Hyundai Is On an EV Roll
When it comes to battery-electric vehicles (BEV), Hyundai has been on a roll. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric crossover has been one of the most sought-after and awarded EVs since its launch in 2021. Today, it continues to be one of the top 10 best-selling electric cars in North America.
However, its stablemate, the Ioniq 6 electric sedan, hasn’t been as well received by North American EV shoppers. That’s a bit puzzling, since both EVs are essentially the same vehicle in different form factors. Since the Ioniq 6 was first introduced in 2023, it has earned its fair share of awards, including the 2023 World Car of the Year, 2023 World Car Design of the Year, Car and Driver’s 2023 EV of the Year, and most recently the Top Pick Value EV by Cars.com.
It’s pretty obvious that Hyundai’s target for the Ioniq 6 was the super popular Tesla Model 3. Yet, despite its accolades, year-to-date the Ioniq 6 has only sold less than a third of the Ioniq 5’s volume, and less than 7 percent of the Model 3’s.
That’s too bad, because the Ioniq 6 is Hyundai’s best kept secret and in many ways it’s a better Model 3. Let’s take a look.
Exterior Design: A Streamliner EV
When Hyundai first took the covers off the Ioniq 6, reaction was mixed. “Stunning” and “polarizing” might be the best words to describe the many different reactions. It’s definitely one of those designs that divides people into the “love it” or “hate it” camps. It also depends on which angle you’re looking at. There’s a lot to take in!
Hyundai refers to the Ioniq 6’s design as a “streamliner” – meant to harken back to the art-deco days of the 1930s with smooth curves and teardrop designs. Being a huge fan of art deco automotive design, I think that’s a bit of a stretch (pun intended). That said, I have to say that the exterior styling is growing on me. It reminds me of the Infiniti J30 from the late 1990s, and even some past Jaguar designs. They too, weren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but stand out over time as unique and timeless designs.
Every exterior angle is a bit different. Up front, it’s relatively conservative. The Ioniq 6 has a very sleek and short hood, with large headlights and pixel-themed elements that are also found in the Ioniq 5. If you’re a big fan of the Porsche 911, you might also be a fan of the Ioniq 6’s back end. If you squint, you might see a bit of 911 Turbo with the infamous “whale tail” just below the sleek rear window and dramatic sloped rear trunk. Its pixel-themed tail lamps are eye-catching, especially up close, and span the entire width of the car. Even the large 911-like spoiler uses pixels for its huge third brake light. The streamliner teardrop shape is evident from the side view with a dramatic downward curve towards the rear. Even the rear windows follow the sloping rear contour.
Size-wise, the Ioniq 6 is about five inches longer and about two inches more in width and height than the super popular Tesla Model 3.
Ioniq 6 Interior – Efficiency in Space
In contrast to the Ioniq 6’s avant-garde exterior, the interior is relatively conservative. Those familiar with the Ioniq 5 will feel right at home in the Ioniq 6.
That’s a good thing, since the Ioniq 6’s dashboard inherits a version of the Ioniq 5’s large screens and controls. The digital gauge cluster is virtually the same as the Ioniq 5’s, displaying a variety of clear information, although it’s somewhat blocked by the steering wheel. The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also from the Ioniq 5, with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It provides decent route planning, although I find the built-in Google systems a bit better.
Unlike its sibling, the Ioniq 6 has a large center console that houses the window and lock switches. It’s not intrusive, though, like in the Polestar 2, and it manages to still give you an open and airy feel with huge storage underneath. At either end of the dashboard are two “tail fins” or “wings.” In other markets, this is where the available side-view camera screens are mounted. Sadly, due to North American regulations, that feature isn’t available in our market.
Cabin space is just massive. Hyundai did a great job of space efficiency. Like the Ioniq 5, the large battery is mounted on the floor between the wheels, providing plenty of legroom both up front and in the rear. Getting into the rear of the Ioniq 6 takes a bit of conscious effort to prevent hitting your head on the sloping window frame. Surprisingly, once you’re inside, even with the sloping roof, the Ioniq 6 provides similar headroom, and almost five inches more rear legroom, than a Model 3.
Sustainable materials are used throughout the cabin, from eco-processed leather seats, recycled PET fabric seats, PET fabric headliner, and even recycled fishing-net carpet.
Unlike the Tesla Model 3, you won’t find a fixed panoramic glass roof. Bucking the trend of EVs and glass roofs, the Ioniq 6 is only available with a traditional sunroof that actually opens and has a sunshade.
Versatility: Form Over Function
When Hyundai designed the Ioniq 6, it’s clear that design, efficiency, and passenger space were key priorities. Unfortunately, the Ioniq 6’s Achilles heel is its lack of cargo space. Thanks to the swooping powered rear trunk, its 11.7 cu. ft of trunk space is less than half of the Model 3’s 24.1 cu. ft rear trunk. You’d be right in assuming that the Ioniq 6 has a “frunk”, but due to its short sloping hood, it’s much smaller than the Model 3’s. It’s even smaller in dual motor trims.
Ioniq 6 Range and Efficiency
One of the best things about the Ioniq 6 is its powertrain. Even though it shares the same batteries and motors as the Ioniq 5, efficiency and range are much better in the Ioniq 6.
Rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variants have a 149-hp single electric motor. It’s definitely not the most powerful motor, but remember that efficiency is Hyundai’s game with the Ioniq 6. Consequently, standard-range RWD models can be had with either a small 53-kWh battery delivering up to an EPA estimated combined 240 miles (386 km), or a larger 77.4-kWh battery with a top range of up to 342 miles (550 km).
Even the Ioniq 6 AWD can deliver up to an impressive 316 miles (508 km). Although those numbers fall a bit short of the Model 3 on paper, it’s important to note that Hyundai’s EPA numbers are more conservative than Tesla’s, which tend to overstate how far their cars will go on a charge. In the real world, the difference may be minimal. Thanks to the Ioniq 6’s sleek aerodynamic design, it’s able to get between 9 to 19 percent more range than the boxier Ioniq 5, depending on the trim.
Driving Impressions
Given the Ioniq 6’s sporty exterior, I was expecting a more sporty and stiff suspension like the Polestar 2. However, even with my AWD tester’s 20-inch wheels, I was pleasantly surprised by how super smooth and soft the suspension was. The handling isn’t set up for aggressive cornering, but it’s confident and fairly flat around corners, while delivering a comfortable ride. It’s just right – and makes the Ioniq 6 great for around town or on the highway.
I love the regenerative brakes of the Hyundai EVs. Like the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 has steering wheel paddles that allow you to adjust the regen strength to four levels, including i-Pedal (one-pedal driving).
So many automakers should take a page out of Hyundai’s book here. Acceleration was rocket-fast in my Limited AWD tester. With 320 hp on hand, it was easy to hit 60 mph (100km/h) in well under 5 seconds.
Ioniq 6 Charging: Fast as Lightning
Charging the Ioniq 6 is where the magic happens.
Ioniq 6’s onboard AC charger is a relatively fast 11 kW (48A) for both battery sizes, similar to what’s found on some more recent EVs. Charging to 80 percent on a Level 2 home charger can take five hours for the 53-kWh battery and up to seven hours on the 77.4-kWh battery. That’s about average.
DC charging is an entirely different game with the Ioniq 6. The Ioniq EVs are built on Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and designed as EVs from the ground up with an 800-volt architecture. The higher voltage of these vehicles allows for quicker charging speeds without raising the amperage or the temperature of the conductors.
The Ioniq 6 is also able to hold its peak DC fast charging rate of 240 kW longer over the charging curve. This means that it has the potential to recharge the Ioniq 6 from 10 to 80 percent in only 18 minutes on a 350-KW charger. That’s lightning fast compared to other EVs, including most Teslas.
It's rumored that Hyundai will gain Tesla Supercharger access by the end of the year. While this move will provide owners with more public DC fast charging options, it’s important to note that the Tesla Superchargers cannot currently deliver the power needed for the Ioniq 6’s advertised lightning-fast DC charging rate. For that, you’ll have to stick with compatible 350 kW CCS chargers, such as those from Electrify America or Canada until the newer and more powerful V4 Superchargers are available.
The Ioniq 6 also offers an available vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapter that plugs into the charging port, and uses the vehicle’s traction battery pack to provide up to 3.6 kW of charging power for things like a laptop or electric scooter.
Pricing and Competition for the Ioniq 6
Pricing is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model 3 – the Ioniq 6’s only direct sedan competitor in a market full of crossovers and SUVs. Other electric sedans like the Polestar 2 and BMW i4 cost thousands of dollars more.
Unlike the Model 3, the Ioniq 6 is available with a smaller standard range battery. This gives the Ioniq 6 SE RWD a lower starting MSRP of $37,750 USD (excluding destination). Moving up to the SE RWD with the extended range battery brings the Ioniq 6’s MSRP to $42,700 – a bit more than the Model 3 long range RWD at $42,490.
Adding the $3,500 all-wheel drive option to the SE long range brings the MSRP to $46,200, just below the Model 3 Long Range AWD at $47,490. Move up to the Ioniq 6’s SEL trim at $45,500 MSRP for the RWD and $49,000 for the AWD, and you get features like 20-inch wheels and leather interior.
The Model 3 Performance AWD provides a totally different experience at just $54,990 MSRP. A fully loaded Ioniq 6 Limited AWD retails around $54,500 MSRP– but can’t match the Model 3 Performance’s 510 hp and sporty handling characteristics.
Depending on the trim, Ioniq 6 pricing can either be slightly below or above the Model 3. It’s important to remember that the Ioniq 6 has features that aren’t available on the Model 3, like Apple CarPlay, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, an actual sunroof that opens, a head-up display, faster DC charging, Hyundai’s expansive dealer network, and a 10-year powertrain warranty.
Conclusion: A Fantastic Electric Sedan
If you’re looking for an affordable all-electric 4-door sedan, you really only have 2 options – the Ioniq 6 and Model 3.
If you’re a Tesla fan, there’s probably no convincing you of choosing an Ioniq 6 over the Model 3. If you’re not a fan of Mr. Musk, open-minded, and looking for an alternative to the thousands of Model 3s found on every corner, the Ioniq 6 is a fantastic option. In fact, in many ways it might actually be a better Model 3.
