I first received to drive the Hyundai Ioniq 6 on the tail finish of 2022 and was left feeling massively impressed with it. Since then, I’ve had just a few extra encounters with the automotive, together with an attention-grabbing experiment within the US the place Hyundai pitched it in opposition to the fab new Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup for a high-mileage highway journey. Placing a fleet of all-electric vehicles up in opposition to petrol-engine fashions is at all times going to be attention-grabbing – much more so whenever you’re heading out for hours on finish and driving via the tortuous warmth of Dying Valley.
In fact, Korean ingenuity means the Hyundai Ioniq 6 dealt with the problem of that journey with ease, even when the chargers appeared to have dried up greater than Dying Valley itself. In actual fact, that is why I’ve develop into way more relaxed with driving EVs on longer journeys. If you realize the place you stand with a automotive and its capabilities, it leaves you much less prone to get sweaty palms as you head off into the center of nowhere, not realizing if or when you’ll cost up. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 conjures up me with confidence, which is not one thing I can say about each electric car I drive.
Now the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is out there on these shores and, after driving it once more not too long ago, I’ve determined that it is among the finest all-electric saloons you should buy at present. It is up in opposition to some stiff competitors from the likes of the BMW i4, the Polestar 2 and the Tesla Model 3, however beginning at £47,040 within the UK or $41,600 within the US, it faces hefty competitors. Nonetheless, Hyundai designers and engineers have developed a well-rounded package deal that appears attention-grabbing from the surface and will get much more intriguing whenever you get behind the wheel. The Ionic 6 tops all of it off by offering a extra participating drive than some EVs, and it packs a strong vary too.
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Hyundai Ioniq 6
Advisable
The all-electric saloon-style design is attention-grabbing to have a look at, nice to drive and comes with all of the tech and vary you may want for any sort of driving situation. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 sits on the devoted E-GMP structure, offering drivers with a properly arrange automotive that rides and handles brilliantly for probably the most half.
- Spectacular vary
- Distinct styling
- High quality in-car tech
Dividing design traces
Apparently, I appear to get totally different emotions in regards to the exterior design of the Hyundai Ioniq 6, relying on the color. The metallic pink is scrumptious and works a deal with, whereas the black appears to reinforce the marginally uncommon curves and creases that little bit extra. A gray one, in the meantime, hits the center floor, leaving me with blended emotions about how effectively the form works. Hyundai designers had been going for optimum aerodynamic effectivity when formulating the Ioniq 6; in that respect, you may see why the experiment has labored.
The entrance finish drops away and appears surprisingly low-slung for a automotive of this dimension – not that it is big, by the best way. The 4.85m-long physique is 1.88m broad and 1.49m excessive and sits on a wheelbase of two.95 metres with 18 or 20-inch alloy wheel choices. A simple comparability is to think about the Ioniq 5 however with out the identical sq. edges discovered on that automotive. The mild curve that runs from entrance to rear makes the perimeters and roof line look fairly uncommon. Much more shocking is the rear finish with its spoiler and beauty touches which might be fairly Porsche 911 reminiscent.
There are quirks throughout the physique, nonetheless, which make this an attention-grabbing automotive to have a look at. Hyundai has picked up the pixel detailing that we noticed on the Ioniq 5 and is now a part of all of the Ioniq fashions, right here seen throughout the rear, within the gentle design and elsewhere. There’s attention-grabbing translucency to the digital mirrors – whereas the inside will get an attention-grabbing flick as much as home the corresponding screens for stated mirrors.
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Good pondering inside
However general, I believe the outside works as a complete. Transfer to the inside, and that too is one other cocktail of concepts, most of that are efficiently executed. I’ve at all times been keen on the Ioniq 5 cockpit, and there is a comparable really feel occurring within the cabin of the Ioniq 6. If one thing works effectively, then there is not any motive to reinvent the wheel. So Hyundai designers have plundered the Ioniq 5 elements field and used one of the best bits to make the Ioniq 6 delicate and complicated.
The standard of the inside is not going to fret the likes of BMW or Mercedes, however there is a particular elevate in high quality over a few of Hyundai’s different fashions. The textures used on the plastics, for instance, give a really feel of high quality that you aren’t getting on the flatter plastics of the Hyundai Kona, however it’s undoubtedly attention-grabbing – and it is clear the intention was to make this extra like an govt saloon and make it really feel a little bit extra particular. Colored lighting brings a elevate, whereas the choice for a lightweight inside has Tesla Mannequin 3 vibes to it.
Notable is the quantity of area there’s within the rear. These backseats have actual knee room in addition to that flat ground, so it is actually snug and sensible for these sitting within the again. The boot is capacious at 401 litres, too, so there’s loads of storage for all of your baggage.
