Everything You Need to Know About the Hyundai IONIQ 6

After winning triple at the 2023 World Car Awards, including Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and Car Design of the Year, it’s about time we talked about the IONIQ 6. This bravely designed aerodynamic EV hit our showrooms earlier this year and has since been attracting a growing fanbase. With market-leading EV technology, the IONIQ 6 is a premium saloon that aligns with impressive affordability to put many upmarket EV rivals on their toes. Stick around to uncover all the hidden features and inspirations of this fantastic vehicle.

We Can’t Ignore the Design

Building on many of the strengths of the IONIQ 5, the 6 presents itself as an intriguingly dynamic package. Inspired by an aircraft “streamliner” design, the IONIQ 6 minimised drag across its body with a flowing silhouette and carefully placed protrusions to dramatically increase the range it can travel. Many can recognise elements of the old Porsche fleet throughout while others are reminded of a design that nostalgically reflects what futuristic cars may have been proposed as back in the 60s and 70s. Either way, the IONIQ 6 encapsulates the perfect melding of old and new, from old-school toggles to futuristic ambient lighting and pixilated LED headlights.  

A hidden gem of a feature on the IONIQ 6 is the active/passive aerodynamic vents on the grille. These open and channel airflow inside to cool the battery when needed to increase its efficiency, but close when not needed to increase the aerodynamic smoothness of the car which reduces drag by as much as 20%. Small protrusions around the body of the IONIQ 6 are all masterfully shaped through an intricate design process to minimise wind vortices and maximise EV range. In fact, the IONIQ 6 has achieved an incredibly low drag coefficient due to its special design, and as stated by Hyundai themselves:

“IONIQ 6's ultra-low drag coefficient of 0.21 is assisted by a low nose, active air flaps, wheel gap reducers, elliptical wing-inspired spoiler with winglet, slight boattail structure, separation traps on both sides of the rear bumper, full underbody cover, deflectors and reduced wheel-arch gaps”. – Hyundai Worldwide

EVs typically face design limitations to account for the size of their battery to achieve a target weight for optimal range, but the IONIQ 6 bypassed this hurdle with a unique E-GMP architecture. Spanning 4.9m in length, the IONIQ 6 is a welcome addition to the EV saloon market, providing a deep boot space that can easily accommodate family-sized luggage. A separate compartment is also located underneath the boot and there’s an additional storage compartment in the front of the car. The increased length further means impressive leg room for passengers in the back, giving any journey in the IONIQ 6 a greater comfort appeal.

There’s a quirky uniqueness to the IONIQ 6 that makes it stand apart from the crowd, even apart from its market sector. This creates a strong rarity appeal that many competitors lack, giving reason to why it has risen through the ranks of popularity so quickly. Be sure to also check out our coverage of the IONIQ 6 on our YouTube channel below!

Tell Me About the Inside

Even at face value so far, many would already put the IONIQ 6 on their wish list due to its design and accelerating fame, but if those aren’t enough, then the abundance of features that Hyundai have provided as standard on the IONIQ 6 surely will. Let’s start with the 12.3” touchscreen display as it will be the first thing you’ll notice when inside. Like the majority of the IONIQ 6’s interior features, this display seamlessly integrates into the dashboard to fulfil a single design profile that supports a cockpit-esque interior. Its functionality is straightforward, offering you all you could need and more in a presentable and navigable manner. The air-conditioning controls also remain separate which is a small but critical detail so that the driver doesn’t become overwhelmed with information on the screen.

A raised armrest in the centre contributes to Hyundai’s objective of creating a ‘cocoon’ space, deepened by streams of customisable ambient lighting throughout. This allows you to easily shift into a driving-focused mindset via a deeper connection to the drive, supported by electrically powered lumbar adjustable seating for both driver and passengers. Recycled and sustainable materials are used in the fabrication of the seats and floor mats which allow the IONIQ 6 to give a little back in its creation. All features mentioned above come as standard, with much more as well, including:

• Heated seating and steering
• Reversing camera
• Flush door handles
• Keyless entry
• USB ports in front and rear
• V2L system
• A 12.3” digital cluster in addition to the touchscreen display
• Bluelink phone connection
• Wireless phone charging
• A generous warranty on the battery, anti-perforation, health checks, mileage, and roadside assistance.
• And more

The thoughtful convenience of the IONIQ 6’s abundance of included features highlights its ability to outclass its rivals at such a competitive price. However, if the standard ‘Premium’ trim option doesn’t suffice for you then perhaps the upgraded ‘Ultimate’ trim level will. Here, you’ll have access to fully automated parking, a futuristic heads-up display, leather upholstery, a personalised memory function for the driver, a sunroof, BOSE sound speakers and more. You’ll also unlock the option to replace the wing mirrors with cameras which will come in handy on those low-visibility days.​​

… But Does the Drive Impress?

Whether the features and design shifted your interest or not, it’s the quality of the drive that’s typically the dealbreaker. The IONIQ 6 is offered in two drivetrain variants. The first is a rear-wheel-drive variant powered by a 228PS electric motor and 77.4kWh battery. The second is an all-wheel-drive variant powered by a 325PS electric motor and 77.4kWh battery. While the former impressively achieves a 0-62mph acceleration in 7.4 seconds, it’s the latter that takes the cake with a 5.1-second acceleration.

A whopping 338 miles of EV range are possible in the IONIQ 6 thanks to its optimised aerodynamic design. You won’t be waiting long to prepare for this either as the battery can reach a 10-80% charge time in under 20 minutes with a fast charger. Regenerative braking has also been masterfully engineered, where 3 modes are given for you to choose from, each increasing amount of energy returned to the battery on braking. Selecting ‘auto’ for a given mode allows the car to do the work for you, turning on the regenerative braking automatically so that the battery is optimised during your drives.

The IONIQ 6 delivers instant torque with impressive progression where even this is customisable through ‘high’ and ‘normal’ acceleration settings. A solid and taught body control remains consistent, providing an addictive moment-to-moment drive which hints towards aspects of a sporty saloon, especially when turned into ‘Sports’ steering mode through a sharper steering profile. Additionally, driving an EV in the winter will naturally affect its range, but the IONIQ 6’s integrated heat pump counteracts this loss in a major way by boosting the efficiency of the battery in poor conditions to maximise its range.​​

The IONIQ 6 remains composed going over bumps and road imperfections due to a reimagined suspension system thanks to its lower profile. The aerodynamics pay off well when travelling at higher speeds as the wind noise is impressively minimised. The E-Active sound design contributes to this by producing a virtual driving sound through dedicated controllers for greater engagement and connection to the IONIQ 6.

So, to answer the question of whether the IONIQ 6 can drive to impress, it’s a resounding yes. All that is left is for you to try it for yourself.

A Step in the Right Direction

The IONIQ 6 breaks the mould of what we imagine modern EVs to be. By going against the grain of mainstream EV markets, Hyundai has unveiled a path towards an EV future with an exciting variety of choices. By melding the best of the old and the new, the IONIQ 6 unites convenience with nostalgia, performance with liveability, and sustainability with futurism in a ground-breaking way that we simply can’t ignore. If you're interested in further exploring the IONIQ 6, contact our experts at Eden below.

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