Hyundai Ioniq 6 Review

Read Caroline’s Hyundai Ioniq 6 review for everything you need to know about buying Hyundai’s new electric saloon in Ireland.

The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 has recently arrived in Ireland and is the follow-up to the Ioniq 5, which is already one of Ireland’s bestselling electric cars.

Built upon the Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) just like Ioniq 5 before it, the new Ioniq 6 is styled as a sleek and sporty four-door coupé.

Priced from €48,295, the Ioniq 6 is available with the choice of two batteries, the largest of which can take this car over an incredible 600 kilometres on a single charge.

What’s special about the Hyundai Ioniq 6?

Design, design, design! Like it or loathe it, the Ioniq 6 is a stunning and intriguing piece of car design. Hyundai call it a ‘streamliner’ and it was inspired by Hyundai’s Prophecy Concept EV from 2020.

Ioniq 6 certainly bucks the trend for crossovers and SUVs with its low and sleek, coupé-like design, which also happens to pay dividends for aerodynamic efficiency. The Ioniq 6 is the most aerodynamic Hyundai with a drag coefficient of 0.21 and is incredibly energy efficient, one of the best in the world at the moment when it comes to production cars. Active air flap, wheel air curtains, integrated rear spoiler, and wheel gap reducers all contribute.

The Ioniq 6 53kWh (from €48,295) has a range of up to 429 kilometres (WLTP), while the Ioniq 6 77.4kWh increases that to as much as 614 kilometres (WLTP) in single motor, rear wheel drive versions, with consumption as low as 14.3 kWh per 100 kilometres.

It also comes with 800-volt battery technology, double the industry standard of 400-volt. DC fast charging is possible up to 232kW and the battery can be 80 per cent charged in just 18 minutes.

Is it practical?

The wheelbase is almost three metres in length giving the Ioniq 6 an incredibly spacious, lounge-like interior. Built on a bespoke electric vehicle platform, the floor of the car is completely flat so there is loads of legroom in the rear – it’s quite limo-like really. Headroom is not too compromised either for that gorgeous roofline.

The Ioniq 6 has a saloon-style boot opening that is electrically powered as standard. The aperture is not quite as practical as the hatchback-style Ioniq 5 for example but the volume is good – 401 litres with up to 45 litres under the bonnet too.

Inside the Ioniq 6

There’s a little more glam to the interior of the Ioniq 6, which suits the executive feel of this car. The dashboard has a simple, horizontal design with beautiful ambient lighting adding upmarket style to this car, especially at night. The pronounced centre console between driver and passenger adds a sporty, coupé-feel to the cabin and differentiates the car considerably from the more open cabin of the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The doors are slim and minimalist with buttons for the electric windows moved to the centre console. Sustainable materials feature throughout the cabin including floor carpet made from recycled fishing nets.

It feels modern and high-tech inside with a full digital driver display and a large touchscreen as standard with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as over the air updates and a wireless smartphone charger.

In Ireland the 53kWh is available in a well-specced Signature trim only, while the 77.4kWh (from €54,315) gives you the option to upgrade to Elegance (from €62,495) for more equipment or the top of the range Finesse with all wheel drive (from €71,250).

Ioniq 6 also features Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology to use or charge other electrical equipment. Other high-end features include heated front and rear seats, Bose stereo, synthetic leather upholstery and lots of standard safety equipment.

Driving the 77kWh Ioniq 6

The single motor, rear wheel drive Ioniq 6 53kWh has 151hp, while the 77.4kWh with the same layout has 229hp.

Optional all wheel drive adds a second motor, offering more power (325hp) and torque (605Nm) for the best performance of the range – 0 to 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds!

But none of the Ioniq 6 cars are slow. The Ioniq 6 feels swift and agile on the road. The low centre of gravity makes it very enjoyable to drive. It can hold its own in the corners, with fluid, natural steering.

Refinement is very good thanks to the aerodynamic shape so it’s quiet even at high speeds on the motorway, slipping through the air effortlessly.

It’s mostly very comfortable too with just a bit of firmness over bumps in the road surface. The Ioniq 6 has a five-link rear suspension system and features an integrated drive axle (IDA), which combines wheel bearings with the driveshaft to transmit power to the wheels, reducing axle weight, improving comfort and enhancing handling stability.

There are a few levels of regenerative braking too, which is easy to adjust from paddles on the steering wheel.

Did you like it?

It’s a big ‘Yes’! The Ioniq 6 is a spectaular car with show-stopping looks that are as functional as they are stylish, and some incredible technology underneath for ultra fast charging and lots of electric driving between charges.

It is an ambitious car for Hyundai, competing in a market for more high-end electric cars like the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2. But the Hyundai has a true executive feel, excellent battery technology and rapid charging that means it can absolutely compete.

Model tested: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Elegance 77kWh
Price: €62,495
Battery:  77.4kWh
Range: 614 km (WLTP)
Power: 229hp
Torque: 350Nm
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 7.4 seconds
Motor Tax: €120 per year

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year