Hyundai Ioniq 9 driven
Hyundai’s most expensive car has finally landed and with so much competition in the market, is it worth the price tag?
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Everything about the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is big. This is a sizeable car that reflects Hyundai’s substantial ambition.
As an enormous electric SUV, it will be the most expensive car in the Hyundai showrooms. Which also means it is a big gamble.
This three-row crossover is part of a new breed of electric cars that offer green motoring for a six-figure price.
MORE: How Hyundai’s EV will convert petrolheads
A close relative to Kia’s EV9 electric seven-seater, the Ioniq 9 is even larger, with a bigger battery pack that could make it more useful – and costlier – than its Korean cousin.
Hyundai has not locked in a price for the Ioniq 9.
But the enormous 110kWh battery and powerful twin electric motors of our test car suggest it will not be a budget alternative to the likes of BMW or Mercedes - it could cost more than European luxury machines.
MORE: Hyundai Ioniq 9 EV revealed
Which is why premium versions will be packed with equipment including a panoramic sunroof, heated and cooled seats that massage your worries away, a 14-speaker Bose stereo and swivelling “captains chairs” that allow you to customise the interior layout.
Further customisation comes on the tech front.
Hyundai plans to turn the infotainment screen into an income stream, allowing customers to pay for music and video on demand – the same way Tesla owners can watch Netflix when parked.
Kia makes money in the US by allowing owners to download lighting themes that match their favourite basketball team, by opting to electronically increase the acceleration of their car, and download animated patterns for its exterior lighting.
Expect Hyundai to follow suit.
First impressions of the Ioniq 9 are that it looks sharp, like a modern Range Rover spin-off with pixelated lighting elements.
MORE: Kia EV9 electric car driven
The enormously long wheelbase translates to impressive cabin room - there is more than adequate legroom in the second row, and the third tow can accommodate adults with ease.
There are powerful USB-C outlets throughout the car, as well as a household power socket and classic 12-volt outlet in the boot.
Naturally, there are no shortage of cupholders either.
After all, this is a family SUV that will be built in America for Americans – though our examples will be assembled in South Korea.
Hyundai offered a handful or reporters a brief test drive of pre-production examples at its proving grounds in California’s Mojave Desert.
Climbing into the driver’s seat, the Ioniq 9 feels reasonably familiar.
Getting underway, the big wagon’s near-silent movement delivers luxurious progress.
Standing on the accelerator on a high-speed oval reveals that Hyundai wasn’t kidding about a claimed five-second sprint to 100km/h for the most powerful model – this is an effortlessly brisk car.
Effortless grunt promises to make overtaking a breeze, and a focus on refinement means there is minimal whirr or whine from electric hardware.
Less powerful versions naturally feel a little laboured at speed.
The racetrack-smooth test track did not offer an opportunity to test the car’s ride over bumps or broken surfaces.
But we did get an impression of how the car feels on a winding road.
Wide rubber and a low centre of gravity return confident cornering, though suspension tuned for comfort over poise returns a little more body roll than expected.
After all, this is a heavy car. Hyundai is shy about the car’s weight, though we reckon it’s close to three tonnes.
The manufacturer is less shy about the effort it put into making the car as refined as possible.
Hidden antennas, a completely flat underbody, triple seals for the doors and special enclosures for the electric motors help keep wind and road noise to the minimum.
Folks who feel it’s a little too quiet can tap and swipe through the touchscreen to pipe in a little engine noise, and those who miss conventional transmissions may be able to download a simulated paddle-shift gearbox similar to that found in the Ioniq 5 N performance car.
Both of those features would be present in a high-performance Ioniq 9 N – should Hyundai decided to build one.
Such a thing would arrive well after the Hyundai Ioniq 9 makes its Australian debut in 2025.
Originally published as Hyundai Ioniq 9 driven
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