It is a production EV that genuinely delivers concept car looks – both outside and in.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 will compete with three acclaimed premium rivals – the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2 and BMW i4. Key to this will be an electric driving range that will ultimately better all of its competitors, thanks to the sheer aero efficiency of the car they’re calling the ‘electrified streamliner’.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 was released in the UK initially in limited-volume First Edition guise. Prices started from £54,995… and the UK’s full allocation was reserved within 24 hours. Ordering has now opened for Premium and Ultimate grades, with prices from £46,745. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions are available (twin-motor all-wheel drive is £3,500 more).
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 will be released in early 2023, with deliveries of the broader model range building throughout the year.
Remember, everyone buying or leasing a new Hyundai Ioniq 6 also benefits from the firm’s superb five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a car that looks like no other electric vehicle on the road. Its radically streamlined looks are designed to deliver maximum aerodynamic efficiency. As it slips through the air so cleanly, this helps maximise the EV driving range.
It is clear at first glance that the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 has been designed in the wind tunnel. Every aspect has been carefully honed for wind-cheating dexterity. The lines are super-smooth, gently curved and gracefully elongated.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a long car, measuring 4,855mm overall. This emphasises its most distinctive feature – that stretched, plunging rear end, which has been shaped to smooth the airflow as much as possible. It has the appearance of a classic Porsche 911, complete with ‘ducktail’ spoiler to reduce rear-end lift. This is no bad thing, and ensures it is distinct from any other new EV for sale.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 has the same pixelated-style LED lights front and rear as the Hyundai Ioniq 5. But, overall, its curvaceous profile is in stark contrast to the straight lines and edginess of its five-door hatchback sister car – and we celebrate this distinctiveness.
The most aerodynamically-efficient new Hyundai Ioniq 6 will run on 18-inch alloy wheels, and use high-tech rear-view cameras instead of digital door mirrors. They will come later; the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 First Edition has distinctive 20-inch matt black alloy wheels, plus gloss black lower body mouldings and gloss black door mirror caps.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 First Edition is offered in a choice of four colours: Biophilic Blue Pearl, Serenity White Pearl, Nocturne Grey Metallic and Gravity Gold Matte. Hyundai adds the new Ioniq 6 is the first Hyundai in the world to use the new design of the ‘H’ emblem, finished here in black aluminium.
Inside, the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 has a subtly different appearance to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It shares the dual-screen layout, with twin 12.0-inch screens – a driver display and a touchscreen infotainment display in the centre. The widescreen layout means standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto look particularly impressive
Below the screens is a full-width ventilation outlet, with (praise be!) a dedicated climate control display below that. Multi-colour ambient lighting is used throughout the new Hyundai Ioniq 6, including in the curvaceous door panels with their ‘floating’ arm rests. There’s a useful centre console in the front, with plenty of stowage and integrated controls.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 front seats are both ‘premium relaxation’ seats, which auto-reclinate at the touch of a button. Heated seats are standard front and rear, and there’s a heated steering wheel. The grey tartan fabric is complemented by special First Edition Econyl floor mats made from sustainable fibres.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 has a 401-litre boot and, in rear-wheel drive models, an additional 45-litre ‘frunk’ front storage compartment, which is ideal for storing charging cables (although it does shrink to just 12 litres in all-wheel drive variants). It also comes with a standard ‘vehicle to load’ cable, so you can plug in devices such as kettles and computer chargers and run them from the car itself.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 will launch with a large 77.4kWh battery on both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions. Rear-wheel drive models have a single 228PS motor, which gives 0-62mph acceleration in 7.4 seconds, and a 338-mile electric range.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6’s dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain delivers a potent 325PS. It produces 605Nm of torque and will accelerate from 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds. Hyundai is quoting an EV driving range of 320 miles.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 boasts an 800V charging system, capable of using lightning-quick 350kW ultra-fast chargers. This will be able to top up the battery from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes. A standard battery charging system helps optimise charge times in all conditions. The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 includes a one-year subscription to the Ionity Premium network of 350kW ultra-fast chargers for those buying or leasing the new EV.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 will later launch with a more affordable 53kWh battery, in single-motor rear-wheel drive guise. When fitted with 18-inch wheels, this version will be the most efficient, longest-range variant – indeed, Hyundai is already claiming it to be one of the most energy-efficient vehicles on sale.
