LAOIS MOTORING: Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV - one of the best EV’s on the road today

The Ioniq 6 is a car that from a style point of view has certainly divided opinion. Its a bit of a love it or hate it design. I for one fell for its individual style as did the judges in the world car of the year awards as the Ioniq 6 has been given the title of World Car Of The Year 2023.

When I first set eyes on this new car I was certainly surprised as it looks like nothing else on the road. Three trim levels are available, Signature, Elegance and Finesse, with two battery sizes.

Prices for the new Ioniq 6 start from €48,295 for the 53kWh version. This week I am road testing the 77.4 kWh Elegance version with a claimed range of 614km. So how did it fare?

So has it got street cred?

The Ioniq 6 has a svelte coupe shape but is actually a four door saloon with an incredibly low drag coefficient of just .21 Cd. Without question, the styling turns heads. Its sleek aerodynamic design looks quite futuristic even in todays world of funky designs. The rear though is what gets people talking and really it is a matter of personal choice as to whether you like it or not. I did and say well done Hyundai for producing a car this individual in style.

What’s it like inside? 

The Ioniq 6 has a nice interior. There is a big 24.6 inch wide display which in effect is two huge screens, one for driver info and the other for the usual climate, nav, audio etc. There are some touch sensitive buttons too which at least helps avoid having to scroll through endless menu’s for the most used functions.

The cabin is roomy the flat floor allowing plenty of space even boasting a huge storage area under the centre console. The whole cabin does have a real premium feel about it. Specification as you can imagine is very good across all models and gets more luxurious the higher up the trim grade you go. There are a host of driver aids  too.

Unfortunately there are also a huge amount of annoying aural warning tones ( not unique to Hyundai but a result of the new regulations on car safety from Europe) for speed zones, excess speed, crossing a lane line etc. So much so its quite infuriating. Regulation makers need to back off on the nanny state view of drivers.

If you keep bouncing these warnings at people the warning themselves become ignored and therefore useless when really needed! 

What’s under the bonnet?

A small storage area! My test car had the 77.4kwh battery which is mated to an electric motor powering the rear wheels. With some 229 bhp performance is good. It accelerates smoothly and cruises silently at motorway speeds.

The Ioniq 6 boasts an 800 volt system which means it can be charged more quickly than rivals with one major caveat! Try finding an Ultra high power charger they are few and far between due the totally hopeless public charging infrastructure. If you find one you can charge it to 80% in about 18 minutes.

Despite the claimed 600km plus range I achieved closer to 500km as my test included quite a bit of motorway driving. Still very impressive though!

What’s it like to drive?

As all EV’s are basically the same (battery in the floor and one or two electric motors) they tend to have similar driving characteristics. With no sound and no gearbox there is little to differentiate them.

The Ioniq 6 however feels more involving than most and I enjoyed the way it drives and handles. Selectable drive modes allow the driver to “tune” the cars responses to suit, Eco, Normal or Sport.

Hugh’s Verdict

I really like its bold style, the quality feel of the interior, the great specification and the class leading electric range. Frankly there is nothing I disliked about the Ioniq 6. Its one of the best EV’s available! The Elegance version tested costs €62,495.