2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Evaluation: Glossy Electrical EV That Punches Above its Weight

Dubbed the “Electrified Streamliner,” the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the newest in what’s set to develop into a quickly rising line-up of battery-electric autos. And the Ioniq 6 has extra than simply attractiveness going for it because it takes goal at “legacy” automakers like Ford, Volvo, and Volkswagen, in addition to the EV market’s dominant participant, Tesla.

“Ioniq 6 connects an emotional convergence of performance with aesthetics,” says SangYup Lee, Government Vice President and Head of the Hyundai Design Middle.

The midsize battery-electric sedan adopts a form that gained’t simply get misplaced in a crowded parking zone, a single, curved line operating from nostril to tail. The design serves a number of functions, together with minimizing wind drag to maximise vary. The EPA charges the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq at wherever from 240 to 361 miles per cost, relying upon your alternative of three powertrains.

The wind-cheating design additionally helps enhance efficiency. Relying on which package deal a purchaser may select, the “Electrified Streamliner” can punch out as a lot as 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of instantaneous torque, sufficient to launch it from 0 to 60 mph in simply 5.1 seconds.

Not less than, that’s how the newest addition to the rising Hyundai Ioniq household seems on paper. To see the way it holds up on the street, I spent a day behind the wheel, wandering round an unusually cool and damp Phoenix, Arizona.

In brief: Hyundai is decided to develop into a dominant participant within the rising battery-electric automobile market, and the 2023 Ioniq 6 ought to assist it transfer nearer to that aim. The sedan is smooth and attractive and, relying on which mannequin you select, can supply a aggressive vary and stable efficiency. 

Hyundai Ioniq EV: Increasing Line-Up

Hyundai has been tinkering with battery propulsion for fairly a while, initially providing all-electric variations of its Kona and Ioniq fashions. Two years in the past, the automaker shifted route, introducing Ioniq 5, its first mannequin utilizing an “structure” particularly designed for battery energy. That E-GMP platform will discover loads of use within the years forward, with Hyundai and sibling manufacturers Genesis and Kia planning to share it for as many as two dozen upcoming EVs.

Ioniq 5 has generated loads of reward and gained Hyundai plenty of awards. The query was what it will do for a follow-up act. The reply is the Ioniq 6 sedan, or as firm officers have taken to calling it, the “Electrified Streamliner.”

Ioniq 6: A Prophetic Design

Primarily based on the putting Prophecy idea automobile that had its ill-timed debut initially of the COVID pandemic, Ioniq 6 is a visible standout, with a single, curved line operating from nostril to tail. Visually, the closest belongings you’ll discover available on the market proper now are the far costlier Mercedes-Benz EQE and EQS fashions.

As with these German choices, the distinctive form — together with particulars like flush door handles, a rear spoiler and a easy underbody — has a useful goal, delivering a close to record-low 0.21 coefficient of drag. That interprets into decrease vitality consumption and improved efficiency.

Selecting up on one other theme from the Prophecy present automobile, Ioniq 6 options an array of what Hyundai refers to as “parametric pixels,” together with 700 of them in its head and taillights and accent lights dotting the sealed entrance grille.

Getting Issues Inside-Out

Whereas a key aim for Ioniq 6 was getting the sedan’s aerodynamics proper, the product growth group truly began engaged on the within of the sedan first. That proved to be a clever choice, particularly with regards to passenger area. The curvaceous roofline may have created some actual compromises, particularly concerning rear headroom — because the cramped again seats of the Mercedes EQS and EQE sedans reveal. Surprisingly, there’s loads of room in each dimension with Hyundai’s new providing.

It helped to shorten the sedan’s entrance and rear overhangs, within the course of stretching its wheelbase to 116.1 inches. The general size is 191.1 inches, and Ioniq 6 stands 58.9 inches tall with a 74-inch width. It’s bigger in just about all dimensions, in and out than its key competitor, the Tesla Mannequin 3. One other issue serving to maximize cabin area was the usage of a flat load flooring — a key advantage of the devoted E-GMP platform.

