HYUNDAI received plenty of praise for its Ioniq 5 – but it may just have gone one better with its latest futuristic offering.
The fully-electric Ioniq 6 has the type of all-round quality needed to challenge premium rivals.
At more than £50,000, the Ioniq 6 needed to be good - and it is.
It’s a streamlined saloon with impressive range, plenty of power and pace, a refined interior and lots of kit.
Hyundai bosses wanted the Ioniq 6 to cause a stir in order to attract new customers who may previously have opted for a more traditional premium brand.
With a low, sleek and stretched appearance, the styling is smoother and more aerodynamic than that of the more angular and boxy Ioniq 5.
The sweeping lines and wing-inspired rear spoiler might not be to everyone’s liking, but few could deny its eye-catching, bold and individualistic qualities.
At the front, it has a short nose and overhang, while the rear features a lengthy tail to reduce drag.
Buyers can choose from a rear-wheel drive option or an all-wheel drive set-up. The latter, tested here, provided a sure-footed quality, especially in the recent heavy downpours.
Body lean is pretty well-contained in the tighter corners, while no shortage of grip available is available.
The steering is arguably a bit too light and lacking in feel for a truly sporty drive, but you’ll still have enough confidence in the car’s overall balance to make good progress on the B-roads.
The rear wheel drive model, powered by a single motor, and the all-wheel drive equivalent, which has twin motors, can both be had in either Premium or Ultimate trim.
The latter certainly comes with an added layer of pleasantness, including leather-faced upholstery, improved front seats, a sunroof, a Bose sound system upgrade and all-round parking cameras.
But the two more memorable features are the pop-our door handles and the camera-based digital side mirror system. The latter takes a bit of getting used to, but you soon come to appreciate its effectiveness, especially for blind-spot awareness when changing lanes on the motorway.
All versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 come with a 77kWh Lithium-ion polymer battery, with two power outputs.
The rear-wheel drive version offers 225bhp and can accelerate from 0-62mph in f 7.4seconds.
The four-wheel drive option has a 321bhp dual-motor that accelerates much more quickly, going from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds.
The one area where rivals might have the upper hand on the Ioniq 6 is practicality.
While the car’s silhouette is both eye-catching and efficient, it doesn’t help when it comes to space behind the front seats.
Indeed, tall people will find head room somewhat restricted in the back.
The boot has a decent 401 litres of space, but isn’t the easiest to use as the gap to load items is a strange shape, while the space itself is wide, long and shallow.
The Ioniq 6 gets the same 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as the Ioniq 5. That’s not a bad thing, as the system is intuitive and responsive, with sharp graphics.
The Ioniq 6 has a maximum charging speed of 220kW, meaning a 10-80% charge can be achieved in less than 20 minutes on a rapid charger.
The Lowdown
Hyundai Ionic 6 Ultimate
PRICE: £53,260
ENGINE: 77.4 kWh Lithium-ion polymer
TRANSMISSION: All wheel drive
POWER: 325PS and torque of 605Nm
PERFORMANCE: 5.1 seconds to 62mph
RANGE: 322 miles
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Comments are closed on this article