The Ioniq 6 is, in many ways, the most impressive Hyundai EV yet. Given that the rest of Hyundai’s electric fleet is already among the best on the market, this is a big deal.
Like the Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60, the Ioniq 6 is based on Hyundai's dedicated EV platform, E-GMP. This is the first sedan on the platform, and in many ways, it's unlike any other on the market. Hyundai calls this an "electrified streamliner," drawing inspiration from the Art-Deco Stout Scarab of all things, and other low-drag cars in the pursuit of aero efficiency. A low drag coefficient is a huge boon for efficiency, and the SE Long-Range RWD has a drag factor of just 0.22. (Anything around 0.2 is very slippery.) The fully loaded Limited, with its 20-inch wheels and larger tires has a drag factor of 0.25.
The SE Long-Range RWD manages a remarkable 361 miles out of its 77.4 kWh battery. That bests the longest-range Tesla Model 3, the 315-mile Performance. (The 358-mile Long Range isn't currently on sale.) More impressively, the 6's EPA 140 miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) ties that of the Lucid Air, a car that starts at $89,050 (and comes from a startup that just last week announced 1800 layoffs). The Ioniq 6 SE Long-Range RWD costs $46,615.
Hyundai says the Ioniq 6 is aimed squarely at the Model 3 and the Polestar 2. Hyundai has ramped up the sportiness compared with the Ioniq 5 to match. They feel remarkably different than one another despite sharing powertrains. Whereas the Ioniq 5 emphasizes comfort, there's an inherent firmness to the Ioniq 6, with excellent damping and body control. It felt like a bit much at first, but then I realized the endlessly long, straight concrete roads around Phoenix—where Hyundai invited us to sample the 6—are rough. Out on the park roads north of the city, the Ioniq 6 proved its credentials.
There's a real elegance to how the Ioniq 6 flows down these sorts of roads. Making our way towards the Bartlett Reservoir on a road in a valley between mountains, the Ioniq 6 gracefully moves with the endless crests and dips, making easy work of the medium- and high-speed corners along the route. The steering is fairly mute, but the pace is excellent, especially in the 320-hp all-wheel drive version. In Sport mode, the Ioniq 6 deploys more power at the front axle, and grip on the Pirelli P-Zero all-seasons, even in occasional downpours, is plentiful.
It's seriously quick, too. Consider that the heavier, draggier Ioniq 5 with which the Ioniq 6 AWD shares a powertrain runs from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, and does 30-50 mph in just 2 seconds. This easily feels quicker, and the stopwatch will probably confirm as much. Hyundai maps the accelerator pedal so that you never get a sudden wallop of torque, yet the 446 lb-ft peak is reached quickly, and blasting from town to beyond highway speeds is almost too easy.
Even when driven aggressively, the Ioniq 6 AWD posted good efficiency numbers, around the mid-3 kWh/mile, though the temperature hovering the mid-60s was ideal for maximizing range. The SE RWD model, however, blows those figures out of the water. After a similar mix of canyon-road running and 50-mph cruising past a seemingly limitless supply of strip malls and sports bars, we saw averages in the high-4/low-5 kWh/mile range, which is spectacular.
Sure, the 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque means this car doesn't feel nearly as quick as the AWD model, but there's more than enough power and torque for anyone's driving needs. The RWD car feels hot-hatch quick, while the AWD is more like hot-hatch-plus. Otherwise, the two feel remarkably similar. The smaller wheels and tires no-doubt reduce grip at the extremes, and ride quality improves a tiny bit, but for most people in most situations, the differences between RWD and AWD are surprisingly small.
Even the interior of the SE and Limited feel basically the same, which is to say great. Hyundai emphasizes the use of sustainable materials, so there's a lot of plastic, but it suits the vibe of the car. It looks and feels funky, with a cool ribbed pattern in the door cards, and many examples of the Ioniq's pixel design motif. It's definitely not traditional luxury, but it is cool. You sit surprisingly close to the steeply raked windshield, and the short, low, hood disappears from view almost completely. It's not dissimilar to the Tesla Model 3 in this regard, and it serves as a good reminder that you're not driving an internal-combustion car. Or an internal-combustion car that's been turned into an EV.
Hyundai uses the same infotainment system across many of its products, and as it is elsewhere, it's fairly straightforward. Still no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, however, which makesHyundai an outlier among auto brands. I didn't have an issue with it, but headroom in sunroof-equipped cars didn't seem great, which is the price you pay when trying to package a tall battery pack in a fairly squat car. Rear legroom, however, is more than plentiful.
The SE comes with a lot of great equipment as standard, but stepping up to the SEL—which Hyundai expects to be the volume model—brings an upgraded active driving assist system, Highway Driving Assist II, faux-leather H-Tex seats, 20-inch wheels, and other active safety features. Plus, the option of all-wheel drive. The Limited adds even more, like Hyundai's clever blind-spot-view cameras, which display on the gauge screen whenever the blinker is activated. The larger wheels and extra weight of the SEL and Limited do impact range, however, with rear-drive cars dropping to a (still-quite-good) 305 miles. All-wheel drive cars are rated at 316 miles for the SE and 270 miles for the SEL or Limited. Given the range and cost benefits——the SEL starts at $48,815, the Limited at $53,715, with all-wheel drive $3500 extra——of the SE Long-Range RWD model, it's a hard one to overlook. Especially since the driving experience is so similar.
No matter what, you're getting a great car here. I imagine the Ioniq 5 will be the better seller of the two thanks to its extra practicality and crossover-esque form factor, but the 6 is the enthusiast choice. Especially the SE Long-Range RWD, with its mix of great sport-sedan driving dynamics, ample power, and superb efficiency. It's the ultimate economy car in a way, but it drives a lot more like a BMW 3-Series.
Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of reviewing Hyundai's EVs. There just isn't all that much bad to say. And while other automakers talk a big game about electrification, Hyundai/Kia/Genesis are out there with one of the most compelling EV lineups, and one that's set to keep growing. For now, the Ioniq 6 is the cream of the crop.
A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins is Road & Track's engineering nerd and Porsche apologist. He joined the staff in 2016 and no one has figured out a way to fire him since. He street-parks a Porsche Boxster in Brooklyn, New York, much to the horror of everyone who sees the car, not least the author himself. He also insists he's not a convertible person, despite owning three.