These accustomed to the Ioniq 5 will acknowledge key inside particulars, together with the dual 12.3-inch digital shows. And, like that crossover, Ioniq 6 shifts all however a handful of conventional controls to the infotainment touchscreen. However there are some even quirkier particulars to the 6.

The door and window switches have been moved to the middle console. And the digital shifter is now mounted on the steering column.

There’s no “H” emblem on the steering wheel. As a substitute, there are 4 extra of these pixelated lights, right here used to ship alerts to the motive force, such because the driving mode Ioniq 6 is working in. 

Don’t ask for leather-based in case you order a 2023 Ioniq 6. The automaker gained’t supply it. As a substitute, all variations of the electrical sedan use eco-friendly and vegan supplies reminiscent of recycled pop bottles and used fish nets, in addition to organics like bamboo.

2023 Ioniq 6: Powertrain Choices

For essentially the most half, the brand new sedan makes use of the identical all-electric drive know-how as Ioniq 5, although Hyundai officers famous throughout a background briefing that the Electrified Streamliner will get up to date lithium-ion batteries that are a little bit lighter and extra energy-dense. That enabled the automaker to package deal extra energy into the E-GMP platform, a complete of 77.4 kWh with the long-range pack. That’s anticipated to be the choice most consumers will select, although these on a price range may go for the 53.0 kWh “standard-range” various.

The smaller pack will probably be provided in just one configuration, with a single, rear-mounted motor pushing out 149 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration will probably be modest, with a manufacturing facility rated 0-60 mph launch time of 9.0 seconds. However the smaller choice will truly exceed some long-range opponents, with an EPA-estimated 240 miles between prices.

With the larger pack, the rear-drive Ioniq 6 will get a welcome bump in energy and efficiency: 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-60 mph launch of seven.4 seconds. This would be the longest-range package deal provided, getting an estimated 361 miles per cost.

You sacrifice a little bit of vary — dropping to a still-impressive 316 miles — with the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 6. However energy climbs to an much more sporty 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet. That brings launch instances down to five.1 seconds.

These vary numbers cowl fashions with 18-inch wheels. You’ll lose some vary with optionally available 20-inch wheels.

Hyundai Ioniq i-Pedal

All variations of Ioniq 6 characteristic driver-configurable regenerative braking, operated by twin paddle shifters. This adjusts the quantity of vitality that’s captured throughout braking and coasting. That helps lengthen the sedan’s vary.

Probably the most aggressive i-Pedal mode feels very similar to a gas-powered engine that’s been downshifted a number of gears. And, beneath most circumstances, it permits a motorist to speed up or gradual the automobile just by modulating the throttle moderately than having to leap forwards and backwards from throttle to brake.

Ioniq Charging

Like Ioniq 5, the brand new sedan incorporates a twin 400/800V electrical system. This permits it to plug into even the quickest of the brand new public DC chargers popping up throughout the nation. Hyundai claims Ioniq 5 can go from a ten% to 80% state-of-charge in as little as 18 minutes when utilizing a charger able to delivering at the very least 250 kW of vitality.

Plugged into the everyday home-style Stage 2 240V charger, the long-range pack will take 6 hours 55 minutes, the corporate stated, to get again as much as 100% capability. The short-range pack wants 5 hours and 20 minutes.

The assorted fashions based mostly on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform supply what’s generally known as vehicle-to-load, or V2L, functionality. That’s a elaborate means of claiming you possibly can faucet into the vitality within the battery pack utilizing both a 120V outlet within the cabin or an optionally available adaptor that matches into the charger port.

The automaker demonstrated the characteristic by powering up a beverage cooler at our lunch cease. It may be used whereas tenting or tailgating, say, and even to maintain a fridge powered up throughout a blackout. The Ioniq management system enables you to set a restrict to how a lot energy you possibly can draw down so that you don’t wind up with a lifeless battery.

