Comfortable, capable, and fun to drive
Roseville, Calif.- How well is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 regarded? Some say it stacks up against well against the heralded BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3.
That might be a stretch, but the first year of the Ioniq 6 must be seen as a success with sales of 33,918 for 2023. And the company felt good enough about its new entry in the electric vehicle sedan class that the 2024 Ioniq 6 arrived with no new changes.
Lots to like
There are multiple things to like about the Ioniq 6, including exterior styling, EV range, high-tech interior and roomy seating.
For several years, Hyundai's lone EV offering was the Ioniq 5, a compact five-door liftback that was introduced in 2017. It drew immediate notoriety because it came in three distinct models – and all three of them were appealing.
Powertrain
The Ioniq was the first vehicle worldwide that was available with three different types of electrified powertrains on the same platform – electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid.
Hyundai apparently has fallen in love with the Ioniq name. The South Korean automaker will introduce the Ioniq 7 later this year. It's expected to share components with Kia's three-row EV9 electric SUV.
Kia and Hyundai Motor Group operate independently, but Hyundai is the parent company of Kia Motors. In the past few years, the company made a commitment to invest $7.4 billion, mainly to expand factories and start manufacturing EVs in the U.S. In 2023, the Hyundai and Kia brands combined to outsell Honda for the first time.
Design style
The Ioniq 6 design follows the company's concept unveiled in 2020. It has a swoopy, panoramic roofline with an overall retro look. The exterior also has what's been described as cat-like headlights and the cool back end is reminiscent of the Porsche 911.
The standard Ioniq 6 can get 303 miles on a single charge, while the SE model can travel 361 miles before a charge is required. It employs a 77.4-kWh battery and Hyundai says the vehicle can be recharged from 10% to 80% capacity in a mere 18 minutes.
The standard Ioniq 6 is rear-wheel drive with a single motor that delivers 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, accelerating 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds. The SEL and Limited models come with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup and generate 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. It's nearly two seconds faster than the base model, going 0-60 in 4.4 second.
"…a joy to drive"
It's a joy to drive the Ioniq 6, thanks to its overall handling, accommodating regeneration braking, ride quality and sportiness. It's grippy around tight turns and smooth in all conditions.
Standard driver-assistance features include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver-attention monitoring, rear-seat alert, and more.
Expect the Ioniq 6 to provide an enjoyable ride and be capable of hustling around tight turns and maneuver well in limited spaces. The regenerative braking will help slow down the vehicle in quick fashion, a bonus in traffic situations.
AT A GLANCE – 2024 HYUNDAI IONIQ 6
- Performance: electric motor, 225 horsepower; dual motor, 320 horsepower
- Mileage range: 303 miles, 361 miles
- Price estimate: $37,600 to $53,700
- Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles; drivetrain: 10 years/100,000 miles; roadside assistance: 5 years/unlimited; corrosion: 12 years/unlimited
Interior
The interior features a multimedia system with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen that lacks some of the unnecessary gyrations of other sophisticated EVs. The menu structure is mostly intuitive.
Seating is comfortable in both rows for 6-footers, especially leg room. Note that the sloping roof line might be an issue in the back seat for taller people. It also makes it hard for the driver to see out the back. Another knock against the Ioniq 6 is trunk room – only 11.2 cubic feet.
Believing the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 can compete with the Tesla Model 3 is a tall order. Yet there are special features with the new sedan that should make it an appealing EV for the masses.