interior design with some uniqueness added exclusively for the new Ioniq 6. It is a very well-laid-out interior design with the right amount of physical controls and screen sizes, something that we haven’t seen in most EVs. If you want to have an electric car with the maximum physical buttons, it can’t get any better than this. The shifter is also moved behind the steering wheel, which means you have tons of interior space, especially in the center console area.
For some reason, window buttons are also located in the center console, which makes the center console look a little bit busier and it takes time to get used to it. The Ioniq 6 comes with two 12.3-inch horizontal screens side by side, even though the bezels make them look like one piece. The digital cluster is not touch-sensitive but gives a lot of useful information with customizable options.
On the other hand, the infotainment screen is also straightforward to interact with, the touchscreen works well, and the camera resolution is great. The only problem is the lack of wireless smartphone integration which is available in much cheaper vehicles. Unlike Hyundai models from a few years ago, the infotainment system is no longer the biggest selling point, as it starts to feel old. There are no USB-C ports in the front, you still have to use old USB-A cables with slower charging.
No matter where you sit, the Ioniq 6 offers tons of legroom for the front and rear seat passengers. The front seats offer a lot of different adjustment options with heating/cooling and memory features for the driver. I have found the seats are really comfortable, with the only exception of limited headroom for taller adults.
The headroom issues are also applicable for the rear seat passengers. Due to the roof line and higher belt line, it does not offer an open-air feeling as you would find in a much boxier Ioniq 5. However, it offers significantly better rear legroom space, so much so that you don’t even have to move the front seats to accommodate a rear-facing child seat. The rear seat passengers also get nice creature comforts such as air vents, USB-C ports, and heated seats.
The trunk is probably the biggest compromise if you come from an SUV or crossover. The total cargo volume is not too bad at 11.6 cubic feet (328 litres) especially if you are placing taller items longitudinally, but the shape of the trunk opening is not very large, meaning that you cannot place larger items vertically. Also, Hyundai could have utilized the frunk area much more efficiently, as you only get 0.5 cubic feet (15 litres) of cargo space for really small items.
The Drive – Specs & Experience
The powertrain options are similar to what you would find in an Ioniq 5, as they share the same platform. We do not get the base trim here in Canada, but the single-motor Ioniq 6 with Long Range battery pack pushes 225 horsepower, which is technically the base trim here and it only sends power to the rear wheels. Our tester had the more expensive 320-hp dual-motor versions that send power to all wheels, which can get you from 0 to 100 in almost 5 seconds.
No matter which drivetrain you choose, the Ioniq 6 offers a decent all-electric range. As there is only one battery size (77.4-kWh) for both single motor and dual motor, you get the best range at 581 km with the base trim and smaller 18″ wheels. If you choose the AWD, the range goes down to 509 km with 18″ wheels. Choosing the better-looking 20″ wheels significantly reduces the total range, our tester can go up to 435 km on a single charge.
One of the biggest selling points of the Ioniq 5 and 6 is the charging speed, simply because it comes with an 800-volt architecture that allows you to take advantage of very fast 350-kW Level 3 DC chargers. In the real world, that means you can charge from 5 to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes. Even the 40-kW unit we recouped which is also known as fast home charging allows us to fully charge in less than 8 hours.
The Ioniq 6 offers a very smooth ride with very low noise, vibration and harshness levels, it definitely feels like a luxury sedan from the ride quality perspective. Without having the Genesis logo, I would hesitate to call it a luxury sedan, but it is definitely borderline luxurious. The suspension is softly sprung to offer a comfortable ride, but the ride quality is still firm due to the optional 20″ wheels that come with the Ultimate Package.
There are important features that make the Ioniq 6 appealing, especially the tech. The Highway Driving Assist feature works very well and offers semi-autonomous driving on the highway. It does not offer a self-driving feature like some other entries, but it is still one of the better semi-autonomous versions available on the market. Another feature is the blind view monitor that just uses the side cameras which you can see in the digital gauge cluster, it is so much safer than traditional blind spot monitor systems.
The Ioniq 6 comes with the latest safety systems, including standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, but the Ioniq models exclusively comes with an automatic regenerative braking that adjusts coasting level based on the vehicle ahead. You can manually adjust the regenerative braking if you want, just like any other EV available. However, automatic regenerative braking offers almost one-pedal driving experience without having extreme regen braking when it isn’t necessary.
Just like any modern EV, it is very fast on a straight line without any drama, especially with the all-wheel-drive system where you have no traction issues on any surface. For a car that weighs a little over 2000 kg, it feels more agile and really well balanced at the limit. Hyundai allows you to disable the driving aids to a level at which you can have fun without going too far. The Ioniq 6 sends most of the power to the rear wheels, especially in Sport mode, but it goes back to 50/50 power distribution once it detects wheel slip.
The Verdict
Hyundai’s EV commitment and electrification roadmap are a lot different than the other brands and smaller EV startups. Most EVs come with bigger screens and digital controls buried in menus, but Hyundai purposely puts more physical controls and creates a nice blend of tech and ease of use. For sure, the Ioniq 6 is a risky move in a market where everyone buys SUVs and crossovers, but it is a great EV sedan with quirky looks and premium features. It is also proof that Hyundai’s latest Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) platform can bring a lot to the table with many different models for different needs in the future.
| Engine | Permanent-magnet synchronous AC |
| Battery Pack | 77.4 kWh – Liquid-cooled lithium-ion |
| Transmission | Direct-drive |
| Onboard charger | 10.9 kW |
| Peak DC fast-charge rate | 235 kW |
| Max power | 320 hp |
| Max torque | 446 lb-ft |
| 0-100 km/h | 5.1 sec |
| Curb Weight | 4617 lbs – 2094 kg |
| Range | 270 mi – 435 km |
| Price (As tested – CAD) | $62,477 |
| Website | www.hyundaicanada.com |