Ioniq 6 Digital Tech

In relation to digital know-how, Ioniq 6 upgrades what was already provided on Hyundai’s earlier EVs. The semi-autonomous Freeway Drive Help might help stop crashes ought to one other automobile minimize into your lane.

A “Good Regen” setting shares the windshield-mounted digicam used for Ioniq 5’s varied superior driver help techniques, known as ADAS. It always adjusts the extent of regenerative braking relying on visitors and street circumstances.

EV Route Planning not solely calculates essentially the most energy-efficient route however suggests the place it’s best to cost up alongside the best way. 

Hyundai EV Connectivity

The Electrified Streamliner options an in-car WiFi Hotspot. It additionally has the power to make use of smartphone-style over-the-air updates so as to add or exchange software program. Longer-term, Hyundai is contemplating methods to let house owners add new options that weren’t out there when the automobile was bought.

Bluelink, the automaker’s connected-car know-how, is now provided free, in its primary kind, for brand new consumers. So is the Digital Key 2 Contact system, which lets you lock, unlock, and function your EV with out a keyfob, changing it together with your smartphone. 

2023 Ioniq 6: Driving Impressions

I spent my day behind the wheel of the long-range all-wheel-drive model of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 within the top-line Restricted trim. It drew loads of stares wherever I drove, and I realized to be prepared at any time when I ended as a result of of us had quite a lot of questions. The EV is a stand-out that will get loads of consideration.

By a quirk in timing, I had dropped off a Hyundai Ioniq 5 on the airport earlier than heading to Phoenix, so I had the prospect to check the 2 EVs. Low and smooth, Ioniq 6 is clearly the winner within the fun-to-drive class. It affords a decrease middle of gravity, for one factor, that made it simple to comb round corners — although, like all EVs, I may nonetheless really feel the added mass of that 77.4kWh battery pack.

Acceleration got here on effortlessly, the dual motors delivering close to instantaneous torque when launching from a pink gentle and loads of pony energy when merging onto a freeway. If there was one grievance, it got here from my driving associate, who felt that energy got here on nearly too simple with the Electrified Streamliner. It does take a little bit of time to regulate to the linear nature of EV efficiency.

One private gripe is the truth that it’s important to activate i-Pedal mode each time you restart the Ioniq 6. It defaults to a decrease regen stage after shutting off.

My different grievance: I merely don’t like having to scroll by way of the touchscreen for some automobile capabilities, notably seat and steering wheel heaters.

As for vary, I didn’t get to run my sedan right down to “empty,” however based mostly on the numbers it delivered alongside the best way, it appeared to return very near the EPA scores — that regardless of my heavy proper foot.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Evaluation Wrap-Up

Whereas the 2023 Ioniq 6 definitely isn’t meant to compete instantly with the Mercedes EQE, it’s a narrower hole than you may anticipate. The Hyundai EV is quiet and easy, it boasts a surprisingly refined cabin and, with the dual-motor package deal, is quite a lot of enjoyable to drive.

It stands up fairly properly when in comparison with key opponents, such because the Tesla Mannequin 3 and the Polestar 2. All of the extra so when you think about you may get into the bottom SE mannequin with the standard-range battery and single motor for as little as $42,715 — together with supply charges. The long-range all-wheel-drive mannequin begins at $50,115, and even at $57,215, the Restricted package deal affords worth for the cash.

Sadly, as an import, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 doesn’t qualify for federal tax credit, an obstacle in comparison with the Tesla Mannequin 3. However you get two years of complimentary 30-minute charging classes utilizing Electrify America, which may add as much as tons of of {dollars} in annual vitality financial savings.

The long-range variations of the Electrified Streamliner are already in manufacturing. The short-range rear-drive mannequin ought to arrive in U.S. showrooms someday this coming summer time.