Hyundai IONIQ 6 review

Price: €48,295 - €67,995

Range: 429km - 614km

One of the most interesting new electric cars to arrive in Ireland this year is undoubtedly this, the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 6. Following on from the IONIQ 5, which is one of Ireland’s best-selling electric cars of recent years, the IONIQ 6 is a four-door fully-electric saloon with a starting price of around €48,000 and it goes up against other electric cars like the Tesla Model 3, BMW i4 and Polestar 2. But is the IONIQ 6 a good alternative to its rivals? In this video we will show you inside and outside the IONIQ 6 and tell you everything you need to know.

Styling:

Starting outside, the IONIQ 6 is unconventional looking to say the least, mixing saloon, fastback and coupe styling touches together in one unusual package. This is because it has been designed with aerodynamics in mind, to maximise range. In fact it has one of the best drag coefficients of any electric car on the market right now. Up front it has a smooth face with vents that open and close, while the roof raises quite high and slopes dramatically towards the rear.

The IONIQ 6 also has pixel headlights and tail lights in similar fashion to the IONIQ 5, while it is also available with traditional mirrors or optional digital cameras. Towards the rear, it is even giving me Porsche vibes, with dovetail spoiler and raised light cluster. The IONIQ 6 is a big car in the metal, it is longer than the IONIQ 5 which gives it good presence out on the road and it is similar to the BMW i4 or Polestar 2  in terms of scale. Stand out features up front include this flush black grille and slim LED daytime running lights.

In standard Advance specification it gets 19-inch alloy wheels with aero covers, a distinctive rear LED light strip and a rear roof spoiler, but this higher spec Evolve test car has huge 20-inch alloy wheels and a panoramic sunroof. Hyundai offers the IONIQ6 in up to 10 different colour combinations including two tone options, and this Pearl Black looks especially stealthy. Overall the look is very distinctive and progressive for the brand, but what do you think of the IONIQ 6’s styling, let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Inside:

Stepping inside, the IONIQ 6 shares some similarities with the IONIQ 5, including the digital driver’s display and infotainment screens on the dashboard, the useful climate control panel with lots of button controls and you can also get it with fully reclining front seats for resting while charging. Speaking of charging, the steering wheel has these lights which light up when it is charging which is useful, and they also light up when using the voice control system.

This centre console area is different to the IONIQ 5 as it is fixed in place, but it has plenty of storage with two sets of cupholders, USB charge points and Hyundai has designed it in such as way that you should be able to work on a laptop here while stopped and charging. It feels spacious from the driver’s seat, with a flat floor up front, good all-round visibility and plenty of adjustment from the steering wheel and seats. Quality is good throughout the cabin with lots of recycle materials though it is arguably not on par with some of its rivals.

This large touch screen system comes as standard stretching across the dashboard with a digital driver’s display, and the system is easy to use and also lots of touch sensitive controls in this wooden effect strip for the climate control and Apple Car Play and Android Auto built in as standard. Stepping into the rear seats it feels very spacious with lots of legroom thanks to the flat floor design, a comfortable seating position and good headroom despite the sloping roof line of the car. Those over six feet tall may find the head room a bit restricted however.

Family buyers get two sets of ISOFIX mounts for child seats and there is a USB charge point, another USB-c charge point, armrest and storage nets behind the seats. As standard the IONIQ 6 gets an electric tailgate and boot space is 401 litres of but this is less than what you get in a Tesla Model 3 or Skoda ENYAQ or BMW i4 however. There is extra space underneath the floor for storing charge cables and other items while the seats fold down flat for bicycles or flat pack furniture, however there isn’t any additional storage space under the bonnet.

Driving:

Like the Ioniq 5 there is a a choice of battery and motor arrangements. At the top of the tree will be a 325hp dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version with a large 77.4kWh battery pack that will, Hyundai says, be able to get from a standstill to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds. It’s a version with the 77.4kWh battery, rear-wheel drive only and running on 18-inch wheels that’s able to hit that headline figure of 610km of range, while there’ll also be versions available with a smaller battery to bring the purchase price down.

Verdict: 4/5

So should you buy the Hyundai IONIQ 6? Well if you are looking for an electric saloon that has a look and feel that is quite different to anything else on the market right now, lots of range and a smooth drive, then it is definitely one to consider. The IONIQ 6’s interior is impressive and it feels like a step beyond what we are used to from Hyundai, while the larger battery versions offer very impressive claimed range. That said, the sloping roofline does impact practicality somewhat compared to its rivals, while it’s styling may prove divisive depending on your taste. All in, the IONIQ 6 is now one of the standout electric saloons on the market and it will likely prove to be a best seller in years to come.