Hyundai Ioniq 6 AWD 77.4 kWh Review: Retro, Polarising and Capable
The Ioniq 6 has its fair share of fans and detractors. Show it to a group of ten people and you will have as much favour for it as you get derision.
Its exterior design is the main reason why its attracting opinions like a magnet. Some say it’s a mishmash of different cars put together, but I feel it’s a bold take on something designed to be attention grabbing. Surely it will be polarising, but at least it isn’t boring. It works for me, especially for a car that’s meant to draw attention away from Elon Musk and Tesla.
Its interior is rather more conventional, showing its relations with the excellent Ioniq 5 but with some differentiation. It’s exceptionally functional, with a brilliant user interface and logical layout. Like the Ioniq 5, you get the sense that Hyundai has been through countless consultative feedback groups to arrive at something like this.
Build quality is also impressive, although material quality is merely adequate. It’s by no means cheap, but it isn’t exactly luxurious either.
Built on the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 sits lower and wider which makes it an altogether sportier car. However, because of the batteries set underneath, its seats are positioned quite low, so sometimes sitting in the Ioniq 6 feels a little awkward. One doesn’t experience this in the Ioniq 5 due to its higher roofline and seats.
However, rear legroom can genuinely rival a limousine, something you might not expect as the car visually looks smaller from the outside. The flat floor gives an impression of an airy atmosphere.
The Ioniq 6 has terrific roadholding and capabilities. There is a fabulous chassis that is taut and responsive. However, its steering is always a little too aloof no matter what setting you’re in. While this suits the Ioniq 5 for its more practical slant, the sportier Ioniq 6 deserves more feelsome steering.
The Ioniq 6’s tidy handling is achieved by rather stiff suspension as well at low speeds. Take caution when going over humps at speed. However, the suspension works very well at high speed and I suspect that is where it was tuned for.
The curvaceous bootlid has an interesting ducktail design, and when you open it there is 401 litres of boot space. However, the entry is a little narrow.
The Ioniq 6 has all the makings of a great car. My gut feel is that the basic Ioniq 6 in RWD might be a better prospect, with a more comfy ride and pure RWD handling.
Photos by New Gen Marketing
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