If you're considering buying your first electric car, the steady stream of new and updated models can actually be a bit off-putting. The last thing you want is "the next big thing" to be announced the day you take delivery.
Generally, we'd suggest that the right time to buy an electric car for many buyers is now. We're well past the early-adopters stage (pure-electric vehicles account for around 15% of the UK new car market so far in 2022), while the advances in technology are now pretty incremental. Sure, the latest electric vehicles (EVs) might be able to travel a few more miles on a charge than their predecessors, but we're not going to see a huge jump in range until solid-state batteries come along (and it'll be years before that happens).
So, if you're ready to submit the order form for your first electric car, why you should wait for the Hyundai Ioniq 6? It's likely to be 2023 before the first customer vehicles arrive in the UK, and high demand is likely to keep waiting lists long.
Well, for a start, the Koreans are absolutely smashing electric vehicles. Not literally, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the best electric cars you can buy today. Its strongest competition comes from its closest relations – cars like the Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 builds on the brand's electric car experience gained from the Ioniq 5 (as well as the regular Hyundai Ioniq and the Hyundai Kona Electric). That means you get a very useable range (up to 379 miles is mooted), as well as nifty features like the brand's vehicle-to-grid capabilities.
It's also wrapped up in a very desirable package. Not everyone will like how the Ioniq 6 looks, but the Ioniq 5 looked a bit controversial when that was first revealed, and that's not harmed sales. Hyundai is no longer about blending in.
Of course, one of the biggest obstacles the Hyundai Ioniq 6 faces is it's not an SUV. That's a bold statement itself in 2022's new car market. Don't forget, though, that the Tesla Model 3 is the UK's best-selling electric car – proof that saloons can still be fashionable. And then there's the BMW i4, another one of our favourite electric cars and another with a low-slung seating position. It's also going to be one of the Hyundai Ioniq 6's biggest rivals.
In true Korean form, the Ioniq 6 will undercut the BMW in price, but that doesn't mean it feels like a budget choice. We've poked and prodded a pre-production version of the Ioniq 6 and it's well-built, while technology like the digital door mirrors add to the 'car of the future' vibe. If you're looking for a new electric car that could be 2023's next big thing, we reckon the Hyundai Ioniq 6 could be it.
Want to buy a new electric car but don't want to wait for the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 to go on sale in 2023? Beat the waiting list by looking at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 instead. Just like the Ioniq 6, the Ioniq 5 is an innovative electric car, albeit one that's shaped like an SUV rather than a fastback saloon.
A used Hyundai Ioniq 5 can be picked up for a smidgen over £40,000 – representing a significant saving compared to a new Ioniq 5 as well as giving you the opportunity to skip the waiting list.
There are no end of new electric cars coming to market, which we’re covering in full detail to help new car buyers here at heycar. We have news of the new 2023 Volvo EX90 electric SUV, the new Audi Q8 e-tron and full details of the upcoming new 2024 MINI Electric.
The target for the Hyundai Ioniq 6, in its most aero-efficient configuration, is around 450 miles on a single charge – making it one of the longest-range electric cars on sale.
New Hyundai Ioniq 6 early adopters will pay £54,995 for the First Edition all-wheel drive model. The Premium rear-wheel drive grade opens the range, with prices starting from £46,745 for those looking to buy or lease the new Hyundai Ioniq 6.
The new Hyundai Ioniq 6 uses eco-process leather and recycled fabric in its seats, a bio-TPO skin for the dashboard, bio-PET fabric in the headliner and regenerated nylon yarn floor mats.
Whether you're looking for advice on what hybrid car to buy or looking to find your next EV, we've got the answer