Driving vary, the pliability of over-the-air updates, and the packaging benefits of a devoted electrical car platform have lengthy been benefits of Tesla and its Mannequin 3.
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 guarantees to have all that and extra, in methods the Ioniq 5 crossover couldn’t fairly ship versus the Mannequin Y. It’s the primary of Hyundai’s autos that may get over-the-air updates to core car firmware, from supply. And its 0.21 coefficient of drag beats the Tesla Mannequin 3, as does its high vary, of as much as 382 miles within the European WLTP cycle.
If it could actually sustain that efficiency in pending EPA checks, it could very effectively dethrone the Mannequin 3 as essentially the most environment friendly mass-market EV. And that’s earlier than the arrival of a high-performance Ioniq 6 N model in a yr or two. Want a line: “As I found on an early prototype drive in South Korea”
Hyundai didn’t look to match the Mannequin 3 with its Ioniq 6. It didn’t goal to create a flattened, lowered model of the Ioniq 5 both. It has a totally completely different set of particulars and, from the surface, you may not even know that they’re associated.
The mix of technical prowess and uncompromised design in Ioniq 6, Hyundai world design chief Simon Loasby says, was the results of “an superior collaboration between our designers and our engineers.” Loasby outlined that a number of challenges alongside the way in which resulted in a greater, extra distinctive sedan.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
The Ioniq 6 is without doubt one of the sleekest manufacturing sedans, and it has the bottom coefficient of drag of any car in Hyundai historical past, practically matching the coefficients for the Lucid Air, Mercedes EQS, and Tesla Mannequin S—all automobiles which have extra size, a built-in bonus for aero.
Vary will rival—possibly beat—Mannequin 3
In line with the WLTP cycle for vary, Hyundai is anticipating a spread of 267 miles for the bottom 53.0-kwh Customary model, spanning as much as 382 miles with rear-wheel drive, the bigger 77.4-kwh Lengthy Vary battery pack, and the smaller 18-inch wheels.
Based mostly on how effectively Hyundai has accomplished on EPA rankings for the Ioniq 5, relative to WLTP, I’m predicting that may work out to greater than a 350-mile vary score for at the very least one U.S. model—very intently rivaling the 358-mile score of the Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary.
Sizing as much as 20-inchers bumps vary down about double the quantity of choosing all-wheel drive. Nonetheless, that’s what all of the supplied early-build automobiles had, as a part of this early drive—and at the same time as such, we noticed indications of near 300 miles of real-world vary on this type.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
Similar to fellow E-GMP fashions Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, there have been no surprises when it comes to state of cost or vary remaining throughout my drive, and as suspected we noticed considerably higher effectivity than we’d have in an Ioniq 5.
Temperatures have been about preferrred for contemporary lithium-ion cells—66 to 81 levels F throughout our drive.
Once we climbed into our Ioniq 6 it had a 98% cost and urged a 283-mile remaining vary. Hyundai hadn’t but cleared amassed information from the earlier 83 miles of driving, which confirmed 3.3 miles per kwh over greater than 4 hours and what should have included city stop-and-go. Over a day of comparatively cautious driving by way of among the Korean peninsula’s picturesque, inexperienced, mountainous countryside—at sub-U.S. speeds, over velocity digicam considerations—plus loads of slogging by way of Seoul site visitors, In a primary 43-mile stint, with free-flowing freeways and two-laners, my co-driver and I averaged 3.9 mi/kwh. And on the finish, the journey meter noticed 148 miles of vary remaining.
Nearer to the highway, it’s a special world
That every one in verify, let me let you know concerning the drive. It took a few modestly banked freeway ramps to already see there’s a key distinction within the really feel of the entire Ioniq 6 package deal, in comparison with the package deal of the Ioniq 5 crossover. Within the Ioniq 5 it feels such as you sit on the majority of the car, whereas within the Ioniq 6 it feels such as you’re in the automobile.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Taking a step again for the second, the Ioniq 6 bats apart all of the styling attributes which can be shortly turning into styling cliches for EVs, and it seems like nothing else on the highway. You gained’t discover a boxed-out lower-body space signaling the battery pack from the facet, nor will you see a flat-black space in entrance signaling that there would in any other case be a grille. You in a short time cease making an attempt to qualify the 6 versus different EVs and easily settle into the fact that it’s a really handsome sedan.
Up shut, in individual, in modern-car references, the Ioniq 6 conjures instantaneous associations with the Porsche 911 from the rear—and maybe from the entrance. The bitmapped look of Hyundai’s parametric pixel theme is throughout the automobile, in and out, and but it by no means feels overwrought—from the bottom of the headlights, to the house alongside the centerline of the sprint, to the 2 ranges of frosted purple bits striped throughout the rear in again.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
As completely different because the Ioniq 6 is on the surface, it’s additionally constructed on the identical underpinnings because the Ioniq 5. Which means there are rear-wheel-drive single-motor fashions making 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and all-wheel-drive dual-motor fashions making 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. The Ioniq 6 rides on a 116.1-inch wheelbase and is 191.1 inches lengthy, 74.0 inches vast, and 58.9 inches tall.
Within the latter dimension, which means the Ioniq 5 is simply 4.1 inches taller general. With a seat that appears to regulate a lot decrease to get located, it’s sufficient to make an enormous distinction in that perceived middle of mass and the way it suits on a curvy highway.
Comparatively mild however decently weighted steering really feel, simply the correct quantity of predictable roll, and a suspension that soaks up pavement harshness give the Ioniq 6 a docile really feel. It’s not tuned firmly, however I see the place a future N model would possibly go.