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The 12-inch digital cluster in entrance of the steering wheel and a supplementary 12-inch mid-dash infotainment display screen work harmoniously. There’s not an excessive amount of foolish stuff both, with a sensible compromise between touchscreen performance and a peppering of handbook buttons and switches. Nonetheless, it is a lot lighter on the buttons than the brand new Hyundai Kona. Drive modes and different driver controls will also be managed by way of the steering wheel, so there’s nothing a lot in proof that is going to begin throwing you curveballs as you drive.
The inside tech is intuitive sufficient to make use of, boosted by the run of buttons that can take you direct to main features like mapping and navigation, whereas a bodily quantity knob offers analogue controls – easy and straightforward.
Search for some attention-grabbing inside color choices if you happen to assume the cockpit deserves to get as a lot consideration as these exterior traces. Hyundai tops off its inside work with the Leisure Consolation Seats, as additionally seen within the Ioniq 5. Park up and stretch out whenever you’ve stopped for a charging session, and you could effectively discover you get up lengthy after the battery replenishment has completed. They’re nice.
Rewarding to drive
Hyundai has the E-GMP platform, which it has already used to nice impact for the marvellous Ioniq 5, and it has resurfaced right here as the idea for the Hyundai Ioniq 6. That will get issues off to an incredible begin, and the devoted structure topped with the “electrical streamliner” physique form guarantees a lot. That is definitely a automotive that is been designed to get the utmost quantity of aerodynamic effectivity.
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Get behind the wheel and set off then, and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 does really feel prefer it’s getting via the air in a sprightly vogue. There are two choices, each filled with a 77.4kWh battery. That offers a cited vary of 338 miles for the single-motor choice or 322 miles for the dual-motor choice. The long-term averages on my check automotive had been 3.7 miles per kWh, equating to nearer to 285 miles in real-world vary. Both manner – and I am positive that you possibly can simply elevate these averages with wise driving – this can be a respectable vary.
In the event you get the all-wheel drive mannequin, you may discover it is quick however not too livid. In actual fact, it feels actually good on motorway runs, however you may as well wrestle it via nation lanes and nonetheless have some enjoyable, too. A 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds means it is fairly useful on the lights, as, in fact, most all-electric vehicles are typically. The one motor choice is a little bit slower, at 7.2 seconds for that 0-62mph run.
The Ioniq 6 looks like a automotive that prefers motorway cruising over the stop-start driving round city, and positively, it feels higher whenever you get a little bit of velocity up and operating – and the super-light steering of the default consolation driving mode weights up a little bit as you get sooner. There are additionally sport and eco-driving modes – accessed by way of that button on the steering wheel – though it is a push button somewhat than a dial, so it’s a must to cycle via these modes to get to the one you need.
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Driving is boosted with level 2 autonomy, which means you may poke the button on the motorway and have the Ioniq 6 deal with your steering and velocity – however you’ll have to preserve your arms on the wheel. There’s additionally i-Pedal, the choice to successfully drive with a one-pedal system, utilizing regen to gradual the automotive whenever you elevate off. It is a barely totally different manner of driving, however it maximises recuperation, saving probably the most quantity of power, and I’ve discovered it nice for city driving.
Prime vary and seamless charging
The Hyundai Ionic 6 makes use of the 800V charging system, which suggests it is very environment friendly and in a position to deal with quick costs with no downside in any respect. Discover a at present nigh-on-impossible-to-locate 350kW charger, and you may recharge the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in lower than 20 minutes, no much less.
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That stated, I’ve discovered the upwards of 280 miles of vary from this automotive to be greater than appropriate for just about any sort of route you throw at it. Chances are high you may want a bathroom cease and a espresso lengthy earlier than the battery wants replenishment. There additionally appears to be one thing innately straightforward about charging the present crop of Hyundais – contact wooden. They have been a breeze each time I’ve attached, and that is not a daily incidence with another EVs.
Verdict
Aside from just a few minor foibles, I discover it fairly exhausting to be too important of the Hyundai Ioniq 6. Truly, the extra instances I come into contact with it, the extra I like the marginally madcap styling of the all-electric sedan. I am nonetheless barely on the fence in regards to the exterior styling – from some angles, I believe it appears superior, however then I am going to see it from one other view and really feel not so enthusiastic. Fairly how effectively it will age stays to be seen, too. However, I believe Hyundai must be recommended for making an attempt one thing totally different.
The very best half continues to be the driving of this automotive as a result of it really works simply as you’d count on, and, as I stated at the start, it conjures up confidence. All the pieces works and, on the entire, does so in a neat, logical manner. The cockpit is a pleasant place to be, too and, once more, whereas the styling won’t agree with everybody, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers me every part I would like on a long term. Equally, it is agile sufficient to work via metropolis streets with out fretting an excessive amount of. It is an easy-going automotive to be behind the wheel of and, when driving can continuously be stress central, that is an excellent factor certainly.
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