Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited Long Range AWD
Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 electric sedan is an eye-catcher from every angle. Despite the sleek slope of the roof, there is generous space for two rear-seat passengers as well as a decent trunk.
Think ‘minimalist design’ rather than ‘Spartan’: The Ioniq 6 Limited is very well equipped for comfort and convenience as well as safety. The lower knob protruding from behind the wheel is the gear selector: Rotate it one way for D, the other way for R and push in for Park. The button at 8:00 o’clock inside the wheel changes the drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport. The driver’s seat retracts automatically when the ignition is switched off.
EV makers seem to delight in coming up with new graphics to show speed, range and state of charge. So far at least, all that we’ve seen have been intuitive and easy to read, and even entertaining.
The Ioniq 6 also offers this unique rear-quarter backup-camera perspective in addition to the usual top-down 360-degree view. A computer stitches together data from cameras at each corner of the car to create these composite images. Non-US versions of the Ioniq 6 also have rear-facing cameras in place of wing mirrors.
Many EVs have these door handles, which lie flush when the car is underway (for aerodynamic efficiency) and when the car is locked. A New England ice storm could jam them up if left open like this.
Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 electric sedan is an eye-catcher from every angle. Despite the sleek slope of the roof, there is generous space for two rear-seat passengers as well as a decent trunk.
Think ‘minimalist design’ rather than ‘Spartan’: The Ioniq 6 Limited is very well equipped for comfort and convenience as well as safety. The lower knob protruding from behind the wheel is the gear selector: Rotate it one way for D, the other way for R and push in for Park. The button at 8:00 o’clock inside the wheel changes the drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport. The driver’s seat retracts automatically when the ignition is switched off.
EV makers seem to delight in coming up with new graphics to show speed, range and state of charge. So far at least, all that we’ve seen have been intuitive and easy to read, and even entertaining.
The Ioniq 6 also offers this unique rear-quarter backup-camera perspective in addition to the usual top-down 360-degree view. A computer stitches together data from cameras at each corner of the car to create these composite images. Non-US versions of the Ioniq 6 also have rear-facing cameras in place of wing mirrors.
Many EVs have these door handles, which lie flush when the car is underway (for aerodynamic efficiency) and when the car is locked. A New England ice storm could jam them up if left open like this.
Since the all-electric Ioniq 6 rolled out in February 2022 as a 2023 model, it has won awards left and right, including World Car of the Year, and it has dethroned the Tesla Model 3 as the most cost-efficient all-around EV. Our top-of-the-range version has a sticker price of $57,425, but in entry-level form an Ioniq 6 can cost as little as about $42,000.
That’s the SE Standard, with a 149-horsepower motor on the rear axle (driving only the rear wheels) and a battery pack good for an estimated 240 miles of range. In ascending price order, there are three other trim levels—SE, SEL and Limited—and these offer all-wheel-drive as a $3,500 option, which means they have two higher-output motors, one on each axle, for a total of 320 horsepower. The single 225-HP-motor RWD SE with the long-range battery is said to be good for 361 miles, which makes it the mileage king, at least until we get to six-figure cars from makers such as Lucid, Tesla and Mercedes-Benz.
Our 320-horsepower Limited Long Range AWD Ioniq 6 has an estimated range of up to 270 miles, but in summer weather with the automatic climate-control (i.e., air-conditioning) switched on, we saw predicted values of about 250 miles. While the Environmental Protection Agency and the Dept. of Transportation figure out how best to evaluate this new technology, optimistic range values are the bugaboo of EVs.
This doesn’t seem to hurt their popularity, however, at least in more urban regions. The waiting list for the Ioniq 6 (and other EVs) is months long. BTW, our car is a 2023 model, but Hyundai says the 2024 version is a carry-over with no changes.
The Ioniq 6’s driving dynamics live up to its stylish looks. The steering, although shy of feedback, is responsive and accurate. The suspension is not as buttoned-down as that of the mega-horsepower Kia EV6 GT, but the Ioniq 6 feels securely planted, and 320 ponies pawing the pavement through all-wheel drive can provide startling acceleration. The steering-wheel paddles don’t shift gears; they call up two levels of regenerative braking for one-pedal driving.
Possibly only one thing prevents the Ioniq 6 from single-handedly breathing new spark into America’s sedan market, which has been laid low by the demand for SUVs and pickups: Its platform is also available under a practical and space-efficient hatchback called the Ioniq 5—which was the 2022 World Car of the Year and seems to be out-selling its sedan sibling. In Hyundai fashion, the Ioniq 5 and the 6 have not only 10-year powertrain warranties but also 10-year Electric Vehicle System warranties—for the EV scoffers among us.
Next week: GMC Canyon AT4X
