Is the Ioniq 6 Hyundai’s best electric car yet?

Many car enthusiasts are worried that a future electric automotive landscape will be dull and boring, homogenised into placidity by shared platforms and smooth, silent motors.

With less chance for engineering variety under the skin, there is risk that new vehicles will look, feel, and drive very similarly overall, and we won’t have much in the way of change and disparity between future electric models.

If nothing else, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 does a wonderful job of dispelling such things. While it shares a platform and powertrains with other models that sit under the shared Hyundai-Kia-Genesis automotive umbrella, it also feels different, even strange in some ways, and certainly not derivative or typical.

At the time of writing, Hyundai offered the Ioniq 6 in a three-model range, and we’ve got the middle offering of that line-up here. In 2023 the range kicks off with the Dynamiq grade, which is the least dynamic of the three with only one electric motor and lower total outputs. Conversely, it also has the longest driving range of the three.

Techniq gets an additional electric motor at the front for a more muscular 239kW/605Nm overall. It also picks up 20-inch alloy wheels and a full-width sunroof, along with ventilated front ‘premium relaxation’ seats, heated rear outboard seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Compared to the $74,000 entry price, our tester costs $83,500. But when you consider the improved all-wheel drive performance on offer, it feels like decent value.

For the 2024 model year, almost everything changes. The Ioniq 6 is offered in six different variants. A new cheaper base models starts the range off (from $65,500), with a new smaller battery pack, and the Techniq tested here has been moved out of the range, while the Dynamiq has had some features added it to bring it closer to the car we have here. Read all about the changes in the link below.

Standard kit in the car we’re driving includes LED projector headlights with automatic high beam, LED tail-lights, twin 12.3-inch displays inside, wireless phone charging, eight-speaker Bose sound system, dual-zone climate control, head-up display, electric boot and 10-way electric-adjustable front seats.

As part of the 2024 upgrades the heat pump and battery conditioning system that were exclusive to the Epiq become standard across the range, The Dynamiq picks up features like 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, power-adjustable front seats with reclining ‘relaxation’ mode, heated front and rear seats, driver’s head-up display, and some other touches making it a close match to the Techniq shown here, priced from $77,500 with rear-wheel drive or $82,000 with all-wheel drive.

Only seat ventilation and a sunroof have gone missing from the Dynamiq compared to the Techniq in the restructured range, but these features can still be found in the top-spec Epiq, along with the option of digital side mirrors, now a $3000 option.

Whereas the Kia EV6 runs a line between SUV and liftback in its shape, the Ioniq 6 is a more traditional sedan, albeit one with a hatchback-like profile. Hyundai is calling it a ‘streamliner’ because of the slippery proportions, but underneath that interesting sheetmetal is effectively a three-box design.

It has a modern-looking interior with some interesting design elements, but for me it’s not as fetching or sleek overall as the stablemate EV6.

Storage is in strong supply, and underneath the floating central console is a huge space for big and bulky things, and there are two cupholders topside. The centre console is quite big, has an additional storage bin for stuff, and hides two USB-C power outlets. 

The USB-A point up front is there for smartphone mirroring, and there’s also a 12V plug hiding lower down. On top of the wireless charging pad, your power needs will likely be well met.

The drawer-style glovebox is interesting, sliding horizontally outwards instead of hinging downwards. Window buttons on the centre console are also unorthodox leaving the doors looking minimalist. Maybe Hyundai’s interior designers spent some time in classic Range Rovers and early Land Rover Discoveries?

If you’re wondering what those blank wings on the end of the dashboard are, they exist to house the digital side mirrors in the top-spec model. Here, they just look a bit funny. 

The seating in the Ioniq 6 doesn’t look nearly as radical as the exterior, but it’s plenty comfortable with the right levels of adjustment on offer. There’s heating and ventilation along with electric adjustment.

The second row has bucketloads of leg room on offer, significant amounts, in fact, but head room is not so good. This comes from the flowing roof line that cinches down over your head a little. Tall people will find issue here, and visibility isn’t phenomenal either.

Air vents and USB power outlets are in the regulation location on the back of the centre console, and window buttons and seat heating buttons are on the doors.

The boot of the Ioniq 6 is probably larger than you might think when you consider the truncated rump. Opening the electric boot lid reveals a decent 416L, which isn’t huge when you consider the overall size of the car. The aperture is fairly small, but the space is decent enough once you start jamming stuff in there.

And if you get desperate for storage space, don’t forget about the modest under-bonnet storage. There’s 14.5L here (less than the 45L in a rear-wheel-drive model), which is mostly taken up by charging cables anyway.

Infotainment inside the Ioniq 6 comes from a familiar 12.3-inch display, which is joined by a digital instrument cluster of the same size and housed in the same big panel atop the dashboard.

However, this tech has recently been usurped in-house by the Kona and Sonata, which have curved displays of the same size but with new operating software.

Regardless, this is a good and easy-to-use system here. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with native navigation and digital radio. There’s also the ‘Sounds of Nature’ function, which is quite gimmicky and something I can never foresee myself using.

The sound system is an eight-speaker Bose-branded system that has an external amplifier and decent-quality performance. This is the same system available across the range, but it’s worth pointing out that the EV6 gets a better 14-speaker Meridian unit in GT-Line and GT specifications.

Where the Hyundai does well in comparison, however, are the Bluelink connected services, which allow owners to do all manner of updates and checks via their smartphones. These include geofencing and speed/time alerts, location checking and remote climate control.

There is a five-star ANCAP safety score for the Ioniq 6, which includes all models in the range and was attained recently in 2022.

There is an impressive 97 per cent score for adult occupant protection, while child occupants get an 88 per cent rating. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians) don’t fare as well with a 66 per cent score, and the safety assistance systems on board get a 90 per cent rating.