Hyundai claims a 0-62-mph acceleration time of seven.4 seconds in single-motor type and 5.1 seconds in dual-motor type, though its manufacturing facility acceleration instances are usually conservative.
The configuration and energy numbers could carry over from the Ioniq 5, however Hyundai has launched a special energy module with next-generation semiconductor tech, for extra vitality conversion effectivity, and its motors make use of hairpin winding tech, additionally for higher effectivity. In dual-motor fashions, Hyundai has additionally fine-tuned the transition between two- and four-wheel drive. Whereas that’s a transition we might really feel within the Ioniq 5 at mild accelerator and easygoing freeway circumstances, it’s not one we ever detected within the Ioniq 6.
In Customary pack variations of the Ioniq 6, the battery pack doesn’t bodily go way back to in Lengthy Vary variations, seemingly serving to preserve the load distribution extra even and underscoring that between variations, this electrical sedan would possibly drive fairly in a different way.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
You get 4 ranges of regenerative braking, paddle-selected, plus an Auto mode that appeared to guess effectively about how a lot we needed at numerous instances. There’s additionally an auto-hold button. Total, it’s an amazing interface for locating the correct degree of accelerator sensitivity and brake regen in your driving type (and passenger). There are Eco, Regular, Sport, and Snow modes, as with the Ioniq 5, however new to the Ioniq 6 is an EV Tune-up function that enables the proprietor to tweak extra of the settings individually—together with steering, acceleration sensitivity, and horsepower.
Acquainted floor to cost upon
The Ioniq 6 consists of an 11-kw onboard charger that ought to allow a full cost for Customary variations in about 6 hours or Lengthy Vary variations in about 8 hours. Hyundai notes that on the 7 kw that shall be extra frequent for residence chargers, that’s 8 and 12 hours, respectively. And it comes prepared for bidirectional charging.
Simply because the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 can cost both of its packs from 10% to 80% in simply 18 minutes. A warmth pump and battery heating system are actually each included and Hyundai says that they assist safe “aggressive driving distance and charging time in winter.” So will a destination-based preconditioning function that may assist extra homeowners hit peak cost charges when fast-charging.
The house inside
The Ioniq 6 doesn’t have an actual copy of the 5’s sprint or trim or door panels, but it surely’s all shut sufficient to see a detailed household resemblance. The steering wheel is similar, aside from the brand new standing indicator lights which can be built-in into the middle hub. Most notably, it lacks the 5’s shelf that extends outward towards the motive force’s proper hand, though it does have a flat-and-strong middle console floor good for laptop computer work.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
One of many greatest surprises simply sitting within the Ioniq 6 is that the design really affords fairly good outward imaginative and prescient. The rear pillars are thick, however the again window has a curve to it that enables a extra open rearward view of automobiles in adjoining lanes by way of the rearview mirror (or when parking, in the event you simply crank your head round).
Entrance seats are slim and supportive, and we discovered the perforated artificial leather-based upholstery to be comfortable and grippy. Hyundai claims the Ioniq 6 has extra rear leg room and shoulder room than the Polestar 2 or Tesla Mannequin 3, but it surely doesn’t examine in head room—and that’s actually the one limitation of this automobile. I’m effectively over 6 toes tall, and whereas I can sit upright within the Mannequin 3 and, considerably miraculously, have an inch or two above my head, the highest of my noggin was mashed towards the headliner once I tried to take a seat upright. Hunching barely ahead is the hack for shorter journeys. In leg room, nonetheless, I discovered sufficient room to take a seat behind somebody as tall as myself. Consider it as a greater than ample house for baby seats or any mixture of children, again there, however not the kind of house you’d use for a visit for 4 adults.
Trunk or frunk, what you get is a bit on the shallow facet. The trunk is lengthy and vast and simply tall sufficient for grocery baggage, and you can match a few giant journey suitcases there on their sides. As for the frunk, it’s purse territory. Possibly a laptop computer bag.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 first drive – South Korea
On a vivid, sunny day we didn’t get an opportunity to check the cabin’s ambient lighting, which defaults to a shade of purple impressed by Seoul at evening, or its front-seat temper lighting that will get brighter the upper the velocity. Deeper into the gimmicky facet, the Ioniq 6’s Lively Sound Design claims to make “spaceship-like driving sounds,” in three completely different ranges of depth—with an odd dissonant warble we skilled in our pre-production automobile because the sounds momentarily overlapped round 20 mph. I like my EVs silent and simply turned it off.
Onboard tech
Pivoting to the extra helpful, the Ioniq 6 will include Hyundai’s Freeway Driving Help 2, a driver-assist system based mostly on adaptive cruise management, including lane-change functionality on main highways. A distant smart-parking system will even be accessible. My check automobile additionally had the head-up show that overlays simply the correct quantity of information from navigation and site visitors prompts—aside from the seemingly infinite cautions about velocity, which should be a South Korean obsession.
Maybe most significantly, the Ioniq 6 is the primary Hyundai to supply over-the-air updates that may replace, improve, and fine-tune car firmware settings, not simply the infotainment system.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
In any other case, Hyundai hasn’t stated a lot about pricing or options for North America. To mix hints from firm officers, it could begin barely decrease than the Ioniq 5 however high out considerably increased than the crossover—particularly if contemplating its eventual top-performance Ioniq 6 N model.
Backside line: Hyundai received this stability between design, engineering, and tech good, and it’s main with a sedan like no different that, in effectivity and general desirability, goes to offer the Mannequin 3 the hardest competitors but. Let’s simply hope Hyundai figures out sooner that quite a lot of People will need to purchase them.
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Inexperienced Automobile Reviews accepted journey, meals, and lodging for early product entry permitting this drive report.
