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
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