On top of full marks from ANCAP, the Ioniq 6 has a solid repertoire of safety equipment included in the Ioniq 6. This includes blind-spot collision avoidance and assistance, driver attention warning, autonomous emergency braking that includes junction, pedestrian and cyclist detection but not motorcycles, intelligent speed limit assistance, lane-keep and lane-follow assistance, rear occupant alert and safe exit warning.

There’s low-speed parking collision avoidance technology that works for forward, rearwards and side obstructions, and an advanced cruise control that will work in stop-start traffic and will adapt to driving habits.

The surround-view camera system in the Ioniq 6 has a handful of different driving modes, and can also feed vision of your blind spot into the digital instrument cluster when you turn on your indicators.

Fewer moving parts in an electric vehicle means service intervals are relatively long: two years or 30,000km required between visits. Service costs are cheap as well, with $570 needed after two years and $1660 after four years.

Like other Hyundais, the Ioniq 6 gets a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery that powers the electric motors is covered by a separate warranty, which runs for eight years but is limited to 160,000km.

Insurance costs $2091.87 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

This is a big deal for the Ioniq 6 and perhaps the biggest feather in its cap. On a set loop of driving that included country roads, hills and some trafficked suburban roads, we got a figure of 14.7 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometres. This beats the claim of 16.9kWh/100km from Hyundai and gives credence to the claim of 519km between recharges.

Our driving loop took in parts of Western Sydney and the lower Blue Mountains, and clearly favoured the vehicle for outright efficiency.

Recent testing I have done with other EVs can see the efficiency of an EV nosedive when driving at 110km/h for long periods on the highway. But the Ioniq 6 is one of the best I’ve seen so far in this regard. If you want an EV most suited to longer interstate runs, then the Ioniq 6 could be the pick of the current litter.

There’s vehicle-to-load functionality, and being able to charge at speeds of up to 350kW for short periods can reduce your recharge times significantly in comparison to other EVs on the market. However, it’s worth pointing out that I only saw speeds of up to 250kW for a short period when charging at a (purported) 350kW Evie charger in Sydney.

On a road trip, charging from around 25 per cent to 80 per cent will give you the fastest gains. Going anywhere above 80 per cent will see the charge rate quickly drop as the battery manages itself.

In comparison to the Kia EV6, this Ioniq 6 feels unsurprisingly familiar and similar. It does have a slightly longer wheelbase and lower weight, but it’s impressively comfortable and easy to drive on the road and highway.

There’s a good ride quality on offer, with low-speed bumps being handled particularly well. It loses a slight edge of composure when travelling at higher speeds around 50 or 60km/h. It’s a shame because that’s what you’re mostly going to be doing when plugging your way through the suburbs. 

This is after direct comparison with the EV6, which doesn’t feel as brittle in these situations. However, in isolation, it does feel quite good and premium and is fun to drive. 

And I’ve got to say, the Ioniq 6 handles quite well for something reasonably long and heavy, holding the road with good competency. With the ability to pick up plenty of post-corner pace and a nice steering feel, you can enjoy yourself behind the wheel.

When you start to encounter mid-corner bumps or rougher roads, you’ll feel the weight of the vehicle – a reasonably substantial 2078kg of tare mass – come into play more, and you’ll feel the urge to taper your speed. 

Twin motors give instant torque and allow it to hit 100km/h from a standstill in 5.1 seconds. Typical of EVs, it’s responsive and smooth, but that scintillating performance does get tempered at higher speeds. It’s still quick, mind you, and plenty powerful enough for highway overtakes and the like. But it’s not quite the same as that out-of-the-hole feeling you get from a standstill.

And, of course, it’s a really quiet drive. At least, it would be if it weren’t for one highly annoying element. 

The beeping and donging of the traffic sign recognition system is – once again for Hyundai – frustrating. It can get facts wrong from time to time, reading the wrong sign or missing others, which means it’s haranguing you for no good reason. You can turn it off by digging through some menus on the infotainment display, but it will turn itself back on when the vehicle cycles through a restart.

The Ioniq 6 is one of those polarising cars, which some love but others seem to dislike. Not a full despising, but some just don’t agree with the looks of this Ioniq 6. For me, I’m mostly in the former category. The divisive looks are the product of form following function, and I can appreciate that. It’s not a classically pretty vehicle, but when you consider the advantages of slipping through the air, I respect it.

Otherwise, the Ioniq 6 does a good job. It’s comfortable and fast, offering one of the best packages for a long driving range between recharges and relatively short charging times.

The cheaper Tesla Model 3 and forthcoming BYD Seal will be the chief problems for this Ioniq 6, because they undercut the value of this Hyundai quite easily.

But if you can live with the traffic sign recognition system and lack of head room in the second row, the Ioniq 6 feels impressively different and offers advantages in efficiency and range.

While the first examples of the Ioniq 6 were sold online at fixed prices in limited batches, the Korean automotive company plans to increase availability of the Ioniq 6 for our market.

Hyundai plans to keep fixed prices, but an influx of 700 examples of the Ioniq 6 has improved availability for customers leading into the end of the year. And to make matters better for those looking at the market, Hyundai is currently offering complimentary servicing for 2023 models into the end of the year.

Going into 2024, the supply forecasts of the Ioniq remain good, according to Hyundai Australia.

The next steps on the purchase journey are to check the Hyundai website for stock of your preferred Ioniq variant. You can also find Hyundais for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.

We strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ. Find your nearest Hyundai dealer via this link. We’d also recommend test-driving a Kia EV6 as well as the Telsa Model 3.

If you want to stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review, you’ll find all the latest news here.