Everything you need to know about the Hyundai IONIQ 6

The eye-catching Hyundai IONIQ 6 is a long-awaited follow up to the hugely popular Hyundai IONIQ 5, widely acclaimed as one of the best of the current bunch of EVs available in North America. Although the so-called "electrified streamliner" will not arrive on U.S. shores until 2023, reports coming back from those who have both seen and driven the all-electric sedan on Korean soil suggest it’s a very exciting bit of kit.

You get a very distinctive design, based on Hyundai’s dedicated E-GMP all-electric platform, which revolves around improving aerodynamic efficiency. This also means there’s a range of up to 381 miles from the all-wheel drive, 77.4 kWh battery model. A smaller 53 kWh battery model can still offer drivers around 266 miles of range. Thanks to a 2,950 mm wheelbase, there’s a sizable and spacious interior with plenty of comfort and a range of trim options.

The latest model from the Hyundai stable is also notable for its use of technology, including more than 700 parametric pixels, which have been used to great effect to make the headlamps and rear taillights stand out from the crowd. This being a Hyundai, owners will also be able to immerse themselves in a slew of additional tech treats too, ranging from a suite of driving aids to over-the-air software updates. Digital door mirrors with supplementary interior viewing screens will be available in some markets too.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Release window and price 

While the Hyundai IONIQ 6 will be available in the Korean domestic market soon, it should start appearing in some European markets this year. North America will not be getting the electrified streamliner until 2023. In addition, pricing is yet to be confirmed.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Design and interior 

The Hyundai designers have worked long and hard on the exterior of the IONIQ 6 with the express intention of getting its drag coefficient as low as possible. They’ve done a cracking job too, arriving at a figure of 0.21, which obviously helps to improve the overall range and efficiency of the car. A lot of this has to do with numerous areas of the car that have been tweaked and fine-tuned to improve the way the IONIQ 6 moves down the road.

There’s an active air flap in the lower front bumper along with subtle wheel gap reducers on the leading edges of the front fenders. The latter compensates for the relatively short distance between the nose and front wheels of the IONIQ 6. Similarly, the wheel air curtains and a very distinctive integrated rear spoiler helps the car pass through the air as efficiently as possible.

Size-wise, the Hyunadai IONIQ 6 measures 191.1 inches long, 74 inches wide and 58.8 inches high, which means it has a very distinctive and quite low-slung design. It’s certainly different to look at, especially when viewed from the rear, thanks to that spoiler and taillight array.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai designers haven’t skimped on the interior, which benefits from the extra roominess delivered by the 116-inch wheelbase. The thinking on the inside is to provide a home away from home, with a range of interior trim options all designed to soothe the senses. Relaxation Comfort Seats are available as an option, which are slightly thinner than normal and offer a range of electric adjustment options.

Those essential in-car power points are on offer as well, with one type-A and four type-C USB ports all conveniently integrated into the interior layout. There’s a modular touchscreen arrangement in the car, with a 12-inch infotainment system and 12-inch digital cluster in front of the steering wheel.

Dual color ambient lighting is coming along for the ride, too. It provides owners and occupants a chance to set the scene based on their color choice and mood at the time. This 64-color and six pre-selected theme option is complimented when you’re on the move too, thanks to a Speed Sync Lighting Mode. 

This actually changes the brightness of the lighting in the front seat area depending on the speed that you’re going. Hyundai also provides the EV Performance Tune-Up system, which allows drivers to customise the setup of the car depending on how and where they want to drive.

The Hyundai Ionic 6 will be available in 12 exterior colors, which include Gravity Gold Matte, Abyss Black Pearl, Serenity White Pearl, Curated Silver Metallic, Nocturne Gray Metallic, Nocturne Gray Matte, Transmission Blue Pearl, Biophilic Blue Pearl, Ultimate Red Metallic, Digital Green Pearl, Digital Green Matte as well as Byte Blue. Interior trim options come in a range of four colors, including dark gray with light gray, dark olive green with light gray, black with pale brown and black.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Battery and range 

Range anxiety could become a thing of the past with the arrival of the Hyundai IONIQ 6. Thanks to its 77.4 kWh battery and the super aerodynamic exterior design of the car, WLTP figures for the IONIQ 6 currently stand at 614 km, which equates to around 381 miles. 

EPA figures, as experience told us, are lower, with current figures promising up to 340 miles of driving range — just 18 miles lower than the Tesla Model 3 Long Range.

The IONIQ 6 will be available in two different versions, with options available to suit a range of driver requirements and although the quoted figures below are in km as opposed to miles, the stats look impressive. 

The long range 77.4 kWh model has the aforementioned 340 mile EPA-rated range in the two-wheel drive version fitted with 18-inch tires — boasting energy efficiency of 14.3 kWh/62 miles . The two-wheel drive car fitted with 20-inch rims delivers a WLTP rated range of 338 miles, and while EPA ratings haven't been revealed our guess if the U.S. range figures will be closer to 300 miles. 

Meanwhile, the all-wheel drive Hyundai IONIQ 6 fitted with 18-inch tires has a range of 310 miles with energy efficiency of 15.5 kWh/62 miles. The all-wheel drive model, with 20-inch rims delivers WLTP range of 322 miles, which will likely dip below 300 miles when the EPA range figures are announced.

Finally, a standard edition of the Hyundai IONIQ 6 fitted with a 53 kWh battery and running 18-inch tires offers up 429 km (around 266 miles) of range and energy. EPA figures, again, haven't been announced.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Performance 

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 will be available with a 77.4 kWh battery that is mated to a twin electric motor setup in either a two-wheel, rear wheel drive arrangement or four-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive car will feature a power output of 239 kW and delivers 446 lb-ft of torque. This helps the Hyundai IONIQ 6 get from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.

Thanks to the Hyundai IONIQ 6 being built on the carmaker’s innovative E-GMP architecture there’s impressive charging potential on offer too, just like it is in the IONIQ 5. The platform supports both 400 and 800 Volt charging, with 800-V charging as standard; 400-V charging can be carried out without the need for any additional components or adapters. That means convenience and speedy charging, with a top-spec 350 kW charger able to replenish the car’s battery from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes.

Hyundai has also announced a deal with Electrify America to offer customers free charging. With this deal IONIQ 6 drivers get two years of free charging, so long as they keep each session under 30 minutes, at any Electrify America rapid charger.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Driver assistance features

Expect the Hyundai IONIQ 6 to come bristling with plenty of driver assistance options, all of which sit under the umbrella of Hyundai SmartSense and Advanced Driver Assistance.

Owners will be able to take advantage of Highway Driving Assist 2, which includes automatic lane change where permitted. There’s smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance and evasive steering assist too. Other semi-autonomous goodies on offer include intelligent speed limit assist and high beam assist, while attention on long runs can be aided thanks to the driver attention warning system.

Hyundai IONIQ 6: Outlook 

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 looks markedly different to the IONIQ 5 and, in a time when so many folks are heading in the direction of an SUV, the sedan styling is a bold move. In essence, the car is much like the IONIQ 5 in that it makes use of the innovative E-GMP platform and charging architecture. The difference is the stunning, smooth and very aerodynamic body shape. 

This is also a great car on the inside, with lots of room, plenty of comfort and interior finishings that include —depending on the trim option — eco-process leather, seats that use recycled PET fabric and dashboards that are fashioned from bio TPO skin. Even the carpets have been produced using recycled fishing nets.

Combine the design and build innovations here with the impressive range available from either battery pack and Hyundai has a potential winner on its hands. 

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