2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 crossover became the standard for the company’s strategy towards offering a lineup of battery-electric vehicles. It hit all of the right notes with a solid platform, a choice of battery packs, a better charging system, and a compelling design to house all of this in.
The e-GMP platform Hyundai developed has now appeared on five new vehicles across the corporate structure – also available in the Kia and Genesis brands. The new 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 also shares the same e-GMP platform and all of its benefits.
What makes the IONIQ 6 stand out is the fact that it’s a sedan. Once a dying breed of automobile, Hyundai is not only bullish on sedans – they’re offering this EV as one.
The sedan shape is compelling. There are only a few cues that make it a Hyundai, but it is very uniquely designed. The front end is sporty – more like a sports car look. Below the bumper crease is the grille – more of a set if air vents fed into the front motor area.
The silhouette is compelling. Lots of curves and swoops towards the rear. It recalked some of Hyundai’s designs in the past 20-30 years, with more modern touches. The rear end swoops down to the bumper with a horizontal LED pixel lighting signature meets the trunk.
In our Limited tester, the 20-inch alloy wheels may cause some debate, but we think it fits the overall design perfectly.
Stepping inside also offers the similar design approach seen on Hyundai’s latest models with plenty of touches from the IONIQ 5. The two screens are located on a thin housing attached the dashboard. The left screen houses the instrumentation, vehicle information, charging levels and range. The one of the right houses the infotainment system, which includes smartphone integration. You will find the transmission “stalk” that uses a knob to change between drive and reverse.
The front seats offer comfort and bolstering for support. The center console divides the front seats offering open space and storage options. Rear seat room is fine, for both leg and head room. There’s a generous under console stowage up front, as well. Trunk space is only 11.2 cubic feet. Up front, there is a small secure storage area – short of a cubic foot - that actually looks like an engine cover.
Our Limited tester is powered by two motors – one at each axle. Total output is 320 horsepower with 446 pound-feet of torque. Therefore, this model has power to all four wheels. The battery pack has a capacity of 77.4 kWh with an output of 277 kW. Hyundai claims that this tester has a range of 270 miles. In reality, we were able to 226 miles on a completely full battery.
In terms of the driving experience, the IONIQ 6 rides very smoothly. It does handle the bumps well without transmitting them into the cabin, Handling is good – somewhere between soft and solid. Cornering is fine, but you do feel the extra weight of the battery pack, along with the lower center of gravity.
The steering is not as tight as you expect in a smaller vehicle. While there is an absence of feel, it manages will when you point the IONIQ 6 into a turn. On-center is soft, but also very manageable. The brakes are an interesting story. If you apply them, they do respond with good normal and panic stops. Pedal feel is good. There is a one-pedal function called i-Pedal that can be enabled so you not have to use the pedal to intervene. A Smart Regenerative System is designed to maintain charge levels while slowing down, using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
Pricing for the 2024 IONIQ 6 starts at $37,500 and it comes in four different configurations. Our Limited all-wheel drive tester came with a sticker price of $55,010.
The IONIQ 6 is part of a growing number of battery electric vehicles that are vying for your investment in the future. Right now, the only other EV sedan it competes against is the Tesla Model 3. If you can stretch your budget to compare the IONIQ 6 with the Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan, Lucid Air, or BMW i5. However, the Hyundai competes with other mainstream offerings, such as its platform mates the IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6. You could also throw in the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Chevrolet Equinox EV and Blazer EV, Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra, Nissan Ariya, and Volkswagen ID.4 onto your shopping list.
The fact that it is a sedan makes the Hyundai IONIQ 6 a compelling offering. If you want to rebel against the SUV, the IONIQ 6 would be a great way to do so.
Credits: CarSoup Editors
